Since 1984, Share Our Strength® has led the fight against hunger and poverty by inspiring and organizing individuals and businesses to share their strengths. Today, through the No Kid Hungry campaign, Share Our Strength is ending childhood hunger in America by ensuring all children get the healthy food they need. No child should go hungry in America – we’re on our way to making that a reality and we want you to join us. We’re bold, creative, always open to new ideas and 100% dedicated to our mission. If that sounds like you, we’d like you to consider becoming part of our team.

The Senior Manager, State & Local Government Relations will support Share Our Strength and its mission to end childhood hunger and poverty in America by advancing its state and local government relations and advocacy efforts. The Senior Manager will collaborate with partners and stakeholders, as well as colleagues across Share Our Strength to develop and execute state government relations strategies and tactics, track progress and course correct as needed to meet goals. The Senior Manager will also represent Share Our Strength in coalitions and in meetings with state and local elected officials and legislative staff.

This position is preferably based in Washington, D.C. (hybrid two days in the office); but could be fully remote for the right candidate living outside of the DC area 30 miles or more. The position offers a range of $80k-$91k. Exact compensation within the stated salary range may vary based on skills, experience, internal equity, and geographical location.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Works with the Associate Director of Government Relations and Advocacy and in collaboration with the public policy team and internal state campaigns managers to identify state legislative priorities and lead the execution of state and local government relations initiatives, including partnerships with local organizations, management of lobbyists, communications strategies, and development of legislation.
• Tracks and helps to advance state and local legislative goals, including collaborating across internal teams to identify and monitor campaign progress throughout the year.
• Develops and executes campaign plans and timelines to meet goals, deliverables, and deadlines. Works with external partners and internal colleagues to establish goals, strategies, tactics, evaluation, and work plans for state and local campaigns.
• Maintains strong and effective relationships with partner organizations, including managing difficult conversations.
• Oversees work and performance of contracted lobbyists supporting specific state campaigns.
• Creates materials and provides background research for state and local legislative activities, including briefings, hearings, and training webinars for advocate networks. Drafts testimony, letters of support, meeting requests, and other documents relevant to state policy campaigns.
• Contributes to and supports distribution of regular newsletters for state and local elected leaders to include policy recommendations, Share Our Strength updates, and other relevant information.
• Maintains relationships with national organizations representing state and local elected officials and executes major events throughout the year that further government relations goals and priorities.
• Serves as internal liaison between the program, communications, and fundraising teams on assigned government relations and advocacy activities.
• Manages reporting and evaluation data for assigned state and local government relations efforts.
• Communicates progress and facilitates shared understanding of government relations metrics, strategies, tactics, and impact among external and internal stakeholders, including senior leadership.
• Represents Share Our Strength to external audiences, including through presentations at conferences, community events, meetings with policymakers and similar forums.
• Provides strategic counsel and meaningful input to Government Relations and Advocacy and Share Our Strength Program Department’s leadership during annual planning and on other strategic matters.
• Partners with colleagues to support Share Our Strength's work to be a diverse and inclusive organization, and ensure this value is embedded in the organization and throughout our work.
• Leads organizational workgroups as needed and may manage an intern.

WORKING CONDITIONS

Normal office work environment with up to 25% travel.

QUALIFICATIONS

• BA/BS preferred; typically requires 5-8 years of relevant experience and/or an equivalent
• combination of education and experience with a focus on local or state issues advocacy, lobbying or with a Federal, local or state government entity.
• Demonstrated knowledge of state and local legislative processes.
• Demonstrated success at developing and managing effective and collaborative partnerships both externally and internally, including ability to cultivate and maintain positive long-term relationships.
• Demonstrated ability to build diverse legislative coalitions with policymakers from across the ideological spectrum, aligned organizations and community leaders.
• Outstanding judgment and ability to identify, highlight, and solve challenges and recommend strategies.
• Highly effective within a fluid, entrepreneurial environment.
• Outstanding written and oral communications skills, including experience presenting to high-level audiences.
• Demonstrated ability to initiate, organize and prioritize multiple projects and work independently in a fluid environment.
• Strong background working with diverse stakeholders to successfully implement projects and/or build collaboration around specific goals or programs.
• Ability to work evenings and weekends as necessary.

COMPREHENSIVE BENEFIT PLAN

We offer a comprehensive benefits plan which currently includes, but is not limited to, health insurance, dental insurance, vision insurance, retirement, wellness benefits, and paid time off (vacation leave, sick leave, personal leave, holiday, parental leave, bereavement leave, military leave and jury duty leave).

DIVERSITY

At Share Our Strength, we value an individual’s diversity of backgrounds, experiences, ideas and perspectives. A hallmark of our history, culture and values has been the organization’s desire to bring together motivated, intelligent, and talented people to work together to find and implement solutions to end hunger and poverty in the U.S. and abroad. We each come to Share Our Strength with a unique background, but together we form a team that yields amazing results. This shared value of encouraging and embracing diversity in our organization fosters a workplace and culture that is highlighted for its innovation, open expression of ideas, and collaboration. With a strong shared commitment to the organization’s mission, and a unique blend of individual strengths, we are all working toward ensuring that every individual can live a healthy and productive life.