Director of State Affairs in Concord, Massachusetts at American Promise, Inc.

About American Promise, Inc.
American Promise is a cross-partisan organization working to address the problem of unlimited money in American politics with the passage and ratification of the For Our Freedom Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

Our team is passionate, collaborative, courageous, adaptable, and fun. We love setting big goals and learning lessons on the way to achieving them. We work to ensure that our staff, donors, volunteers, and supporters reflect the tremendous diversity of the American people as we strive together on the most American of national projects: amend the US Constitution so that our government reflects our wishes rather than those of the powerful, wealthy elite.

If you’re excited to contribute your passion, skills, and experience to our urgent and historic effort, then please apply as specified for each open position below.

Potential Applicants – please note that all open positions at American Promise will be listed on this page. Any other job openings you may see online that are not also listed on this page are not sponsored by the organization. See this FBI notice for more information about the potential for employment scams.

About the role

The Director of State Affairs leads our state-based campaigns to secure proposal and ratification of the For Our Freedom Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. This includes earning support for the amendment from state legislators, and then leveraging those wins to build support among the state’s congressional delegation. The Director of State Affairs will serve as a state lead for multiple state campaigns and will ensure timely reporting and evaluation of all programs and key performance indicators. The role requires a passionate commitment to the mission, values, and objectives of American Promise.

The Director of State Affairs brings expertise working across party lines and is deeply committed to building support among Republicans, Democrats, and Independents.

Reports to: Deputy Director, Programs & Campaigns

What you'll do

• Manage and coordinate state-based efforts to develop and execute multi-year campaign plans to get assigned states’ legislators “ready to ratify” the For Our Freedom Amendment, and work with AP’s federal team to get those states’ congressional delegations “ready to propose” the amendment;
• Serve as lead contact and coordinator for state partners, government affairs firms, and consultants to maximize results and adapt campaign strategies to address developments on the ground;
• Work with leadership in the Programs & Campaigns department to help develop state budgets;
• Help to lead and coordinate programs that link our state and federal strategies by ensuring that state-level progress is leveraged in our federal work, such as running state resolutions that move their federal counterparts, coordinating op-eds in target districts, and deploying state champions;
• As the team grows, may manage and develop Political Managers to support key strategic goals of the Programs & Campaigns department.

Qualifications

Required

• A passionate commitment to the American Promise mission, goal, and values
• Typically 7+ years of experience in issue advocacy, campaigns, or the nonprofit sector, including 2+ years running legislative campaigns. We will weigh a strong legislative track record over total years.
• A record of moving policy where the political math was against you, such as winning on an issue your state’s majority wasn’t expected to support, or building an unlikely coalition to get it across the line.
• Outstanding relationship-building skills; receptive to multiple viewpoints; adaptable in the face of evolving conditions
• A proven track record of being a self-starter and an ability to manage and prioritize multiple tasks while meeting deadlines
• Contribute to a big-picture vision while managing day to day details, addressing problems proactively and thinking flexibly
• A deep understanding of a wide range of advocacy, government affairs, and programmatic skills.

Preferred

• Experience managing and developing staff
• Experience with budget development and oversight
• Campaign experience in the South
• Experience running a state program within a national organization, including navigating the national-state dynamic

Working Conditions:

• Travel is 25-30%, including overnight trips to state capitols and partner sites
• Work is primarily computer-based