Senior Director of Public Policy at InterAction

About InterAction:
InterAction is the largest coalition of U.S.-based international nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) focused on the world’s poor and most vulnerable people. Collectively, InterAction’s over 190 members work in every developing country. Members meet people halfway in expanding opportunities and supporting gender equality in education, health care, agriculture, small business, and other areas. 

The U.S. public shows its support for this work through direct contributions to InterAction members. InterAction leverages the impact of this private support by advocating for the expansion of U.S. government investments and by insisting that policies and programs are responsive to the realities of the world’s poorest and most vulnerable populations.

About the Position:
Position Title: Senior Director of Public Policy
Position Type: Full-time
Location: Washington, DC

Primary Relationships:
The position works closely with the CEO, reports to the Executive Vice President and advises InterAction’s senior leadership and serves as a member of the senior leadership team. The Senior Director of Public Policy collaborates with management staff in charting the direction of the organization, assuring its accountability to all constituencies and ensuring its effective operation. The position manages the public policy team.

External Working Relationships
InterAction members, US Government representatives, US Congress, multi-lateral institutions, other governments, think tanks, donors, NGOs, universities, and the broad public policy community that touches on humanitarian and development community.

Responsibilities:
• Provide overall vision and leadership for the public policy program of InterAction.
• Serve as a member of InterAction’s Leadership Team and work closely with Interaction’s Vice Presidents, Senior Directors and the Executive Office in leading InterAction.
• Serve as the primary public policy advisor to the CEO and Executive VP and assist the Executive Office in mobilizing InterAction members to advance InterAction’s goals.
• Engage and work closely with the senior policy leadership of InterAction members in shaping and advancing the community’s strategic goals, program and advocacy efforts.
• Represent InterAction at key meetings with policy makers and stakeholders.
• As the leader of an InterAction Team, foster team esprit and mentor individual staff members, as well as promoting collaboration with InterAction’s other Teams and a “whole of InterAction” approach.
• Fundraise for priority initiatives and manage grants in a manner which aligns with Interaction’s strategic priorities
 

General Responsibilities:

Programs, Representation and Advocacy

• Initiate timely high-level advocacy activities designed to focus public, government and international agency attention on important topics and concerns of the InterAction membership.
• Ensure the policy and government relations leadership of InterAction members are informed and that community wide messages and activities are co-ordinated .
• Oversee the management of InterAction working groups and their activities so that they are effective, efficient and co-ordinated with other working groups and task forces.
• Represent and advocate around the concerns and challenges of the InterAction membership with key external actors, up to and including organizational Principals.
• Work closely with InterAction’s Communications team on external outreach and representation.
 

Management and Administration

• Supervise, support and mentor public policy staff.
• Advance InterAction’s management values and promote collaboration with other Teams.
• Work with InterAction Finance and Administration team to meet budget and personnel processes.
 

Candidate Requirements/Qualifications:

• At least 10 years professional experience in public policy and government relations;
• Leadership experience in a coalition environment;
• Established network of bipartisan relationships with Congress, the administration and other policy stakeholders;
• Direct Hill or USAID/Administration experience or proven understanding of politics and process surrounding same;
• Demonstrated understanding of relief and development policy and practice from humanitarian crises to human rights, economic growth, governance and the environment;
• Proven ability to develop and implement strategies that result in policy change;
• Appreciation of role of civil society and relief and development NGOs and the challenges they currently face;
• Experience within an InterAction member organization a plus;
• Work and ability to function at the CEO level of IA members and with senior government professionals;
• Experience as a spokesperson;
• Foundation fund raising and grants management experience;
• Ability to convene a wide range of actors and build consensus among them; and
• Solid management track record including demonstrated experience in personnel and budget management.
 

Physical Requirements:
There are no extraordinary physical requirements for the performance of the essential functions of this position. InterAction will make reasonable accommodation to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

Salary & Benefits
InterAction provides competitive salaries and excellent benefits.

To APPLY:

• Email cover letter and resume to jobapplications@interaction.org .
• Position is open until filled but applications received prior to June 17 are preferred and applications will be reviewed as they are received.
• Put “Senior Director Public Policy” on the subject line.
• Due to the expected volume of interest, only candidates considered will be contacted.
• All applicants must be able to provide documentation that they are legally eligible to work in the United States (US citizenship or “Green Card”).
• No phone calls please.

Deadline: Open until filled, with applications preferred by 06 / 17 /2011.