Policy Specialist

TSNE

5d • $58,000 - $62,000 • Remote

About The Position

The Massachusetts Food System Collaborative (MAFSC) supports collective action toward an equitable, sustainable, resilient, and connected local food system in Massachusetts. The Collaborative was created following the completion of the Massachusetts Local Food Action Plan in December 2015.
Our relationships with organizations, public sector agencies and policymakers, and other food system stakeholders around the state inform the Collaborative’s priorities. We work toward policy change that will contribute to a more equitable, sustainable, and resilient food system by building broad support for advocacy campaigns and providing training and other resources to allow partners to participate effectively. We bring together players throughout the food system in an effort to demonstrate the breadth of the food system, and facilitate opportunities for stakeholders to work collaboratively.
Through these networks, we lead advocacy campaigns around items in the Plan that emphasize cross-sectoral collaboration; support equity, sustainability, and resilience in the food system; and have the potential for significant impact through coordinated grassroots efforts. These efforts work toward systemic solutions to targeted problems, increase communication among key stakeholders, and highlight and promote the sharing of best practices.
The Massachusetts Food System Collaborative is fiscally sponsored by TSNE (www.tsne.org).

Requirements

• 2+ years of experience in Massachusetts state government, municipal government, food systems, state-level environmental advocacy work, or similar.
• Research and policy analysis
• Experience in managing projects that involve various stakeholders.
• Demonstrated ability to interact effectively and work successfully with persons of diverse backgrounds, including people with different racial, ethnic and class backgrounds, people of different genders, and people with disabilities.
• Must be detail-oriented; effectively prioritize, multi-task and problem-solve; pay attention to deadlines and details; have good organizational skills; communicate clearly and confidently; must demonstrate flexibility.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• An understanding of the food system's functions and activities.
• A commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion in program management, coalition development, and communications.
• A commitment to the Massachusetts Local Food Action Plan goals, as well as to the goals of the Collaborative.
• Ability to handle multiple complex projects at once.
• Ability to travel to meetings, as needed.
• Familiarity and comfort with MS-Office, Outlook, Google Office, website management, teleconferencing platforms, and social media platforms.
• Reliable internet access, personal phone and access to transportation required.

Responsibilities

• Research background and support for state-level legislation, including research for existing Collaborative priority legislation, as well as additional proposed policies.
• Research municipal policy work through interviews and review of available ordinances.
• Research and report on best practices, emerging policy trends, and conduct policy scans in coordination with MAFSC staff to guide policy development.
• Analyze policy proposals and provide recommendations on strategic opportunities.
• Draft policy briefs and white papers for publication on MAFSC website.
• Assist with planning lobby days, including inviting speakers and other logistics.
• Assist with drafting testimony and organizational sign-on letters of support for key policies and programs.
• Develop blogs, press releases, action alerts, and other advocacy communications, as needed.
• Interact with and interview our external partners and report back on findings.
• Other duties as needed.

Benefits

• Generous Paid-Time-Off (PTO): twelve paid holidays, three weeks of vacation, one week of personal holiday, and ability to accrue up to 487.5 hours of health leave time for benefited staff.
• 80% Employer-paid, offering some $0 deductible Health Insurance through Harvard Pilgrim along with several low-deductible plans;
• Low-cost Harvard Pilgrim/Point32Health Dental and Vision.
• Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA) for Health and Dependent Care.
• Employer-paid Life, Long- and Short-Term Disability Insurance.
• Employer-paid Pension and Employee-paid 403b plan through TIAA.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: No Education Listed