Senior Policy Associate
The Alliance for Children’s Rights is seeking a dedicated individual to join our Policy Program as a Senior Policy Associate.
The Alliance: The Alliance for Children's Rights is a nonprofit organization that provides free holistic legal services and advocacy to youth and families impacted by child welfare and juvenile justice systems in Los Angeles County and works to enact policy changes statewide. Our lawyers, advocates, and social workers, together with hundreds of pro bono attorneys and community volunteers, work to ensure that those we serve have the tools to overcome barriers to stability and success, and access to the education, healthcare, and financial supports that they need. Since 1992, we have helped over 150,000 children. For more information visit: www.allianceforchildrensrights.org.
To more effectively achieve our mission of stability, equity, and justice for all young people across the state, the Alliance identifies systemic issues and barriers that impact our clients, and advocates for broad solutions and improvements through ground-breaking child welfare policy reform at the state and local levels.
What Your Impact Will Be:
The Senior Policy Associate will be focused primarily on systemic change relevant to children living in foster care and in poverty in Los Angeles County. The Senior Policy Associate engages in legislative and regulatory strategy development, and communication efforts ensuring successful implementation of statewide policies in Los Angeles County and assisting in the development and implementation of systemic solutions specific to Los Angeles County.
Work with, and under the direction of, the Director of Policy & Impact Litigation to:
- Conduct research and analysis on policy issues focused on addressing systemic racial justice and racial equity issues impacting families involved with the child welfare system
- Develop communications and trainings (including position papers, policy briefs, fact sheets, advocacy tools, training materials and social media outreach) for a variety of audiences including legal services staff, agency staff, legislative staff, judicial officers, community-based organizations and the public including kinship caregivers, resource families, and youth
- Work closely and develop partnerships with the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, the Department of Children and Family Services, Los Angeles County Probation, the courts and other stakeholders
- Lead and participate on countywide task forces and stakeholder meetings to engage other stakeholders in our priority issues
- Recruit allies at the state, regional and local level to assist with and contribute to policy, advocacy and communications efforts
- Represent the Alliance at meetings and conferences
- Assist in media relations
- Work with the Chief Development Officer to develop funding prospects and proposals to advance the policy and program agenda
This job description is of a general nature and is not an exhaustive list of all responsibilities and duties of the position.
The Ideal Candidate Will Possess:
- Experience with local government, advocacy, media, campaigns, outreach, and public education preferred
- Excellent communication, public speaking/training and interpersonal skills
- Excellent research, writing and analytical skills
- Ability/willingness to facilitate and build collaborative working relationships with elected officials, community groups and policy makers
- Ability to multi-task competing priorities
- Ability to work independently and strategically
- Lived experience or other demonstration of understanding and mastery of the impacts of child welfare systems, social safety net programs or education systems preferred
- Knowledge of federal, state and county government systems preferred
COVID-19 Considerations:
Vaccination Requirement
The Alliance is committed to prioritizing and safeguarding the health and wellbeing of our employees, their families, our clients, and members of our community against the COVID-19 coronavirus above all else. In response to COVID-19, and the increased transmissibility with recent variants, and to support a safe environment for everyone, all new Alliance employees must provide original documentation confirming they are fully vaccinated at the time of hire.
Other Considerations
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, this position worked full time in our Los Angeles office. However, since the pandemic, this position has worked remotely from home. This position may be asked to return to work in the office at any time and at the employer's discretion.
Applying: To be considered, please send a cover letter and resume to Erica Hickey at ehickey@alliancecr.org. Please include in your cover letter any relevant experiences, background, or perspective, professional or otherwise, you have in working with diverse populations and/or towards goals of equity and racial justice.
This is an exempt position, with salary range of $69,000-$76,000 depending on experience. Benefits include generous vacation and paid holidays; comprehensive health plans covering 100% of the employee cost of medical, dental and vision insurance; life insurance; flexible spending accounts for childcare and health expenses; generous retirement savings plan with company contributions to your 403(b) after one year of employment, and discounts on fitness memberships and other activities.
The Alliance for Children’s Rights is committed to building and supporting a culturally diverse and inclusive environment that values all staff members’ backgrounds and perspectives in our work. We strongly encourage individuals from all traditionally underrepresented communities to apply. We are committed to providing reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities. We are an Equal Employment Opportunity employer, and prohibit discrimination against employees or applicants because of race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, national origin, ancestry, age, marital status, veteran status, or any other unlawful basis.