Futurewise is hiring a new Director of Local Advocacy! This is a new central leadership role for the organization, leading our partnerships, coalition building, and advocacy efforts to shape comprehensive plans and development regulations in Bellevue, Redmond, Kirkland, Seattle, Everett, and beyond. Full job announcement below.

Position Title: Director of Local Advocacy

Starting Salary Range: $80,000 – $100,000 depending on experience and degree of preferred qualifications

Comprehensive benefits package includes:

• 100% employer-paid medical, dental, and vision insurance for employees
• Organization-matched contributions to a Simple IRA retirement plan, up to 3% of your salary
• Commuter benefits for public transportation
• Competitive paid time off for vacation, medical and family leave, and personal days
• Ongoing professional development opportunities

Position Type: Full-time, exempt; the position can be done remotely or out of our Seattle office, but must be available for weekly in-person meetings with coalition partners in the Puget Sound area and must be a resident of Washington State.

Overview

Futurewise, Washington State’s premier advocacy organization focused on land use and planning policy, seeks a Director of Advocacy, a central leadership role for the organization. The Director will lead advocacy, technical assistance, and relationship building with cities, counties, tribes, and community-based organizations throughout Washington State. The Director will build partnerships and coalitions and develop strategies for influencing decision making in cities and counties. The Director will initially lead Futurewise efforts to shape comprehensive plans and development regulations in Bellevue, Redmond, Kirkland, Seattle, and Everett. The Director will supervise staff working on similar efforts across the state and will coordinate with Futurewise legal, Water Fish and Wildlife, and community organizing teams. The Director will have the opportunity to build on current programs to develop similar programs in other parts of the state and build the overall organizational strategy to advance the Futurewise mission with local governments. This position reports to the Executive Director.

In the last three years, Futurewise has won major victories at the state legislature that require cities and counties to dismantle exclusionary zoning, prevent displacement, increase affordable housing, combat health disparities and environmental injustice, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and foster climate resilient communities for all. These new state requirements build on Futurewise’s longstanding priorities to protect the beloved ecosystems and local food systems of Washington State. The Director will work with cities and partners to win victories towards these goals through comprehensive planning and development regulation implementation at the local level.

Futurewise is growing to meet the needs of our state. In recent years we have built new advocacy coalitions in Seattle, Bellevue, and Spokane, supported local community-based organization partners in South Everett, East King County, and Spokane’s East Central neighborhood, developed model community projects on the Olympic Peninsula and in South King County, and continued to win precedent setting legal cases across the state. The Director of Advocacy will play a leadership role at Futurewise, helping write the next chapter for one of the most dynamic, unique and successful nonprofits in Washington.

Responsibilities

• Develop long-term strategy for advocacy on local policy, including changes to comprehensive planning and major development regulations, to further the Futurewise mission
• Coordinate advocacy coalitions including Eastside Housing Roundtable, Seattle Complete Communities Coalition, and Seattle for Everyone
• Lead partnerships to support equitable development advocacy priorities and capacity of community-based organizations in Everett, Bellevue, and Seattle
• Work with Executive Director and Director of External Affairs to identify new projects and pursue funding
• Coordinate coalition steering committees, and facilitating constructive dialogue on challenging topics among diverse participants to achieved shared goals
• Work with the Futurewise Director of External Affairs and State Organizer to grow volunteer base, mailing list, and mobilize grassroots advocates to take advocacy actions
• Track and analyze existing and proposed local land use policies, convene technical workgroups and develop new policy proposals in coordination with partners, develop collateral to communicate policy positions
• Build and steward strategic relationships with partner organizations, community leaders, local elected officials and city and county staff
• Oversee work plan development and project management to ensure successful implementation of advocacy strategy and achieve desired policy outcomes.
• Provide regular written communications to coalition members, partners, advocates, and decision-makers
• Represent Futurewise and coalitions in public forums
• Organize meetings, develop agendas, and plan and execute a limited number of larger internal and external events
• Supervise one Futurewise staff member and one consultant contract, and grow supervision responsibilities over time

Minimum Qualifications

• 3 years of experience working in policy, planning, advocacy or a related field
• 1 year of supervision experience
• Experience working with local government staff and elected officials
• Experience with land use planning and policy
• Interest and expertise in a variety of policy areas including some of the following fields: housing, transportation, economic development, food systems, water resource management, and habitat conservation and restoration.
• The ability to develop and analyze new policy proposals and evaluate and respond to existing policy ideas
• Experience working with a wide range of partners and communities including some of the following: communities of color, low-income communities, rural communities, tribes, racial justice organizations, environmental advocates and organizations, businesses and business associations, organized labor, developers, and philanthropy
• Ability to navigate delicate political and organizational dynamics while maintaining positive relationships.
• Experience developing and evaluating new projects ideas, and moving projects from concept to reality
• A strategic mind and interest in organizational strategy
• Strong verbal and written communication skills
• Self-motivated and able to work flexible hours that may include some evenings or weekends
• Commitment to racial, economic, and environmental justice

Preferred Qualifications

• 5 years or more of experience with progressively increasing responsibility
• Knowledge of the policy and political context of different parts of Washington State
• Expertise in land use, zoning, permitting, comprehensive planning, the Washington State Environmental Policy Act, Shoreline Management Act, and the Washington State Growth Management Act, including experience working in a planning department, for a planning consulting firm, academic training, etc.
• A successful track record of raising funds to support a program, project, or campaign
• A successful track record of building broad coalitions, bringing together unlikely partners, and bridging political divides
• Experience supervising a team, building team cohesion, and supporting professional development of direct reports
• Experience passing legislation through a city or county council
• Track record of developing and implementing strategic direction for a program or campaign
• Fluency in Spanish and/or other languages in addition to English

Application Process

Please submit the following in pdf to jobs@futurewise.org:

− Cover letter

− Resume

− Three references

Please make the subject line of your email “Director of Local Advocacy – [Your Last Name]” and address the cover letter to Hiring Manager. Please label all submitted materials with your last name. Priority review will be given for applications submitted by 9am on August 12.

Equal Opportunity Employment

Futurewise strives to create a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of age, race, ethnicity, religion, gender, marital status, parenting status, sexual orientation, national origin, citizenship, disability, military or veteran status. We believe diversity makes us stronger and encourage individuals with diverse backgrounds to apply.

Futurewise Director of Local Advocacy Job Announcement 071624