Senior Policy Manager

Title: Senior Policy Manager

Reports to: Chief Policy and Government Affairs Officer 

Salary: $90,000 - $120,000 annually

Job Status: Full-Time, Exempt

Location: Washington, DC

Date Posted: April 6, 2024

Deadline to apply: Rolling until filled

MISSION

National Asian Pacific American Women's Forum (NAPAWF) is the only organization dedicated to uplifting and building power with AANHPI women and girls in the US. Employing a reproductive justice framework to guide our work, we use organizing, advocacy, and communications strategies to assert full agency over our lives, our families, and our communities.

NAPAWF was founded in 1996 to realize the vision of 100 AAPI women who recognized the need for an organization that would amplify AAPI women’s stories and experiences. 

Today, we are mobilizing and building power in cities across the country to galvanize positive social, political, and economic change for AAPI women and girls. Five of those cities are locally staffed. We also show up in solidarity for other women of color experiencing injustice and harms of oppression and marginalization.

We use a Reproductive Justice lens to intersectionally address three core areas:

• Reproductive Rights and Health
• Economic Justice and Gender Equity
• Immigration and Racial Justice

NAPAWF is seeking a seasoned, independent, and entrepreneurial Senior Policy Manager to lead our federal policy work in reproductive justice. This is a great opportunity to be part of a high-profile, fun, and dynamic team at a critical juncture when our right to bodily autonomy is being systematically stripped away.  

This individual will serve as a close thought partner to the Chief Policy and Government Affairs Officer and drive NAPAWF’s reproductive justice advocacy goals at the national, state, and local level. We are seeking an emerging leader who will help drive NAPAWF's policy priorities through strategic analysis, partnership management, and coalition building. This role involves overseeing policy initiatives, collaborating across teams, and providing leadership to a dedicated staff to advance the organization's mission effectively. This individual might serve as a stand-in for the Chief Policy and Government Affairs Officer for critical events, and therefore should be comfortable with public speaking and articulating NAPAWF’s policy agenda in a public setting. This is a high-exposure position for someone who is passionate about advancing social justice for AAPI women and girls. 

POSITION DETAILS

The Senior Policy Manager will report to the Chief Policy and Government Affairs Officer and will be based out of Washington, DC. 

POSITION DUTIES

The Senior Policy Manager is responsible for the following: 

Policy, Government Affairs, and External Relationships

• Support the Chief Policy and Government Affairs Officer in building the policy analysis, processes, procedures, and infrastructure needed to anchor an expanding policy and government affairs department. 
• Lead the development and implementation of reproductive justice-focused policy initiatives, ensuring alignment with NAPAWF's mission and values. 
• Support and supervise the economic justice policy manager and help integrate that portfolio’s system goals into our broader reproductive justice platform. 
• Advocate for reproductive justice principles in policy formulation and analysis, alongside our member leaders, fostering inclusive and equitable approaches to advancing legislative priorities.
• In collaboration with the policy team, track and monitor key regulations, administration actions, and legislation; provide policy analysis and recommendations on key priorities. 
• Manage and speak at conferences, events, and meetings, in collaboration with the policy team. 
• Manage and oversee partnerships on various key legislative and policy priorities, to include identifying legislative targets, arranging and leading meetings with Members and staff, and building productive relationships with Capitol Hill staff. 
• Strategically manage and collaborate with key coalition and working groups, with other counterpart organizations. 
• Cultivate and identify opportunities to grow NAPAWF’s relationships with members of Congress, executive branch officials, and movement partners to advance NAPAWF’s policy priorities. Manage, support, and draft external-facing policy and research documents. 

Cross-Team Collaboration

• Closely coordinate with NAPAWF communications and field departments on policy priorities and joint work products. 
• Develop productive and robust cross department collaborative opportunities and projects. 

Staff Management and Leadership

• Develop and oversee team and supervisee work plans. 
• Develop and execute effective team processes, including goal-setting, task allocation, and performance evaluation, to optimize team productivity and performance.
• Manage, coach, and supervise one to two full-time staff and interns.
• Coordinate team-building initiatives to foster cohesion, collaboration, and fun among team members, promoting a positive and supportive work environment.
• Facilitate regular team meetings and discussions to promote communication, address challenges, and ensure alignment with organizational objectives and priorities.
• Lead utilization and scheduling of workflow, project management tools, and stakeholder management tools for the policy team. 

QUALIFICATIONS

• Required: High School diploma or equivalent (GED)
• Required: At least 5-7 years of relevant experience in policy advocacy, Congress, or administration, with understanding of the federal legislative process, how Congress interacts with the executive branch, and executive branch advocacy vehicles.
• Required: At least one year of experience overseeing a project with team members and/or supervising a junior associate. 
• Preferred: 1-2 years of experience in reproductive rights, reproductive health, or reproductive justice; Health equity policy experience also a plus. 
• Preferred: Some experience volunteering or working with communities of color or indigent communities. 
• Demonstrated ability to communicate clearly with a wide variety of audiences through strong written and verbal communication.
• Strong research and analytical skills, including drafting and analyzing legislative language.
• Strong organizational skills to handle multiple overlapping projects.
• Demonstrated ability to adapt and pivot quickly.

Our ideal candidate should also embody the following:

• Strong values: Embodies NAPAWF’s values as an organizational leader: Center Racial and Gender Justice, Leadership, Boldness, Co-Creation, Movement Builder, and Responsive and Adaptive Learning.
• Strong equity thinker and leader: Possesses strong equity and economic justice lens on the work and will prioritize this lens in crafting policy solutions and in making decisions. 
• Thoughtful manager: Leads with care and planfulness, knows how to guide, coach, mentor, and co-create team and individual work plans to align with the organization’s strategic plan. 
• Strategic problem solver: Is methodical, thinks many steps ahead, anticipates problems and offers solutions, and approaches hurdles as learning opportunities.
• Highly-organized, self-driven and resilient: Is able to juggle a high-volume of competing demands through prioritizing and maintaining systems. Exhibits ownership over goals and projects. Takes initiative and is a self-starter.
• Detail-oriented: Pays attention to details, notices and fixes errors that others might overlook.  
• Works independently and manages up effectively: Capable of managing up and bringing key issues to direct supervisor’s attention. 

• Effective team player: Welcomes viewpoints of others and enjoys finding opportunities to build authentic relationships with colleagues through collaboration. 

SALARY & BENEFITS

The annual salary range for this position is $90,000 - $120,000 - commensurate with experience. 

A highly competitive benefits package includes a 401(k) plan, medical, dental, and vision insurance. NAPAWF's medical plan is covered by NAPAWF at 100% for employees and dependents with no out-of-pocket costs, including prescription drugs costs. Qualified dependents may also be covered. 

NAPAWF also offers full-time employees 15 days of vacation in the first year, sick leave, flexible spending program options and personal/family leave, as well as paid vacation between December 25 and January 1 of each year. 

WORK ENVIRONMENT

NAPAWF is a proud union organization. We also value empathy, creativity, and collaboration. The person in this position should be able to engage in the diverse demands of the work. This position is based in an office setting, with some virtual work and occasional travel. Policy Department employees are expected to be at the office approximately 8 days per month and set a schedule that prioritizes team and organization goals. They will be occasionally asked to travel up to 10% and work evening hours and/or weekends as required, since some government affairs functions occur in the evening. 

NAPAWF is committed to public health, and to the safety and well being of our colleagues and visitors.  As such, we have adopted a policy requiring all employees to receive all recommended COVID-19 vaccines and boosters or to apply for and receive an exemption. 

NAPAWF is an equal opportunity employer. We strongly encourage and seek applications from women, people of color, including bilingual and bicultural individuals, as well as members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender communities. Applicants shall not be discriminated against because of race, religion, sex, national origin, ethnicity, age, disability, political affiliation, sexual orientation, gender identity, color, marital status, medical condition (cancer-related) or conditions Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) and AIDS-related conditions (ARC). Reasonable accommodation will be made so that qualified disabled applicants may participate in the application process. Please advise in writing of special needs at the time of application.