Lead Advocacy Officer

ZERO TO THREE•Washington, DC

5d•$150,000 - $170,000•Hybrid

About The Position

The Policy Center at ZERO TO THREE, a nonpartisan, research-based resource on infant and toddler development, is seeking a changemaker and coalition-builder to serve as the Lead Advocacy Officer. The Lead Advocacy Officer will manage the federal policy, government relations, family and community mobilization teams to execute a power-building, integrated advocacy agenda that advances ZERO TO THREE’s mission of ensuring all babies and toddlers have a strong start in life. The Lead Advocacy Officer will report to the Chief Policy Officer and serve on the Policy Center’s Leadership Team. The LAO will work closely with ZERO TO THREE’s communication and marketing division to develop and implement national and state advocacy campaigns, state and federal government relations strategies, and relationship- and coalition-building efforts with a variety of stakeholders, grassroots organizations, and partners, including Congress and the Administration. The Lead Advocacy Officer will supervise a team of Directors and specialists and work collaboratively with internal colleagues and external partners to ensure ZTT’s advocacy agenda drives meaningful policy and system change for infants, toddlers, and their families.

Requirements

Minimum of 12 years of relevant advocacy and policy experience, including experience on Capitol Hill, government relations, lobbying, or related role.
Minimum of 8 years of relevant supervisory experience, including experience in leading a cross-functional team through various set of priorities, strategies, and goals.
Demonstrated advanced knowledge and facility with influencing and advocating at federal and local
Demonstrated knowledge and understanding of federal legislative and regulatory processes and procedures, including federal budget and appropriations processes.
Strong critical thinker and strategic planner with exceptional judgement and significant experience anticipating challenges and creatively problem-solving to address actual and possible scenarios and risks.
Strong and productive interpersonal and collaboration skills with track record of cultivating, building, and maintaining respectful and collaborative relationships at all levels and across all identities – including with key members of Congress and Executive Branch agencies - with ability to ability to influence, motivate, challenge, and inspire confidence among others.
Strong management and supervisory skills, including experience providing reflective supervision (see Essential Qualities), with ability to inspire and motivate seasoned team members.
Experience with strategy development and execution, including developing actionable plans around long and short-term goals – built with timelines and measurable progress indicators that generate impact and influence on policy, legislation, and public opinion.
Ability to connect research, policy, and practice into a unified strategy.
Ability to develop proposals and partner with Development Team on fundraising efforts for advocacy initiatives
Excellent oral and written communicator with demonstrated ability and skill serving as an external spokesperson and effectively explain and amplify ZERO TO THREE’s reach and engage different audiences, stakeholders, and interested parties; make complicated/technical information understandable and accessible; create and deliver compelling and effective presentations.

Nice To Haves

Strong understanding of early childhood policy issues such as health, mental health, family support, or early learning, preferred.

Responsibilities

Lead the design and advancement of ZERO TO THREE’s advocacy plan in alignment with ZERO TO THREE’s strategic plan and in partnership with ZTT’s external partners and stakeholders.
Collaborate effectively with their team, colleagues, and government relations consultants to design coordinated federal and state advocacy campaigns and government relations strategies.
Plan and ensure the successful implementation of annual high-profile advocacy events at a reasonable cadence to build momentum and strengthen stakeholder engagement on ZERO TO THREE’s policy priorities and goals.
Ensure all advocacy efforts comply with relevant laws and ethical standards and reflect transparency and accountability.
Lead their team in developing and fostering strategic partnerships and coalitions at the state and federal levels to drive and maximize impact direct and to seek input from families, early childhood professionals, stakeholders, and community partners.
Be closely attuned to shifts in the political and policy landscape, emerging opportunities and challenges, and their implications for ZERO TO THREE’s advocacy priorities.
Operate effectively in dynamic and uncertain environments, identify and communicate strategic tradeoffs, and guide timely adjustments in approach and prioritization.
Provide leadership to ensure that advocacy strategies are coordinated, adaptable, and positioned to achieve significant and measurable policy outcomes.
Work in close partnership with colleagues across the organization, including policy, advocacy, communications, and research teams, to ensure alignment and integration of strategies and activities.
Develop, strengthen, and cultivate external partnerships and coalitions that advance shared policy goals and maximize collective impact.
Serve as an engaged, dynamic, and thoughtful external voice and representative for ZERO TO THREE, actively and capably leveraging their expertise, knowledge, and experience to amplify the reach and impact of ZERO TO THREE’s work.
Lead team members in representing ZERO TO THREE with various coalitions and will direct team members to provide technical assistance to federal policymakers and staff, including responding to inquiries for input on legislative language, report language, and comments on legislation and regulations.
Maintain robust internal communications to stay abreast of the work of colleagues across the organization and to keep colleagues informed of the department’s work with policy leaders and networks at the federal and local levels.
Work closely with the communications team to draft materials including talking points, messaging, policy briefs, Congressional testimony, regulatory comments, legislative summaries, and other materials of various lengths and formats, and can succinctly and effectively express complex issues to federal policy makers, other key stakeholders, the media, and the public.
Lead team members to coordinate with ZERO TO THREE colleagues to organize congressional briefings and other events designed to advance ZERO TO THREE’s federal priorities and will contribute to grant proposals and reports to funders.
Keep the Chief Policy Officer and other senior leadership informed about pertinent legislative issues, external factors, and policy proposals and actions that impact infants and toddlers and their families.
Supervise a team of experienced policy advocates and government relations professionals with strong experience and deep subject matter expertise in their respective issue areas.
Provide the level of mentorship, engagement, and support needed to build and retain a proactive team and will leverage the subject matter expertise of team members to develop and build strategies, campaigns, and issue advancement.
Ensure that work is planned in collaboration with the various departments within the Policy Center, including the Policy System Integration and Innovation team, the Policy Research and Learning team, the Safe Babies Program and the Prenatal-to-Five Network.
Evaluate team member performance and partner with members to establish annual goals and objectives and identify and provide appropriate professional growth and development opportunities.
Provide needed nuance and details when advising colleagues on crafting campaigns, implementing strategy, and on the optimal ways of presenting and communicating issues to specific audiences.
Establish processes to develop goals and priorities, and will work with team members to continuously monitor, analyze, and assess proposed and existing relevant federal and state legislation and activities of federal and local agencies.
Maintain a clear-eyed focus on crafting and directing appropriate campaigns and actions to ensure the needs of infants and toddlers are reflected.
Perform other duties as assigned for the purpose of ensuring the efficient and effective functioning of the advocacy and government relations strategy and advancement of ZERO TO THREE’s comprehensive policy agenda.