Senior Policy Manager

OneAmerica•Seattle, WA

1d•Hybrid

About The Position

OneAmerica is seeking a Senior Policy Manager to shape and advance the organization’s policy agenda in support of immigrant and refugee communities and a multiracial working-class. Reporting to the Chief of Staff, this position leads proactive and defensive policy priorities, primarily through Washington State legislative and administrative advocacy, while monitoring federal developments and supporting selected municipal campaigns. The role has ownership of policy portfolios, campaigns, coalitions, and projects, and works closely with organizing, communications, organizational leadership, community partners, and contract lobbyists. It supervises a Policy Analyst. The Senior Policy Manager develops policy analysis, proposals, and strategic recommendations; coordinates state legislative and administrative advocacy; engages agencies; and helps guide lobbying strategy. The role also monitors federal policy, supports local campaigns, and ensures that immigrant and refugee members and partners meaningfully inform policy development and advocacy. The manager builds coordinated policy-team practices, work plans, and accountability systems. The position is hybrid in Washington State, with the option to work from OneAmerica’s Seattle, Vancouver, or Yakima office. Staff are expected to work in person twice weekly, on Tuesdays and Thursdays, with flexibility within Washington State. The role involves regular computer work, frequent phone and video meetings, and travel within the state, particularly to Olympia during the legislative session, as well as occasional national travel. Community-based scheduling may require evening and weekend meetings.

Requirements

At least 5 years of experience working in advocacy.
At least 1–2 years of direct management experience.
Strong public policy analysis and the ability to develop recommendations using sound political and strategic judgment.
Ability to identify emerging political or policy threats, assess their significance, and develop proactive policy solutions.
Experience managing multiple campaigns, projects, coalitions, or policy portfolios simultaneously.
Ability to build productive relationships with lobbyists, elected officials, legislative staff, agencies, advocates, community members, and community organizations.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to explain complex subjects in accessible language.
Demonstrated ability to coordinate multiple contributors toward shared policy or advocacy goals while maintaining communication, strategic alignment, and accountability.
Willingness to accommodate community-based scheduling needs, including evening and weekend meetings.
Access to reliable transportation and willingness to travel throughout Washington State and nationally on occasion.

Nice To Haves

Knowledge of legislative and administrative advocacy, including Washington State legislative experience.
Experience supervising staff and/or managing external consultants, contractors, or lobbyists, including setting priorities, providing direction and feedback, and ensuring accountability for results.
Experience facilitating conversations with people with varying levels of technical policy knowledge.
Deep policy expertise in immigration policy and/or childcare or democracy issues.
Ability to work effectively across organizing, communications, legal, policy, and leadership teams.
Existing relationships with and power analysis of Washington State lawmakers and community organizations.
Strong commitment to racial, immigrant, economic, and social justice.
Bilingual or multilingual.

Responsibilities

Shape OneAmerica’s policy agenda across immigrant defense and inclusion, childcare and education, and democracy reform.
Monitor and analyze legislation, administrative actions, agency policies, budgets, regulations, and emerging policy developments.
Track priority legislation and identify opportunities, threats, unintended consequences, and emerging attacks affecting immigrant and refugee communities.
Develop organizational analysis and strategic recommendations on policy positions, amendments, interventions, and responses.
Develop proactive policy proposals and translate complex policy developments into accessible analysis for staff, members, partners, and leadership.
Lead and coordinate Washington State policy and legislative advocacy from policy development through implementation.
Engage state agencies on implementation, administrative policy, and advocacy opportunities.
Coordinate contract lobbyists with the Chief of Staff, align their work with organizational strategy and community priorities, and monitor progress on priority legislation.
Coordinate legislative inquiries, partner requests, testimony, and other advocacy opportunities across lobbyists, Policy staff, and relevant teams.
Shape legislative strategy for priority bills, including amendments, targets, negotiations, testimony, coalition strategy, and escalation; identify defensive threats and recommend responses.
Monitor significant federal policy, regulatory, administrative, and legislative developments; assess implications for Washington communities and coordinate organizational engagement when warranted.
Maintain relationships with national advocacy organizations and federal policy partners.
Support municipal policy advocacy, local childcare campaigns, and other local campaigns that improve conditions for immigrants and refugees.
Provide policy analysis and technical assistance to organizing staff and community partners; identify local policy opportunities that could inform statewide change.
Make policy questions accessible to members and partners, create opportunities for their input, incorporate their feedback, and work with organizing staff to include community priorities in advocacy.
Help members understand government decision-making and opportunities for participation; train members on campaign strategy and policy proposals.
Supervise and support the Policy Analyst through priority-setting, strategic direction, feedback, professional development, and accountability for deliverables.
Establish clear roles, responsibilities, communication practices, and decision-making processes among policy staff and contract lobbyists.
Translate organizational priorities into coordinated policy, legislative, and lobbying work plans with objectives, timelines, and measures of success.
Facilitate coordination among the Policy Analyst, contract lobbyists, and internal teams; assess strategy effectiveness and adjust priorities and assignments as needed.

Benefits

Comprehensive medical, dental, vision, and life insurance, as well as long-term disability coverage; OneAmerica pays 90% of medical, dental, and vision premiums, and covers basic life insurance and long-term disability in full.
Twenty weeks of paid family and medical leave.
Flexible Spending Account (FSA) or Health Savings Account (HSA) options.
Cell phone and transportation stipends.
403(b) retirement plan with a 4% employer match.
Five weeks of PTO in years 0–3, six weeks in years 4–6, and seven weeks after seven years of service.
Eight additional hours of annual PTO for staff birthdays.
Three months of paid sabbatical after every five years of service.
Meeting-free Fridays and Summer-free Fridays, including three-day weekends for two months during the summer.
Transparent compensation philosophy, cost-of-living and annual merit-based raises, and investments in professional development and employee growth.