Senior Policy Associate

Center for Science in the Public Interest • Washington, DC

9d • $73,000 - $75,000 • Hybrid

About The Position

The Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) is seeking a Senior Policy Associate to join its Legislative Affairs team. This role is for a legislative professional who wants to engage in meaningful advocacy work with a high-impact team. The Senior Policy Associate will play a key role in advancing CSPI's federal legislative priorities in specific issue areas, while also building relationships with stakeholders on Capitol Hill, within the Executive Branch, and across a broad coalition of national partners. The position is based in CSPI's DC office and offers a hybrid work environment, requiring availability for occasional in-person meetings.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree and at least 5 years of professional lobbying, legislative, or policy experience.
• Prior lobbying experience and work related to federal programs.
• Knowledge of the federal legislative and appropriations process.
• Experience building relationships with congressional offices or federal agencies.
• Strong research, written and verbal communications skills, with the ability to speak effectively and persuasively, and to translate complex policies for varied audiences.
• Excellent judgment and consistent professionalism, with the ability to take responsibility for multiple projects and deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
• Experience working with a variety of diverse stakeholders credibly and professionally.
• Commitment to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion at the intersection of public health and social justice, and the ability to promote it throughout the work.
• Proficiency with MSOffice applications, social media, advocacy tools, and other web-based applications.

Responsibilities

• Build and maintain relationships with federal policymakers, including congressional staffers, members of Congress, and cabinet secretaries.
• Contribute to legislative advocacy related to key must-pass bills (such as the Farm Bill or Child Nutrition Reauthorization), including coordinating on key marker bills, protecting priority provisions during conference negotiations, and helping to shape strategy for the next iteration.
• Contribute to federal legislative advocacy on non-must-pass legislation to advance public health, consumer protection, scientific rigor, transparency, and accountability.
• Support engagement with relevant White House and Executive Branch agencies on all CSPI programmatic priorities - nutrition, food safety, health, health equity, and environmental sustainability.
• Support the Director of Legislative Affairs throughout CSPI’s engagement in the annual appropriations process, including ranking organizational priorities, overseeing form submissions, and coordinating lobbying visits on our priorities.
• Support CSPI’s leadership role within the 500-member NANA Coalition and on the NANA Steering Committee. Drive forward information sharing, coordinated advocacy, and strong partnerships.
• Represent the organization with national partners and in coalitions across the food and nutrition, food safety, and health space.
• Partner with CSPI's Engagement and Communications teams to amplify federal priorities.
• Monitor federal legislation, policies, and congressional activity; draft organizational statements and summaries for strategic communications and public audiences.
• Translate complex legislative developments into clear, accessible information for diverse stakeholders and internal staff.
• Create and maintain advocacy resources, including fact sheets, case studies, infographics, talking points, grassroots alerts, testimony, and regulatory and legislative materials.
• Collaborate across teams to plan and execute Hill meetings, briefings, webinars, fly-ins, Hill Days, coalition meetings, and other advocacy events.
• Contribute to grant deliverables and support reporting on legislative accomplishments.
• Mentor and supervise interns, supporting their professional growth.
• Contribute to departmental responsibilities as organizational needs evolve.

Benefits

• 3 weeks of annual vacation leave
• Additional paid holiday leave between December 24 and January 1
• 8 weeks of paid parental leave
• Excellent medical and dental insurance with CSPI paying a significant portion of employee and dependent premiums
• 3% employer match contribution to the retirement plan after six months of service
• ½ day Fridays

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior