Associate State Director-Advocacy

About the position

Responsibilities
• Develops and implements advocacy strategies and campaigns at the local, state, and federal levels while collaborating with cross-functional teams as well as internal and external partners to achieve the organization's legislative goals.
• Represents the organization and its interests to federal, state, or local government agencies.
• Builds and maintains relationships with governmental representatives, with the goal of advancing and promoting the organization's goals.
• Develops and manages relationships with elected officials at all levels.
• Collaborates with internal/external partners on advocacy campaign communication strategy development.
• Utilizes direct action organizing tactics and implements grassroots advocacy tools to build constituent support for the organization's legislative priorities.
• Identifies issues of public policy and organizational importance and implements strategies, such as drafting and distributing memos or releases, to generate government and public support.
• Advocates for organizational interests in front of legislative bodies.
• Analyzes legislation for alignment with organizational priorities.
• Monitors and comments on pending legislation that may impact organizational priorities.
• Serves as a deep subject-matter-expert on the state office's advocacy issues.
• Uses data and input for diverse stakeholders.
• Produces written reports or convenes public meetings to disseminate findings, share best practices, and advance solutions through relevant communication channels.
• Recruits, trains, develops, and deploys volunteers in accordance with organizational goals.
• Aligns volunteers' interests with organizational priorities.
• Supports volunteer needs and designs opportunities to maximize volunteer engagement.
• Ensures inclusion of volunteer perspectives in strategic planning.

Requirements
• Bachelor's Degree required, along with a minimum of 5 years of relevant experience.
• Proven experience in lobbying, coalition building, and relationship management, particularly at the state level with a focus on the Kansas legislature.
• Demonstrated ability in developing legislative policy and introducing new legislative bills.
• Experience in creating and developing testimony for legislative sessions.
• Strong commitment to nonpartisanship and experience in executing campaign tactics that align with AARP's social mission.
• Skilled in recruiting, engaging, and managing volunteer activists, with a focus on empowering volunteers.
• Ability to lead and manage multiple projects or issues simultaneously.
• Willingness and ability to travel up to 50% throughout the state with occasional overnight, evening, and weekend hours.
• Additional travel to regional and national meetings will be required.
• Proficient in developing both short- and long-term strategies for success in legislative advocacy and grassroots campaigns.
• Comfort in using Microsoft Office suite and internal reporting systems.

Benefits
• 401(k)
• 100% company-funded pension plan
• Health, dental, and vision plans
• Life insurance
• Paid time off to include company and individual holidays, vacation, sick, caregiving, and parental leave
• Performance-based and peer-based recognition
• Tuition reimbursement

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