Director, Policy

Silicon Valley Community Foundation•Mountain View, CA

1d•Hybrid

About The Position

This is a full-time, exempt level position in Mountain View, California. SVCF operates on a hybrid work model. All teams are expected to work in the office twice a week, every other week. In-office days are Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Please note that there may be times when meetings, events, or other organizational priorities require you to be in the office more frequently than this standard schedule. This structure is designed to support equity, collaboration and consistency while still maintaining flexibility in how we work. SVCF also reserves the right to modify its hybrid work schedule as needed. All SVCF team members must be based and hold residency in California. Reporting to the Executive Vice President, Community Impact and Policy, the Director, Policy supports the development and execution of SVCF's public policy agenda in close partnership with senior leadership. Serving as an internal policy resource, the Director monitors and analyzes policy developments, advises leaders on implications and response options, coordinates advocacy activities, and builds relationships with policymakers, community partners, and cross-sector stakeholders. As a policy generalist, the Director works across issue areas and helps connect senior leadership's policy priorities with SVCF's community impact, grantmaking, partnerships, and external engagement. The Director provides research, recommendations, briefings, and implementation support; prepares senior leaders for public events, policy briefings, and media engagements; and represents SVCF externally as assigned.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree or equivalent relevant experience.
Minimum of seven years of relevant experience in public policy, public affairs, government relations, advocacy, community impact, nonprofit leadership, philanthropy, or a related field.
Experience working with local, state, and/or federal legislative and regulatory processes.
Experience building relationships with elected officials, government staff, advocacy organizations, community leaders, and other stakeholders.
Experience designing and facilitating convenings, briefings, and other stakeholder engagements.
Experience managing complex, multi-stakeholder initiatives and coordinating work across teams.
Strong understanding of public policy, government relations, and legislative and regulatory processes.
Working knowledge of the rules governing nonprofit advocacy and lobbying, including when to seek legal or compliance guidance.
Understanding of how policy analysis and community perspectives can inform philanthropic and grantmaking strategies.
Political and public policy acumen, with the ability to navigate complex and sensitive issues.
Ability to work across a range of policy issues and quickly develop knowledge of new subject areas.
Strong analytical skills, including the ability to assess complex policy issues and communicate their implications clearly to diverse audiences.
Excellent writing, editing, research, presentation, and public-speaking skills.
Strong organizational and project-management skills, with the ability to balance competing priorities.
Collaborative and relationship-centered approach, with sound judgment, discretion, and diplomacy.
Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and experience working with CRM systems.
Ability to work effectively in a dynamic environment and adapt to evolving organizational and community priorities.
Commitment to continuous learning, community-centered approaches, and SVCF’s mission and values.

Responsibilities

Support senior leadership in developing, implementing, and refining SVCF's public policy and advocacy agenda in alignment with the foundation's community impact priorities.
Monitor and analyze relevant local, state, and federal legislation, regulations, budgets, and policy developments; advise senior leadership on implications for SVCF and its partners and recommend response options.
Conduct policy research and prepare policy memos, recommendations, talking points, testimony, advocacy materials, and letters of support or opposition for senior leadership and internal teams.
In coordination with senior leadership, cultivate relationships with elected officials, legislative staff, government agencies, advocacy organizations, and other policy stakeholders and support SVCF's engagement with them.
Apply working knowledge of the rules governing nonprofit advocacy, lobbying, campaign activity, and electoral participation, consulting with legal or compliance colleagues as appropriate.
Build and maintain trusted relationships with nonprofit and community leaders, advocacy organizations, public agencies, philanthropic peers, anchor institutions, and other regional partners.
Represent SVCF, as assigned, in coalitions, working groups, public forums, briefings, and other policy and community-related engagements; share relevant insights with senior leadership and internal teams.
Identify and support cross-sector partnerships that advance the policy agenda and community impact priorities established by SVCF leadership.
Serve as a connector across sectors, building common ground and supporting collaboration, strategic alignment, and collective action.
In partnership with senior leadership and internal teams, design and facilitate convenings, roundtables, and briefings that elevate community expertise, strengthen coordination, and inform policy and systems-change strategies.
Partner with senior leadership and the Marketing and Communications team to translate complex policy issues, legislation, and regulations into clear, accessible messages for diverse audiences.
Prepare presentations, talking points, briefing materials, opinion pieces, advocacy communications, and other content for senior leaders in support of SVCF's policy priorities and public positioning.
Collaborate with the Marketing and Communications team to support SVCF's principal spokespersons on policy matters, including the President and CEO and Executive Vice President, by preparing them for public events, policy briefings, community forums, partner meetings, and media engagements.
Represent SVCF externally as assigned, using diplomacy and sound judgment to navigate differing perspectives, build trust, and identify common ground.
Provide senior leadership and internal teams with policy analysis, research, and community perspectives that inform grantmaking strategies, without responsibility for managing a grantmaking portfolio.
Identify opportunities to align policy and advocacy strategies with community partnerships and philanthropic investments.
Monitor emerging community needs, policy developments, and regional dynamics and share relevant analysis with senior leadership to inform organizational strategy and positioning.
Support cross-sector initiatives and special projects identified by senior leadership involving nonprofit, philanthropic, public-sector, and community partners.
Contribute policy and community perspectives to organizational learning, evaluation, and decision-making.
Other related duties as assigned. The responsibilities outlined in this job description are not meant to be all-inclusive and are subject to change. Employees are expected to be flexible and adaptable, performing other related duties as needed to meet the organization’s evolving goals and priorities.