Director of Advocacy and Community Engagement (63918)

University Settlement Society Of New York•New York, NY

About The Position

University Settlement is hiring a Director of Advocacy and Community Engagement to coordinate and expand the organization’s existing advocacy efforts across programs and sites and foster an agency-wide culture of advocacy. The Director will develop resources and campaigns, train staff, and support staff and participants in advocacy and education efforts. The work is intended to strengthen systems-change approaches, increase the organization’s impact and reach, and grow its influence in city and state policy and in New York City’s advocacy field. The Director will lead an agency-wide advocacy and civic engagement strategy; build relationships with government agencies, elected officials, nonprofit partners, coalitions, and other stakeholders; and connect direct-service experience with research, advocacy, and policy initiatives. The role partners with staff, participants, and community stakeholders to identify priorities and advance community-driven policy agendas, while coordinating advocacy activities, testimony, and campaigns at city, state, and federal levels. The Director will build advocacy capacity through training and professional development, oversee community engagement activities, track participation and campaign outcomes, supervise assigned staff and other contributors, and support advocacy-related grant proposals and reporting. The role also involves policy and budget analysis, research into advocacy and civic engagement practices, developing advocacy materials, supporting the digital Advocacy resource hub, and contributing to program planning, quality improvement, organizational learning, and evaluation.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree required.
7–10 years of experience in advocacy, public policy, community organizing, or related work.
Strong knowledge of New York City and New York State legislative, regulatory, and budget processes.
Experience coordinating projects and guiding teams through culture change and new initiatives.
Excellent written, verbal, facilitation, presentation, and relationship-building skills.
Ability to analyze complex policy issues and translate information into clear, accessible language.
Strong organizational, project management, and prioritization skills, including the ability to manage multiple initiatives simultaneously.
Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, virtual meeting platforms, and database management systems.
Commitment to social justice, anti-poverty work, community leadership, and engagement.
Ability to build effective relationships and work collaboratively within culturally and linguistically diverse communities.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree in social work, human services, public administration, public policy, community organizing, or a related field.
Experience developing and delivering trainings, educational materials, and community outreach campaigns.
Salesforce experience.
Bilingual skills, particularly in languages reflective of the communities University Settlement serves.

Responsibilities

Develop and implement an agency-wide advocacy and civic engagement strategy, embedding advocacy, civic engagement, and systems-change approaches across programs and divisions.
Represent University Settlement and build, maintain, and strengthen relationships with government agencies, elected officials, nonprofit partners, coalitions, and other stakeholders.
Elevate the organization’s profile in public policy and systems change by building government partnerships and connecting direct-service experience to research, advocacy, and policy initiatives.
Partner with program staff, participants, and community stakeholders to identify advocacy priorities and advance community-driven policy agendas.
Lead and coordinate city, state, and federal advocacy activities, testimony, and campaigns.
Design and facilitate advocacy trainings, workshops, and professional development for staff and participants.
Oversee community engagement efforts, including town halls, listening sessions, public forums, leadership development initiatives, voter engagement activities, and digital advocacy campaigns.
Establish systems to track advocacy participation, campaign outcomes, and key performance indicators using Salesforce and other data-management tools.
Supervise advocacy staff, consultants, interns, and volunteers as assigned.
Support grant proposals and reporting related to advocacy initiatives.
Track and analyze city and state budget items, legislation, and regulations affecting the communities served to identify priority areas.
Research emerging trends and best practices in advocacy, community organizing, civic engagement, and systems-change strategies, and recommend organizational implementation.
Support the organization’s digital Advocacy resource hub.
Lead development of advocacy materials, including policy briefs, testimony, community alerts, presentations, digital content, and other resources.
Contribute to program planning, continuous quality improvement, organizational learning, and evaluation activities.
Perform other related duties as assigned.