Policy Director at the Asian Pacific American Legal Center

AGENCY DESCRIPTION: The Asian Pacific American Legal Center (APALC), a member of the Asian American Center for Advancing Justice, is the nation’s largest Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) legal and civil rights organization and serves more than 15,000 individuals and organizations every year. Founded in 1983, APALC’s mission is to advocate for civil rights, provide legal services and education, and build coalitions to positively influence and impact Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders and to create a more equitable and harmonious society. Through direct legal services, impact litigation, policy analysis and advocacy, leadership development and capacity building, APALC seeks to serve the most vulnerable members of the AAPI community while also building a strong AAPI voice for civil rights and social justice..

POSITION SUMMARY: The Policy Director is a senior level leader within the organization, and works closely with APALC’s Vice President of Programs & Communications to provide vision for as well as to manage and expand APALC’s policy analysis and advocacy work. The Policy Director will be responsible for overall development of and supervision of units that engage in policy-related analysis and advocacy (currently in the areas of voting rights, voter engagement, health care access, demographic research, and capacity-building) as well as the development and coordination of APALC’s policy work on other social justice and civil rights issues (including immigration/immigrant rights, domestic violence, housing, education, workers’ rights, hate crimes, and marriage equality). This will require working closely with both experienced policy staff and staff in APALC units who are primarily focused on direct services, litigation and leadership development but whose work may address key policy issues. The Policy Director will also help implement APALC’s strategic vision around civic engagement across the organization. This position is full-time and exempt. It requires regular availability to work on evenings and weekends. Availability to travel is required.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• In collaboration with other staff, determine APALC’s policy vision and priorities, including agency-wide integration of civic engagement goals and activities;
• Develop and implement strategic workplans to achieve policy vision and priorities;
• Develop and maintain relationships with external stakeholders and partners ranging from grassroots organizations, advocacy groups and coalitions to key funders and donors;
• Work with Asian American Center for Advancing Justice affiliates on state and national policy issues;
• Work with to develop new funding sources that will sustain and expand APALC’s policy work;
• Work with APALC’s communications team on strong communications and messaging for policy work;
• Supervise policy staff including project directors for voting rights, voter engagement, health care access, and demographic research, as well as staff engaged in capacity-building of community groups;
• Provide guidance to staff working in direct services, litigation, and leadership development on key civil rights policy issues as they arise; and
• Work closely with Vice-President of Programs & Communications and other senior level leaders to link APALC’s policy work to its direct legal services, litigation and leadership development work.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Passionate commitment to social justice and to APALC’s goals, missions, and values;
• Demonstrated experience supervising staff and managing programs;
• Minimum five years policy analysis and advocacy (including advocacy with administrative and legislative bodies, bill analysis, statutes and regulations), background in addressing social justice issues;
• Collegial, collaborative management style;
• Demonstrated experience developing and implementing multi-faceted campaigns that include advocacy, communications, public education and community organizing;
• Demonstrated experience in identifying and building coalitions to achieve policy goals;
• Ability to understand political landscape and electoral trends and their impact on opportunities to secure policy change;
• Demonstrated experience working with AAPI and immigrant communities, especially community-based organizations and leaders;
• Effective interpersonal and communication skills, including ability to write and speak persuasively to diverse audiences, including the general public, media, legislators, advocates, funders, and opinion leaders;
• Bilingual in an Asian or Pacific Islander language helpful but not required.

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, with hiring at the earliest possible date. Please send cover letter, resume and salary history/salary requirements, relevant writing sample, and three references to: hr@apalc.org (include “Policy Director” in your subject line) or by mail to:

Human Resources

Re: Policy Director

Asian Pacific American Legal Center

1145 Wilshire Blvd., Second Floor

Los Angeles, CA 90017

In your cover letter, please reference where you saw the position posted.

No phone or email inquiries please.