The child welfare campaign designs multiple, complementary strategies to promote racial and social justice for children and youth involved with or at risk of involvement with the child welfare system. We work to transform child welfare systems so that children and youth can be safer and heal and thrive in their community.
National Center for Youth Law
The National Center for Youth Law (NCYL) works to amplify youth power, dismantle racism and other structural inequities, and build just policies, practices, and culture in support of young people. Our efforts advance justice through research, community collaboration, impact litigation, and policy advocacy that fundamentally transforms our nation's approach to education, health, immigration, foster care, and youth justice. Our vision is a world in which every young person thrives and has a full and fair opportunity to achieve the future they envision for themselves.
The Team
The child welfare campaign designs multiple, complementary strategies to promote racial and social justice for children and youth involved with or at risk of involvement with the child welfare system. We work to transform child welfare systems so that children and youth can be safer and heal and thrive in their community. We aim to implement new strategies and policies that move beyond the current confines of our existing public policies and systems. Our work focuses on addressing root causes of racial and other inequities. We seek to be led by and with those most impacted by these systems and community advocates.
The Position
The senior policy associate will design and implement an anti-racist policy advocacy strategy in collaboration with the Senior Director and the child welfare team. The policy associate will work in coalitions with those impacted most by child welfare systems and with advocates, community leaders, policymakers, and other interested parties – both in California and nationally – to shape anti-racist policies. This is an excellent opportunity for a strong and innovative leader committed to supporting justice and well-being for youth and their families.
Essential Functions
- Collaboratively develop and implement an anti-racist policy agenda that promotes justice and well-being for children, youth, and their families involved with or at risk of contact with the child welfare/family policing system
- Build and manage relationships with a variety of interested parties at the community, regional, state, and federal levels to assess and implement anti-racist child welfare policy
- Monitor state and federal legislation and committee activities and identify opportunities for NCYL to participate in events that advance policy objectives identified in our agenda
- Facilitate in-person and virtual discussions on policies and practices that will lead to racial and social justice for children and youth involved with or at risk of contact with the child welfare/family policing system
- Conduct research and prepare relevant briefing materials, testimony, and legislative language
- Develop a range of high-quality products including written briefs, reports, presentations, webinars
- Work closely with the Senior Director of Child Welfare and collaboratively with NCYL staff, consultants, interns, and fellows to advance anti-racist policy agenda
Qualifications
- Ability to collaboratively design and implement a robust, strategic policy agenda working
- Strong knowledge about the policy landscape impacting the child welfare/family policing system, substantive knowledge of anti-poverty policies, understanding of racial and social justice frameworks and ability to apply an intersectional lens to policy work
- Strong policy analysis skills, including the capacity to understand complex legislative and regulatory provisions and budgetary implications
- Experience learning from and collaborating with youth or youth advocates on policy advocacy
- Experience working with state or federal policymakers and their staff on developing and advocating for policies that support children, youth, and families
- Commitment to combating racism and other forms of oppression experienced by children, youth, and their families
- Ability to synthesize ideas and communicate them persuasively and/or creatively to influence diverse audiences
- Experience working with diverse collaborators, including building and sustaining relationships, designing and facilitating meetings
- Ability to take initiative and manage fast paced, complex projects
- Bachelor’s degree and graduate degree preferred
- Minimum 6+ years of experience working in policy advocacy
- Demonstrated commitment to NCYL’s mission
Physical Requirements
Prolonged periods sitting at a desk and working on a computer. This position requires the ability to work remotely and may require some travel.
Salary, Benefits, and Location
This is a full-time, exempt position. Salary is competitive at $88,675.00 annually. A geographic salary differential may be applied if the candidate resides somewhere other than the Oakland, CA, Los Angeles, CA, or Washington, DC metro areas.
NCYL provides a robust benefits package including health, dental, vision, life, and pet insurances, generous vacation and sick benefits, flexible spending account, commuter benefits, employer contribution to a retirement plan, and short-term and long-term disability insurance.
Candidates must reside in, or be willing to relocate to, California, Colorado, Maryland, Virginia, or Washington DC.
This position is eligible for 100% remote work through March 31, 2023. It is possible that in April 2023, NCYL will require people to work in an office, in which case they will need to be in a location where they can commute to a NCYL office regularly. We are actively engaging in this conversation as an organization. We don't yet know what remote work will look like in 2023.
Please submit a cover letter and resume at the link below. Please, no emails or calls.
Apply at: https://recruiting.paylocity.com/recruiting/jobs/Details/1216014/Nationa...
Applicants with lived experience within any of our practice areas, and Black, Indigenous, and other people of color, are strongly encouraged to apply.
It is the policy of NCYL to provide equal employment opportunities to all Applicants (including Employees) regardless of race, ethnicity, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, breastfeeding, national origin, age, abilities/disabilities, neurotypicality, socioeconomic status, veteran status, marital status, prior convictions, or any other protected classifications under federal, state, or local law.