Advocacy Manager

Mission Statement

YW Boston works to eliminate racism, empower women and promote peace, justice, freedom and dignity for all. YW Boston is at the vanguard of thought leadership on issues at the intersection of race and gender, helping organizations create more inclusive environments where women, people of color, and in particular, women of color can succeed.

YW Boston invests in our internal culture, including our own racial equity practices. We seek candidates that thrive in adaptive organizations, are comfortable working amidst organizational change, and are excited about helping YW Boston deepen its impact in Boston.

Organizational Values

People, Collaboration, Liberation, Courage, Shared Leadership

General Statement of Duties

YW Boston is seeking an energetic, detail-oriented Advocacy & Community Organizing Manager who will lead the public policy, advocacy and organizing work of the organization. The manager will analyze and respond to relevant policy issues and coalition requests. In addition to managing YW Boston’s Advocacy Committee, this individual will develop strong relationships with key stakeholders, such as local activist leaders, the YWCA Massachusetts Alliance, professional groups, lobbyists, legislators and their staff to support key initiatives and strategies to advance policy priorities for effective impact.

In addition, the manager will lead efforts to center the voices of people of color with marginalized gender identities to more deeply inform our work. This position provides a unique opportunity to work with a dynamic organization and team to build a better Boston. The manager will provide support to develop the strategy and execution of a policy advocacy agenda for the organization. This person will work closely with all staff, program partners, policy makers, volunteers and advocates to support high quality direct service programming and advance strategic advocacy campaigns to promote racial and gender equity in Boston.

The Manager will report to the Vice President of Strategic Partnerships.

Position Outcomes

The successful Advocacy & Community Organizing Manager will achieve the following outcomes:

• Implement a legislative agenda aligned with YW Boston’s strategic vision and desired impact;

• Steward Advocacy Committee members towards high levels of engagement and impact;

• An engagement strategy centering the voices of people of color with marginalized gender identities;

• Strong collaborative relationships with elected officials and coalition partners;

• Develop synergies between Advocacy efforts and YW Boston programming

Key Responsibilities

• Advance policy priorities and yearly goals for the organization’s Advocacy Committee

• Plan, facilitate, and conduct research for the monthly Advocacy Committee meetings and coordinate other external meetings

• Monitor state and local level policies and understand city and state legislative processes

• Build relationships with public officials and a variety of stakeholders including grassroots groups, YWCA USA, advocates and researchers

• Identify, develop and maintain strong relationships with key decision makers that produce legislative champions on behalf of YW Boston

• Support CEO in managing the Parity on Board coalition and advancing our legislation

• Collaborate with advocacy consultants, as appropriate

• Provide meaningful opportunities for People of Color with marginalized gender identities to engage with YW Boston, create feedback structures to surface the challenges, needs and opportunities faced by stakeholders, use learnings to inform YW Boston staff

• Supervise a part-time engagement fellow (funding secured for a 1-year position)

• Research and prepare policy fact sheets, issue briefs, blog posts, and social media content

• Provide active participation in community coalitions to broaden support; identifies, recruits and engages activists to promote the goals and objectives of our strategic plan

• Brief YW staff on policy positions and actions of the Advocacy Committee and create synergies between YW Boston programs and Advocacy

• Plan and facilitate YWCA MA Alliance meetings

Experience/Qualifications

Specific qualifications include:

• Demonstrated commitment to YW Boston’s mission to promote racial, gender and social equity

• 5 years of work experience required, ideally in field related to racial/gender equity, community organizing, and/or public policy

• Strong ability to collaborate with colleagues and to successfully work in a goal-oriented team environment

• Demonstrated ability to build relationships across a wide range of stakeholder groups

• Ability to work effectively under pressure, be self-directed and take feedback well

• Strong organizational, written, and verbal communications skills and demonstrated project management experience

• Excellent computer skills including Microsoft Outlook, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint

• Experience supervising staff or interns is preferred

• Enthusiasm, fantastic customer service ethic and follow through

• Strong communication and organization skills

• Openness to learning and willingness to give and receive feedback

• Ability to travel locally via public transportation, Zip Car, Lyft, and/or personal car

• Ability to work some early morning, evening, and weekend hours a must

Additional Organization Responsibilities

• Adhere to organization policies and procedures for maintaining organizational culture and transparency, including use of regularly scheduled progress meetings with Vice President of Strategic Partnerships, Team meetings, scheduling, e-mail and other communications platforms.

• Positively represent the organization in all interactions with the public.

• Support YW Boston fund development through participation in education, outreach, cultivation and stewardship efforts

• Participate in organization events and perform additional tasks assigned by the President of Strategic Partnerships and/or President & CEO

Salary and Benefits:

This is a full-time, exempt position. Annual salary range is $63,500-$68,750. Compensation is based on the overall number of years of experience as well as relevant experience to the position. Salary scales are set according to an explicit compensation policy, and relevant market data is analyzed when setting ranges for each role.

YW Boston provides employees a generous benefits package, including generous paid time off, medical and dental insurance, flexible spending accounts, flexible schedule options, life insurance, long-term and short-term disability insurance, accidental death, and a 403(b) retirement savings plan.

How to apply:

YW Boston is an Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action Employer, and encourages applications from all qualified individuals without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, disability, or veteran status, or to other non-work-related factors. Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the U.S. At this time, YW Boston is not able to offer employment VISA sponsorships.

YW Boston strongly encourages candidates from diverse backgrounds and experiences. We recognize that people from structurally marginalized groups often only apply to jobs if they meet 100% of the qualifications, despite the reality that applicants rarely ever meet 100% of the qualifications. If this position aligns with your experience and interests, please apply!

Diverse candidates strongly encouraged to apply. Please send a cover letter and a resume. No phone calls, please.

https://www.ywboston.org/about-us/employment/

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $63,500.00 - $68,750.00 per year

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• Dental insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Flexible schedule
• Flexible spending account
• Health insurance
• Health savings account
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Parental leave
• Retirement plan

Schedule:

• 8 hour shift
• Monday to Friday

Work Location: One location