Smart Growth America is seeking a skilled and motivated individual with knowledge, experience and interest in outreach and organizing around transportation policy and implementation at the federal, state or local level. This position will support and coordinate membership for two Smart Growth America programs—Transportation for America (T4America) and the National Complete Streets Coalition (NCSC)—and will report to the Outreach Director of T4America and the Director of Thriving Communities.
Are you interested in transportation, transit, bicycling, walking, passenger rail, or placemaking? Do you have outreach and organizing experience for an issue-based advocacy organization or campaign? Are you eager to use your organizing skills to change government policies in order to get better outcomes from US transportation spending? The ideal policy & outreach associate is plugged into transportation news, is a good communicator about transportation and the built environment, and wants to organize partners for transportation advocacy on a regular basis. They will be detail-oriented project managers who can juggle multiple competing projects, deadlines, and timelines without dropping the ball. They are a dependable team player who can perform regular duties, but also enterprising and creative self-starters who are eager to brainstorm new ideas to move the needle. Candidates must demonstrate an ability to work successfully independently and within a team.
Responsibilities
- Identify and connect with potential partners in a variety of sectors to support advocacy campaigns and recruit new members and clients for technical assistance services. For T4America’s membership program, this work will focus on T4America’s three policy principles and related policy priorities. For NCSC it will focus on efforts to encourage adoption of Complete Streets policies and practices around the country.
- Support T4America and NCSC membership programs and manage relationships with existing members and partners, including renewals, invoicing, and delivering support and content.
- Deliver presentations and information to partners about transportation, T4America’s advocacy, NCSC’s ongoing work, and SGA’s broader technical assistance and thought leadership efforts.
- Organize events that inform partners and/or give our partners opportunity to be spokespeople for shared priorities, such as T4America member briefings and NCSC steering committee meetings and annual partner dinners.
- Collaborate with the communications team to help produce members-only communications, newsletters, and blog posts; and
- Collaborate with the Transportation for America policy team to conduct policy research and develop and implement advocacy campaigns to advance federal transportation policies that prioritize safety for people walking, biking, and rolling, as well as other federal priorities (like transportation projects that support climate and equity outcomes) and recruit partners to support those campaigns; and
- Manage the constituent relationship management database including recording data regarding ongoing relationships, configuring the database to record useful information, and querying lists of people to organize regarding specific advocacy issues.
Knowledge, skills, and experience
Required:
- A college degree and 1-2 years of work experience.
- Knowledge of and passion about transportation policy, Complete Streets, how transportation decisions are made and how they impact people and communities.
- Excellent written and verbal ability, research skills, and attention to detail.
- Ability and desire to connect with leaders, advocates, and practitioners engaged in transportation policy issues for advocacy purposes.
- Some proficiency using a constituent relationship management database and with issue-based, digital advocacy. (SGA uses Salsa CRM and Engage.)
- Understanding and experience with political or issue-based organizing;
- Excellent time management and organization.
- Good interpersonal skills and comfort working in a collaborative team environment.
- Ability to work independently with minimal supervision.
Preferred:
- A background in public policy, transportation, planning or other related field.
- Experience working on outreach at an issue-based advocacy nonprofit organization.
- Previous experience in local, state, or federal policy as it relates to our subject matter.
- Experience working with diverse populations; and
- Experience or demonstrable interest in working on issues of equity vis-à-vis transportation policy.
Compensation
Salary commensurate with experience and will range between $45,000-55,000. The successful candidate who would be in consideration for compensation near the top of this range will have more experience and/or at least one of the skills listed as preferred above. Benefits include health insurance, 401k, and paid vacation and paid sick time.
Location
This position is based in Washington, DC. SGA/T4A staff are currently working in the office at 1152 15th Street NW, Washington DC once a week, while generally working remotely the rest of the week due to the COVID-19 pandemic. We will be adding more in person days in the near future but expect that work will remain hybrid into the long term. The specifics of that hybrid environment are currently being determined.
SGA requires employees to be vaccinated for COVID-19 and boosted. Other COVID protocols include social distancing for meetings and masks are encouraged, though not required.
To apply
If you possess the desired qualifications, please send a cover letter, a resume that also includes a 140-character summary of what you would bring to the position, references, and 2-3 writing samples (700 words or less) to jobs@smartgrowthamerica.org with the specific subject line of “T4America Policy & Outreach Associate”. In your cover letter, please indicate how you learned of this job opportunity. Applications will be accepted immediately on a rolling basis until the position is filled.
Equal Opportunity Employment
Equal opportunity and having a diverse staff are fundamental principles at Smart Growth America. Employment and promotional opportunities are based upon individual capabilities and qualifications without regard to race, color, religion, gender, pregnancy, sexual orientation/ preference, age, national origin, marital status, citizenship, disability, veteran status or any other protected characteristic as established under law.
Smart Growth America is committed to building a diverse staff and strongly encourages applications from candidates of color.
About our organization
Smart Growth America envisions a country where no matter where you live, or who you are, you can enjoy living in a place that is healthy, prosperous, and resilient. We empower communities through technical assistance, advocacy, and thought leadership to realize this vision of livable places, healthy people, and shared prosperity.
Transportation for America is a project of Smart Growth America made up of local, regional and state leaders who seek a transportation system that safely, affordably and conveniently connects people of all means and ability to jobs, services and opportunity through multiple modes of travel.
The post Now Hiring: Policy & Outreach Associate (T4America) appeared first on Transportation For America.
