Job Title: Policy & Legislative Coordinator

Department: PAA
Reports to: Director of Advocacy and Global Displacement
Level: Union position: Grade 7
FLSA Status: Exempt, Full-Time (35 hours/week)
Starting Salary Range: $83,000 to 93,500
Location: Washington D.C.

Other Work Conditions

The organization requires all UUSC community members to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Our office in Cambridge, MA is regularly cleaned, and standard safety protocols are followed in accordance with public health authorities to prevent the spread of infectious disease.

Organization Overview

Guided by Unitarian Universalist principles and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, UUSC is a human rights organization that strives to advance human rights, dismantle systems of oppression, and uplift the inherent dignity and power of all people. We focus our work in three intersectional areas of justice: Migrant Justice, Climate and Disaster Justice, and International Justice and Accountability. We center the voices and experiences of those most affected and strengthen those grassroots groups and movements who are organizing themselves to advance these goals. To accomplish this, we offer Justice Education and Leadership Development, Engagement and Mobilization for Advocacy, and Grantmaking and Partner Support.

Position Overview

The Policy & Legislative Coordinator will be responsible for building UUSC’s relationships with key congressional and executive staff (including federal agencies) and D.C.-based legislative and policy advocates on the issues of climate justice, migrant justice and international justice and accountability. The coordinator will guide how UUSC advances international diplomacy through strategic D.C. advocacy and vice-versa; identify key opportunities for UUSC partners, staff, and coalition partners to engage directly with the U.S. Government, guide UUSC in leveraging key opportunities to mobilize UUSC members and supporters through strategic campaigns and support UUSC to navigate the changing political dynamics of U.S. congressional and federal advocacy. This position is best suited for someone living in the greater Washington D.C. area.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate with relevant UUSC staff, partners, and coalition networks to map out key decision-making targets, and advocacy coalitions that work on UUSC’s issues and its intersections
• Review and update map periodically
• In consultation with relevant stakeholders and in collaboration with staff, develop and coordinate the implementation of strategies to engage and build rapport with strategic targets identified above
• Build and maintain UUSC’s rapport with members of congress, congressional caucuses and media, identifying key opportunities for leveraging UUSC’s instrumentalities and engages UUSC’s broad network of members, supporters and partnerships
• Organize meetings with key staff and representatives, including congressional briefings, hearings, and meetings with relevant staff within the executive
• Accompany and support UUSC delegations for advocacy at the Hill and with international mechanisms such as the IACHR, including preparing key talking points
• Support collaboration with Civil Society advocacy coalitions and think tanks on issues that relate to UUSC’s work, including with relevant UU entities
• Track and monitor any actions on relevant federal bills, executive actions and foreign policies that pertain to UUSC’s core areas of work and develop briefs that highlight the human rights implications of policy actions and decisions, as needed
• Track any lobbying activities that UUSC does in D.C., using UUSC’s lobbying tracking spreadsheet
• Provide legislative and policy support to partners as needed and as capacity permits
• Support and engage in Programs, Advocacy and Action collaborative cross-departmental teamwork, collaboration, and communication
• This role will be required to travel to UUSC events and meetings outside of D.C.
• Other duties, as necessary

Minimum Qualifications

Required

• 5-7 years’ experience working in D.C. legislative and policy spaces and solid understanding of federal and legislative processes
• Relevant experience in building relationships with government staff across the political spectrum around the issues of human rights and social justice
• Proven organizer
• Task and detailed oriented
• Commitment to human rights and centering the voices of frontline impacted communities
• Bachelor’s degree in U.S. politics/foreign policy relations/policy and legislation or similar
• Willingness to learn from and collaborate with others
• Has familiarity with and connected to NGO’s, preferably including faith-based coalitions working on social justice issues and international human rights in D.C.

Preferred

• Fluency in Spanish or Haitian Creole
• Advanced degree in related field

Employment Benefits

UUSC offers a competitive, generous benefits package including: health, dental, and life insurance, STD/LTD, 403(b) tax deferred annuity, retirement plan with 9% of salary contribution to pension plan after 1 year of service, flexible spending plans for medical and dependent care, commuter allowance, and generous paid time off.

Non-Discrimination and Equal Employment Opportunity

UUSC’s mission affirms and celebrates the inherent dignity and power of every person. We are committed to creating a diverse and talented team to achieve that mission. UUSC is an Equal Opportunity Employer and is committed to the full inclusion of all. UUSC is deeply committed to ensuring that our organizational culture, policies, and employment practices embody equity and justice.

Please apply through the application form provided on this site. For more information about the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee, please visit www.uusc.org

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