Public Policy Director

  • Full Time
  • East Coast
  • Applications have closed

Website PCAR/NSVRC

Position Summary

The Public Policy Director serves as a lead lobbyist for the organization on its legislative positions and priorities. The Public Policy Director serves as one of the organization’s spokespersons on legislative positions and priorities in partnership with other spokespersons for PCAR. The Public Policy Director leads and manages the development and advancement of PCAR’s legislative agenda and broader public policy efforts in collaboration across teams. They are a key point person for the PA General Assembly and legislative stakeholders. The Public Policy Director serves as the liaison to the PA Association of Sexual Assault Centers (PASAC) Public Policy Committee and to the PCAR internal Public Policy Workgroup to ensure PCAR’s legislative efforts are reflective of PCAR’s mission and values, the strengths and needs of sexual assault centers and survivors, and best practices in sexual assault prevention and response. The Public Policy Director provides training, assistance, and mentorship on policy advocacy to rape crisis centers and staff. They represent the mission, legislative agenda and funding needs at the state and federal level and represent PCAR in state and national workgroups, boards, committees and organizations, including as PCAR’s representative on the Steering Committee of the National Task Force to End Sexual and Domestic Violence.

 

Values Statement

PCAR understands sexual violence as a social justice issue and works to prevent and respond to sexual harassment, assault, and abuse within this framework. We are committed to nurturing a workplace that is affirming, inclusive, and respectful of all people across race, class, ability, gender, sexual orientation, age, and other identities. We are looking for outstanding relationship-builders and communicators. We value both life experience and professional credentials.

We are committed to building a diverse organization and we are most interested in finding the best candidate for the job. That candidate may be one who comes from a background outside of the movement to end sexual assault, abuse, and harassment. PCAR strongly encourages you to apply, even if you don’t believe you meet every qualification described. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform essential job functions. We cultivate a culture of inclusion for all employees that respects their individual strengths, views, and experiences. We believe that our differences enable us to be a better team – one that makes better decisions, drives innovation and delivers better results. We are an equal opportunity employer. We strongly encourage you to apply for open positions.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Policy Development and Legislative Affairs

  • Develop and mobilize PCAR’s policy agenda, in collaboration with PASAC public policy committee, organizational Leadership, and public policy workgroup staff.
  • Serve as staff liaison to PASAC Public Policy Committee, facilitating and leading biweekly meetings, providing bill analyses, training, news articles, model policies, and research on best practices.
  • Serve as staff liaison to PCAR internal Public Policy Workgroup, facilitating monthly meetings.
  • Lead organizational analyses of legislation and facilitate the organization’s official position on legislation, in partnership with the PASAC Public Policy Committee, PCAR Leadership, and internal Public Policy Workgroup. Present analyses of legislation to network of rape crisis centers and PASAC for full membership vote when appropriate.
  • Research, draft, and provide action alerts and advocacy talking points to rape crisis center network and PCAR staff in the advancement of legislative goals. Research and participate in the development of PCAR Position Statements and supporting education papers.
  • Serve as lead in mobilizing PCAR’s policy agenda in General Assembly and with general public and stakeholders. Develop relationships with elected officials, Administration, state agencies, stakeholders, and staff in advancement of PCAR’s legislative goals, regularly meet with legislators and their staff and attend legislative committee meetings and collaborative legislative stakeholder meetings.
  • Seek out and secure bipartisan sponsorship and support for policy agenda; draft core priority legislation in partnership with legislative offices and allied stakeholders.
  • Lead PCAR’s lobbying efforts in and correspondence with the legislature on proactive legislative agenda and other bills of interest that pertain to sexual violence and its prevention.
  • Coordinate and oversee the research, development, and delivery of legislative testimony on sexual assault policy.
  • Research, review, draft and track legislation pertaining to sexual harassment, abuse, and assault.
  • Represent PCAR/NSVRC on National Task Force to End Sexual and Domestic Violence (NTF). Serve as liaison between national partners and local PA rape crisis centers.
  • Provide support to Chief Executive Officer and Chief Operating Officer/Coalition Director in formulating budget advocacy efforts in collaboration with Communications Department.

Public Relations, Communications, and Training

  • Respond to media requests as requested by Chief Executive Officer, Communications Director, or Coalition Director.
  • Inform PCAR’s media response on legislation and PCAR’s legislative priorities, providing talking points, political dynamics and contexts, and positions on specific legislation.
  • Attend, represent, and inform PCAR’s involvement at legislative rallies, press conferences, and other events pertaining to sexual assault legislation.
  • Provide training and technical assistance on policy advocacy to rape crisis centers, staff, and other constituents and requestors.
  • Coordinate and implement PCAR’s annual advocacy day events, training, and legislative visits; work with Communications in developing and designing corresponding materials.
  • Draft and/or review and share PCAR’s educational materials to support PCAR’s legislative goals, inform PCAR Communications posts, materials, and resources as they pertain to legislation and policy priorities.
  • Participate in PCAR Board meetings and provide training and information as appropriate and requested.

Organizational Contract Development and Review

  • Establish and update organization’s contract templates, review procedures, and guidance for supervisors and staff in partnership with review team.
  • Coordinate PCAR’s internal review of organizational contracts and provide annual updates and training on such procedures, in partnership with review team.

Miscellaneous

  • Attend and/or participate in national conferences, workshops, meetings and focus groups.
  • Act as a liaison to assigned centers through PCAR Partners.
  • Mentor staff and interns.
  • Assist on PCAR teams as requested.
  • Adhere to the mission, core values, philosophy, policies and procedures of the Pennsylvania Coalition Against Rape.
  • Perform other duties as assigned.

 

Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree in public policy, human service field, or education from four-year college or university; and three to four years of relevant experience in policy development, government relations, and/or systems advocacy, and/or in work directly pertaining to sexual or domestic violence, social justice, systems advocacy or social change. Experience /knowledge of adult learning techniques. Possess community-organizing, coalition building skills and public speaking skills. Computer skills necessary include Microsoft Word and Outlook.

 

Salary Range

$70,000-$80,000

 

To Apply

PCAR offers a competitive salary and benefits package. Qualified candidates are encouraged to apply online at www.pcar.org by March 22, 2023.  Complete job description are also available on our website.

 

Who We Are

Founded in 1975, The mission of the Pennsylvania Coalition Against Rape is to work to eliminate all forms of sexual violence and to advocate for the rights and needs of victims of sexual assault. PCAR partners with a network of rape crisis programs to bring help, hope, and healing around issues of sexual violence to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. PCAR:

  • Assures that communities have access to quality victim services and prevention education by providing funding, training, materials, and assistance to a network of rape crisis centers that serve all of Pennsylvania’s 67 counties.
  • Provides resources and training on sexual assault-related issues to professionals across PA.
  • Promotes public policies that provide protections and services to victims of sexual violence, hold offenders accountable, enhances community safety, and works with media to increase public awareness, access to accurate information, and ethical reporting practices.
  • Operates the National Sexual Violence Resource Center (NSVRC), which identifies, develops, and disseminates resources regarding all aspects of sexual violence prevention and intervention. NSVRC is the leading nonprofit in providing information and tools to prevent and respond to sexual violence. NSVRC translates research and trends into best practices that help individuals, communities and service providers achieve real and lasting change. NSVRC also works with the media to promote informed reporting.

Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
The Pennsylvania Coalition Against Rape and The National Sexual Violence Resource Center provide equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, or genetics.