Policy Director

Policy Director

Location: Any city in CA with a preference for Los Angeles, Sacramento, Fresno, or San Diego

The mission of the California Immigrant Policy Center (CIPC) is to uphold the humanity of immigrant communities in California by transforming systems to achieve racial, social, and economic justice. CIPC is a non-partisan, non-profit statewide organization engaging in advocacy, organizing, and strategic communications to uplift immigrant communities. CIPC was founded in response to the 1996 passage of federal immigrant and welfare laws that profoundly affected immigrants. Today, CIPC advances inclusive policies that build a prosperous future for all Californians, using policy analysis, advocacy and capacity building.

Over the past 28 years, CIPC has led groundbreaking campaigns that have greatly expanded protections for California’s low-income immigrant populations, as well as access to publicly-funded services and programs, including but not limited to the Safe and Responsible Driver Act, the TRUST and TRUTH Acts, CA Values Act, E-Verify Bill, the Health for All campaign, California Earned Income Tax Credit (CalEITC), and One California, the largest investment in legal services protection in the country. 

Job Title: Policy Director

Location: Any city in CA with a preference for Los Angeles, Sacramento, Fresno, or San Diego (Hybrid Position) 

Term: Full-time, occasional evening and weekends required

Position Status: Exempt

Pay Range: $110,000 to $120,000 annually, commensurate with skills and experience.

Reports to: Deputy Director of Programs 

POSITION SUMMARY

The Policy Director oversees the Policy Department and spearheads CIPC's legislative, budget, and administrative advocacy strategies to advance priorities for California’s immigrant communities. They will also lead the development of CIPC's economic justice portfolio, while also supporting the development of other policy priorities including climate justice and housing. They are responsible for advancing the organization's mission, vision, and goals through the development of a thoughtful, cohesive, collaborative, and strategic policy agenda.

The Policy Director will supervise the Economic Justice team and other teams as assigned while leading the entire Policy department in collaboration with other Policy Directors. They must possess deep expertise in economic justice and immigrant rights policies. Experience with climate justice, disaster relief, and housing would be welcomed. The role requires effective communication with diverse stakeholders, and tracking and analyzing legislative, regulatory, and policy implementation developments impacting immigrant communities.

As a member of CIPC’s Management Team, the Policy Director shall foster a productive, supportive, and equitable work environment, as well as contribute to CIPC's organizational development. Additionally, the Policy Director will be responsible for supporting institutional fundraising for the organization to build out our policy work, which may include developing concept papers, grant proposals, presentations, and reports.

Coordination and/or travel to our Sacramento, Southern California offices and other locations as necessary. 

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Co-lead the Policy Department to develop, propose, secure buy-in for, and execute CIPC’s policy agenda and legislative, budget, and administrative advocacy strategies 
• Spearhead the strategic development and implementation of CIPC’s economic justice portfolio 
• Provide mentorship, guidance, and support to the entire Policy Department, which includes planning and leading thoughtful meetings and retreats, overseeing the development of goals and work plans, and managing and overseeing the Policy Department’s reporting processes, bill tracking, materials development, and other department-wide activities
• Supervise the entire Economic Justice team, which includes mentoring and successfully guiding their work plans and professional development
• Manage CIPC campaigns and research projects, and coordinate with the Communications, Government Affairs, and Movement Building teams on cross-departmental initiatives
• Responsible for deep and thorough policy analysis that guides the development and implementation of CIPC's advocacy
• Identify, track, and analyze proposed bills and oversee the monitoring and effective implementation of state policy activities related to CIPC’s priority areas
• Provide expert analysis and guidance on a full range of policy issues at the organization, particularly broad immigration policy and economic justice
• Maintain substantive depth in a range of immigration policy issues, including emerging immigration policy issues affecting California immigrant communities, and oversee and direct policy analysis, research, recommendations, and solutions
• Develop policy materials such as fact sheets, briefs, reports, etc. 
• Proactively identify gaps and opportunities for CIPC to expand its work, including novel policy approaches and strategies
• Ensure CIPC’s policy priorities are informed and led by directly impacted individuals and coalitions
• Continually assess the impact of federal and state legislative and regulatory developments and proposals on the rights of low income immigrant communities and their families with respect to worker’s rights, workforce development, and economic justice

• Establish working relationships and engagement with diverse stakeholders including partners, reporters, funders, and government officials 
• Conduct trainings and provide technical assistance to service providers, community organizations, legislative staff, local governments, and the media on CIPC’s policy  issues
• Support the Communications Department in drafting press releases, statements, social media posts, e-blasts, talking points, and taking interviews and background conversations with reporters
• Support the Development team in writing grant proposals and reports to raise funding for organizational development
• Assist with the hiring and evaluation of staff
• Manage and develop the leadership skills of staff members
• Proactively contribute thought leadership and concrete proposals to improve cross collaboration and a better work environment, organizational development, and strategic direction of the organization's work as a member of the Management Team 

QUALIFICATIONS

• Minimum of ten years of experience in economic justice and/or immigrant rights law or policy, with at least three of those years including experience working in a policy director role implementing substantive, fundraising, and budgeting strategies 
• Minimum of seven years of supervising experience
• Experience on economic justice issues may include, but are not limited to workers’ rights (e.g., misclassification, wage theft, health and safety protections), workforce development, professional and business licensing, safety net programs, immigrant entrepreneurship, job-protected leave, and future of work (e.g., artificial intelligence). Additional experience in other issue areas such as climate justice and housing are a plus.
• Demonstrated quantitative and qualitative research skills, including the ability to research and analyze complex policy
• Excellent written and oral communication skills
• Demonstrated ability to develop, implement, and evaluate campaign and advocacy strategies, and win significant policy campaigns
• Demonstrated commitment to immigrant rights, racial, and economic justice, and has an equity mindset
• Ability to speak publicly about immigrant rights policy to various audiences
• Demonstrated success working collaboratively across internal teams and with external partners, particularly in coalitions and on statewide legislative, budget, or other advocacy campaigns;
• Demonstrated ability to balance interests among a wide range of organizational or community stakeholders and build common cause;
• Track record of working with ethnically, linguistically, and racially diverse communities; direct experience working with immigrant rights organizations and community-based groups in California strongly preferred;
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.) and Google Drive (Docs, Sheets, Presentations, etc.); and
• Proficiency in non-English languages spoken by Latinx, Asian, Pacific Islander, African, Caribbean, and Middle Eastern communities is a plus.

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS

Salary Range: $110,000 to $120,00/annual, commensurate with skills and experience.

CIPC is a unionized workplace and is represented by Immigrant Advocates United-United Auto Workers. This position is not in the bargaining unit. CIPC provides a comprehensive benefits package to its employees:

• Paid medical, dental, vision insurance, and life insurance (100% of the full insurance premium for qualified employees and 75% of the premiums for their dependents)
• 3% contribution to 401K-retirement plan
• Commuter benefit or paid parking access
• Monthly reimbursement for cell and internet usage
• $1,500 professional development allowance
• Generous time off policy
  • Up to 26 paid holidays a year (includes summer and winter collective breaks)
  • Vacation: 1st year of service: 10 days, after completion of 1st year: 15 days, after completion of 4th year: 20 days)
  • 6 personal days per year

APPLICATION INFORMATION

The position is open immediately until filled. Please send a cover letter, resume, and writing sample. Please note that we will only be able to respond to short-listed candidates. Those candidates will be asked to submit 3 references.

The California Immigrant Policy Center (CIPC) is an equal opportunity employer; people of color and individuals from diverse backgrounds are encouraged to apply. CIPC does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, ethnic background, religion, sex, sexual orientation, age, or disability.