Policy Associate

The Children’s Defense Fund mission is to build community so young people grow up with dignity, hope, and joy. We envision a nation where marginalized children flourish, leaders prioritize their wellbeing, and communities wield the power to ensure they thrive. We serve and advocate for the largest, most diverse generation in America: the 74 million children and youth under the age of 18 and 30 million young adults under the age of 25. We pay particular attention to those living in poverty and communities of color. CDF partners with policymakers, aligned organizations and funders in this service. The Children’s Defense Fund is the only national, multi-issue advocacy organization working at the intersection of child well-being and racial justice by wielding the moral authority of programmatic proximity and community organizing to inform public policy. For more information please visit www.childrensdefense.org.

Position Summary

The policy associate works with the CDF-Ohio team to advocate for improved child wellbeing for Ohio families and children. This role helps to lead CDF-Ohio’s work by directly advocating our policy agenda and priorities with legislators and other policy makers. The policy associate engages partners and coalitions to advocate our priorities through the development of public education material, public testimony, media outreach, and advocacy campaigns.

The policy associate represents CDF-Ohio in several policy and advocacy coalitions. The policy associate specializes in working with Ohioans who have personal lived experiences in the policy areas of early learning and development, education for civic life and work, children’s health and healing, family stability and economic mobility, and just and caring communities. The policy associate helps our partners to access available resources and strategically place their stories in front of legislators and other policy makers. This role is based in Columbus, Ohio.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working with CDF-Ohio’s target constituencies.
• Experience developing, leading, advocating, and monitoring policy agendas and proposals.
• Experience engaging policy makers and decision makers on policy issues.

Competencies

• Racial equity analysis and application in the social sector.
• Community awareness and prioritization of proximity to inform decision-making.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to meet people where they are at and cultivate supportive relationships with them.
• Attention to detail and be adept at critical thinking, forward thinking, and problem-solving.
• Organized and able to work independently.
• Strong interpersonal skills and able to work in a team environment.

Type of work environment associated with the job

• Indoor office setting.
• Occasional travel to out-of-town conferences.
• We are committed to a healthy work-life balance. We are also committed to standing up
• for progress at times that may occur outside of regular business hours, so this pers

Personal Characteristics

• Orientation to and background of servant leadership.
• Passion for CDF's mission with an ability to communicate this passion to others.
• Ability to serve as an advocate and exemplar for CDF’s vision, values, and mission. A “get it done,” results-driven, proactive attitude, capable of working independently and under pressure, ability to take initiative, set priorities, efficiently and effectively organize work, and manage multiple tasks simultaneously.
• An equity and justice oriented mindset.

Type of work environment associated with the job

• Indoor office setting.
• Occasional travel to out-of-town conferences.
• We are committed to a healthy work-life balance. We are also committed to standing up for progress at times that may occur outside of regular business hours, so this person may sometimes have to work weekends and evenings.