POLICY COORDINATOR

Forefront•Chicago, IL

12d•$55,000 - $58,000•Hybrid

About The Position

The Policy Coordinator supports the Policy Manager and collaborates closely with the Director of Policy & Government Affairs as a member of Forefront’s policy team to effectively engage Forefront stakeholders and advance Forefront’s mission and vision. In collaboration with the Director, Policy Manager, and other members of the Forefront team, the Coordinator is responsible for scheduling, planning, payment processing, routine reporting, data management and staying abreast of current events. The Coordinator backs up the Policy Manager in Springfield as needed and supports the success of Forefront’s participation in events in Washington DC.

Requirements

At least 1-2 years of work experience in administrative role required
Experience scheduling meetings, including with large groups required
Very strong attention to detail and ability to adhere to strict deadlines required
Strong organization, writing, and interpersonal skills required
Demonstrated commitment to, knowledge of, and/or lived experience with racial equity/anti-racism
Problem solving skills, resourcefulness, and demonstrated ability to find necessary information
Ability to travel periodically around the state of Illinois, especially to Springfield during the months of January-May, is required.
Additional travel to Washington, D.C. 1-2 times per year is required.

Nice To Haves

Experience working with the Illinois General Assembly or some form of government is preferred
Prior success working independently/remotely preferred
Experience with Microsoft/Teams, WordPress, Eventbrite, Zoom, and/or Survey Monkey preferred

Responsibilities

Track priority legislation in public affairs software
In the absence of the Director and Manager, represent Forefront at policy-focused meetings hosted by National and State partners/coalitions
Proactively brief Director on state policy issues, opportunities, and potential hazards in coordination with the Policy Manager
Stay abreast of federal and state news pertaining to the nonprofit sector and communities we serve
Schedule virtual and in-person meetings with elected officials, public and constitutional offices, and staff at all levels of government as requested by the Director and Policy Manager
Manage calendar holds and send meeting materials in advance
Register with the Secretary of State as an exclusive lobbyist for Forefront and comply with all related reporting requirements
As a backup to, or in the absence of, the Director and Policy Manager, support Forefront’s engagement with elected officials at all levels of government and their staff, including in Springfield
Regularly and promptly log government relations actions public affairs software, including on behalf of the Director, in conjunction with the Policy Manager
Submit routine lobbying reports on behalf of the Policy Manager
As directed, schedule and support other planning and administrative tasks related to the meetings in Washington DC; attend Foundations on the Hill (FOTH) annually to support the Director and Illinois delegation members
Serve as a backup to the Policy Manager as a liaison with Forefront’s communications team
Help draft policy-related updates for Forefront’s bi-weekly newsletter, weekly social media, and public affairs software broadcasts/calls to action
Make routine updates to federal and state fact sheets, policy-related WordPress website pages, and other collateral related to policy priorities
Maintain accurate contact information in Forefront’s policy-related contact lists in Voter Voice and Salesforce
Monitor [email protected] email account and respond or refer to other Policy team members as appropriate
Support recruiting and onboarding of new members of the Policy Committee, including related meeting scheduling and document preparation
In coordination with the CEO’s Executive Assistant, support scheduling and other meeting planning logistics for the policy committee
Maintain accurate records of policy committee membership in Salesforce and other internal documents
In collaboration with the Policy Manager, support membership orientations on behalf of the policy team by making updates to presentation content, providing links and resources in chat, or presenting in the absence of the Manager
Provide backup and support to the Policy Manager for policy educational events by brainstorming content, accomplishing tasks on the program-planning checklist, and appropriately delegating to/partnering with other staff
Support Member Briefings by contributing relevant information for staff-led news summaries
Coordinate scheduling, equipment, registration, catering, security clearance, and room and technology set up for relevant Policy events, meetings, and webinars
Screen requests for Members-only policy services and gather relevant background information in preparation for meetings with stakeholders; schedule and attend stakeholder meetings as directed
Make updates to Forefront’s policy surveys as directed; support survey data analysis
Support annual member focus group planning and execution
Help with outreach for events, FOTH, Surveys, and focus groups to drive participation
Help identify, refer, and/or cultivate prospective new members
Ensure exceptional customer experience at all points of contact and effective customer relationship management for all Forefront constituents
Attend Forefront programs and partner events as directed; relay relevant learnings and information to Policy Manager and Director
Serve as the primary scheduler for the policy team
Present on behalf of the policy team at staff meetings in absence of Manager
Pay routine invoices incurred by policy team and submit related expense reports
Support federal and state reporting requirements
Help prepare relevant reports showing the success of the policy team for internal and external purposes
Update constituent records in Salesforce and public affairs software as needed
Routinely update the policy team dashboard to support program evaluation and funder cultivation
Process payments to vendors/consultants and issue speaker/FOTH stipends on behalf of policy team