Managing Director, Public Affairs and Government Relations

REPORTS TO:  Senior Vice President, Public Affairs

ORGANIZATION OVERVIEW:

The Jewish Federations of North America (“JFNA”) consist of 146 Jewish Federations and dozens of Network communities which collectively raise and distribute more than $3 billion annually to support flourishing Jewish life and the needs of the Jewish people in their home communities and around the world. The Jewish Federation system, among the top 10 charities on the continent, leads the largest network of volunteer and professional leaders who build and sustain Jewish communities that are healthy, safe, caring, welcoming and inclusive, educated and engaged, involved in the broader community, and deeply connected to Israel and the global Jewish people.

Public Affairs: Over the past two decades, JFNA has maintained a position of leadership on domestic public policy and funding issues that affect Federations and their communities. The Managing Director will work closely with the SVP to oversee and manage the Public Affairs team, including operationalizing the Public Affairs strategy. Serving as a lead advocate for Jewish Federations’ Federal Government Relations strategy, the Managing Director will ensure the advocacy team works to increase appropriations, pass legislation and shape regulations to advance Jewish communal priorities. The Managing Director will act in the capacity of Chief of Staff across the entire Public Affairs team.

From an advocacy perspective, we focus on appropriations, authorizations and regulatory and policy issues represented by our policy priorities found here. The work is led by a group of accomplished advocacy lead personnel on most of the policy areas described in the policy priorities. This position oversees these advocacy leads and takes responsibility for specific policy issues, such as education and childcare services, refugees, poverty alleviation, and civil rights issues. The Managing Director stewards the annual policy priority setting process and establishes priorities for the team in consultation with the SVP, Public Affairs volunteer leadership, and executive leadership.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Collaborate with the Public Affairs team to lead a creative and multi-faceted advocacy strategy,
• Manage the Public Affairs team, including Washington, DC based team members focused on JFNA’s lobbying priorities.
• Serve as a lead advocate for Jewish Federations’ government relations strategy, ensuring the team works to increase appropriations, pass legislation and shape regulations to advance Jewish communal priorities.
• Ensure that policy and legislative documents are available for the Federation system
• Represent Jewish Federations on Jewish and inter-group policy coalitions and create close relationships with the administration and Congress; Create strong relationships in Washington with other Jewish and non-Jewish advocates.
• Oversee JFNA’s lobbying disclosures and ethics oversight.
• Work with the SVP and the impact team to measure advocacy results and shape and drive policy priorities based on such impact results.
• Ensure Federations, JCRCs, and other Jewish communal agencies have the information, documents and training they need to successfully apply for federal grants and other programs and support their state advocacy.
• Work with the Domestic Policy and Government Affairs (DPGA) Committee and other relevant policy committees.
• Prepare detailed background memoranda, grassroots action alerts, resolutions, and other documents on policy issues for Federation lay and professional leaders.
• Make presentations on relevant policy issues to designated groups on issues of interest.
• Manage programs such as the refugee program that stem from public policy.
• Contribute to the preparation of JFNA publications, newsletters, webinars, and other presentations on these policy issues.
• Work with the SVP, Public Affairs, and development colleagues to increase philanthropic support for public affairs priorities.
• Work across JFNA to foster engagement of more volunteers in public affairs. programming and to build deeper ties with diverse ethnic and religious organizations.
• Contribute to the preparation of JFNA public policy reports to the Board and other key constituents.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Extensive knowledge of legislative and regulatory processes with at least ten years of experience on Capitol Hill, with an Executive Branch agency, or at a not-for-profit or for- profit organization focusing on human services, non-profit infrastructure and security, appropriations and other issues impacting Jewish not-for-profits;
• Strong and effective management experience;
• Excellent advocacy, writing, research, and interpersonal skills;
• Solid political judgment and record of taking initiative in identifying opportunities to advance advocacy priorities;
• Proven ability to work closely and effectively with volunteers and organize volunteer advocacy;
• Understanding of the political media landscape and opportunities to leverage media in accomplishing advocacy;
• Good contacts with Members of Congress and federal officials who make and implement federal policies in areas important to the Jewish community – appropriations, nonprofit security, Israel, charitable deductions, support for Holocaust survivors and other aging adults, healthcare, and persons with disabilities;
• Graduate degree in law (preferred), public policy, or related field; and
• Knowledge of the organized Jewish community and the Federation system is very helpful.
• 10+ years of experience.