Director of Public Policy – True Colors Fund – Washington, DC

The True Colors Fund is seeking a Director of Public Policy to lead the organization’s work to enact administrative and legislative policy change at the federal, state, and local level to prevent and end lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) youth homelessness in America.

About the True Colors Fund

The True Colors Fund was co-founded by Cyndi Lauper and works to end homelessness among LGBT youth, creating a world where young people can be their true selves.

The True Colors Fund is building a national movement to ensure that no young person is homeless as a result of their sexual orientation or gender identity, and if they do become homeless, that the programs meant to help them are safe, inclusive, and affirming.

Through a wide array of community organizing, public engagement, public policy, research, and youth collaboration programs, the True Colors Fund is leading the effort to build a system in our country that is effective in both preventing and ending homelessness among LGBT youth.

Principle Responsibility

The Director of Public Policy provides the leadership, management, and evaluation of the True Colors Fund’s public policy and advocacy work at the federal, state, and local level. The Director reports to the Deputy Executive Director and serves as a member of the organization’s management team.

Ongoing Responsibilities

Federal, State, and Local Public Policy Responsibilities

In collaboration with the Executive Director and Deputy Executive Director, develop, direct, and implement the True Colors Fund’s federal, state, and local administrative and legislative public policy agenda, including determining advocacy priorities, positions, and strategies.

Engage with Congress, the White House, and government agencies on the True Colors Fund’s federal public policy priority issues. This may involve identifying and developing partnership opportunities, crafting and negotiating language for legislation, drafting comments on administrative regulations, and authoring substantive issue briefs and position papers.

In conjunction with the organization’s community organizing efforts, expand and develop the True Colors Fund’s public policy efforts at the state and local level, which includes working to drive regulatory and legislative change where action at the federal level would have no impact (i.e. statutes and rules for housing transgender people in youth programs) and partnering with state and local advocacy groups and officials (legislators, city council members, governors, and mayors) to identify and advance policy priorities.

Engage in research, writing, and other activities to provide analysis and critical thinking on developments affecting the True Colors Fund’s public policy initiatives, including the evaluation of legislation and regulatory comments sign-on opportunities.

Maintain and develop relationships with an extensive network of contacts in legislative, executive, and administrative offices in federal, state, and local governments, as well as with allied and opposition groups.

Manage and grow the National Coalition for Homeless Youth, which the True Colors Fund created and facilitates with the National Network for Youth, and represent the True Colors Fund in other coalitions and collaborations that advance the True Colors Fund’s public policy initiatives.

Additional Responsibilities

Work with the Public Engagement team to publicize the True Colors Fund’s public policy initiatives and create opportunities for True Colors Fund supporters to participate in the organization’s public policy activities.

Serve as a resource to the media, organizations, and others on issues pertaining to the True Colors Fund’s public policy activities.

Speak and present on behalf of the True Colors Fund at conferences, events, and other forums about the True Colors Fund’s public policy efforts and other work.

Work with the True Colors Fund’s Executive Director and staff to support the organization’s fundraising goals.

Manage daily operations of the Washington D.C. office., if based there.

Qualifications

Demonstrated commitment to LGBT youth, civil rights, and ending youth homelessness

Minimum of five years of experience in legislative and administrative public policy advocacy on behalf of youth, LGBT youth, youth experiencing homelessness, disconnected youth, and/or people experiencing homelessness

Demonstrated experience working with government agencies, legislative bodies, nonprofit organizations, and coalitions

Comfort in communicating with high level legislative and executive branch policy-makers and staff

Demonstrated ability to build strong bipartisan support for public policy initiatives

Outstanding legal, research, writing, and analysis skills and the ability to use data in shaping policy messages

Superb organizational, leadership, communication, and management skills as well as excellent judgment in developing and implementing priorities

Excellent verbal communication skills with ability to present ideas and information clearly in front of a variety of audience sizes

Must have exceptional traditional writing and grammatical skills

Diligent work ethic and insatiable desire to expand skills

A collaborative team player and detail-oriented project manager who is adept at multi-tasking

Proficiency with Microsoft office suite (Word, PowerPoint, and Excel)

Willingness to travel

A sense of humor and the ability to work joyfully in a fast-paced environment

The True Colors Fund’s headquarters is located in New York City. This position will work out of the True Colors Fund’s satellite office in Washington D.C. or headquarters in New York City.

How to apply

Submit a one page cover letter and resume with salary requirements to careers@truecolorsfund.org or via fax to (917) 210-3266.

The True Colors Fund is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We strongly encourage people with lived experiences of homelessness, people of color, people of diverse gender identities, women, and non-LGBT persons to apply.

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