Position: Policy & Advocacy Director

Reports To: Executive Director

Location: Fully remote with approximately 35% travel required. This position is preferably based in Washington, DC but open to any location in the continental U.S. within reasonable access to a metropolitan airport. Proof of COVID immunizations will be required for this position for in person meetings and travel.

The Partnership Project, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, is a coalition of environmental organizations focused on supporting the collaborative efforts of the environmental community. Our programs focus on critical environmental issues including climate change, emissions reduction, and environmental and climate justice.*

*The Next 100 Coalition is a program of the Partnership Project. 

Mission: The mission of the Next 100 Coalition is to connect, amplify, and support the leadership of Black, Indigenous, Asian, Latino, people of color and other historically marginalized communities in the administration and stewardship of waterways, lands, oceans, and coasts to advance community prosperity and resilience.

Vision: The Next 100 Coalition envisions healthy waterways, lands, oceans, and coasts that are connected to and reflect the racial and cultural diversity of our country and their administration and stewardship demonstrates and values the myriad ways people connect to and care for the environment.

Values:

• We value inclusion, racial justice and equity. We work towards dismantling white supremacy and advancing collective liberation. We recognize the dynamic and complex relationship between them.
• We value collaboration, focusing on consensus-oriented, democratic decision-making.
• We value care, passion, creativity, positive impact, the boldness of risk-taking and courage, and innovation in our actions.
• We value transparency and open dialogue, especially the ability and commitment to working with and through tension.
• We respect the land and its original stewards, each other, and our greater collective commitment.
• We center impacted leadership in our process, methodologies, and program work.

What is the Next 100 Coalition?

The Next 100 Coalition (Next 100) was established in 2016 as a collaborative national network of Black, Indigenous, Asian, Latino and leaders of color from community-

centered conservation, outdoor recreation, environmental education, public health, and environmental justice organizations and communities. The Coalition is rooted in the acknowledgement that the very existence of current land and ocean conservation systems are predicated on chattel slavery and settler colonialism. As such, the Coalition works to achieve a shared vision of a more diverse, equitable, inclusive, and just lands and ocean conservation by building a movement that centers the leadership, and values the lives, histories, cultural and spiritual connections of Black, Indigenous, Asian, Latino, people of color, LGBTQIA+, people with disabilities, and all communities who have been historically marginalized.

Over the last several years, the Next 100 has operated under fiscal sponsorship and very recently received our 501c3 status. Over the course of 2023, Next 100 will be transitioning from fiscal sponsorship to operating as its own nonprofit entity. This is a unique opportunity to bring creativity, innovation, and energy to the early stage of an organization.

Candidate Profile

The Director of Policy and Advocacy (Director) will assist in leading and managing several aspects of governmental relations, processes, and coalition building. Since the Next 100 Coalition is a new and growing organization, this experienced environmental justice leader will need to be comfortable with the work of coalition building and the ambiguity of multiple priorities. This individual also has experience working to address complex systemic and societal issues and understand the importance of collaboration in all facets of problem solving, including setting advocacy priorities. The ideal candidate will be both visionary and a strategic tactician who can be agile and is able to execute plans to achieve tangible outcomes. This individual will develop and lead our policy and advocacy department and create a culture that fosters vibrant teamwork, defines and establishes quality work operations and processes standards, and centers equity and mutual respect. The ideal candidate will have extensive policy experience with a commitment to working in service of, creating opportunities, and building power for historically marginalized communities.

Job Summary

The Director is responsible for developing and growing Next 100’s policy and advocacy department, including strategy, staffing, implementation, and management to advance the priorities of Next 100 and our network.

As we grow, the Director will hire and lead a team of staff in strategic engagement with the Next 100 Coalition network, partners, agencies, other stakeholders, and policymakers across the country.

Principal Responsibilities

• Develop and implement a national conservation policy agenda informed by Black, Indigenous, Asian, Latino, communities of color, LGBTQ+, and people with disabilities that supports collaborative vision and advances the priorities of historically marginalized communities.
• In collaboration with the executive team, manage Next 100’s relationships with the Administration, Congress, regulatory agencies, and other decision making and policymaking stakeholders.
• Participate in coalition building strategies at the national and regional/state levels and maintain key relationships with network organizations.
• Provide reliable, timely analysis and strategic guidance on Next 100 and network members’ legislative activities at the national level and some at the regional/state level;
• Develop and implement issue-specific campaign strategies.
• Supervise and conduct/commission research as necessary.
• Identify bills of interest, internal bill analyses, management and oversight of bill tracking, member inquiries and research requests, managing legislative deadlines, oversight of online advocacy tools, and development of advocacy strategies.
• Represent Next 100 priorities before the Administration, Congress, state legislatures, as well as other agencies and state boards, commissions, or task forces as appropriate.
• Prepare written materials and presentations relative to legislative and budget matters, including bill and issue-specific position correspondence, briefing documents, issue updates, LTEs, opinion pieces, reports, and publications, among others.

Requirements/Qualifications:

Legislative Knowledge

• A broad understanding of federal and state policies as it pertains to conservation and more specifically to lands, waterways, oceans, and environmental justice.
• Experience analyzing and interpreting legislative and regulatory language, budgets, administrative processes, and data with the ability to communicate these complex processes and issues to various stakeholders.
• Experience as a public spokesperson and advocate.

Coalition Building

• Excellent advocacy, consensus-building, coalition-building, and leadership skills.
• Demonstrated ability to work collegially and collaboratively with other organizations, groups, and individuals across the political spectrum and varying degrees of advocacy experience.
• Ability to create and present effective and persuasive presentations on complex or controversial topics to governmental leaders, public groups, and other stakeholders in a timely manner.

Leadership & Management

• Experience effectively supervising and developing staff.
• Experience developing and implementing long term strategies and building team accountability in the execution of such plans.
• Excellent written communication skills including the ability to tailor tone and content to specific audiences.

Compensation and Benefits

The salary range for this position is between $85,000 and $95,000 annually and will be commensurable with experience. The Partnership Project offers an excellent benefits package which includes 100% employer paid premiums for medical, dental, and vision insurance, unlimited paid time off, monthly technology stipend, and retirement contributions through 401k and Roth plans.*

For transparency, the Next 100 Coalition recently received 501(c)(3) status and is still developing a comprehensive benefits package that reflects the values of this organization.

*The Next 100’s benefit package may affect some or all of these benefits through the transition from operating as a program of the Partnership Project to our own 501(c)(3) entity.

Equal Opportunity Statement

Partnership Project, and the Next 100 Coalition is proud to be an equal opportunity employer, and an anti-racist organization that prohibits discrimination in its governance, programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, reprisal, marital status, amnesty, status as a covered veteran, because all or part of an individual’s income is derived from public assistance or for any other non-merit based factor. Women, people of color, LGBTQ+ people, and members of other historically and presently disenfranchised populations are strongly encouraged to apply.

Our goal is for a work experience that has meaning and impact on the world and on our professional lives, and a workplace where you can feel supported and proud. Read more about our values and commitment at partnershipproject.org.

To apply for this position, please submit your resume and a cover letter to director@next100coalition.org with the subject line “Next 100 Policy Director Application” by February 27, 2023. If accommodations are required, please contact hr@partnershipproject.org.