Director, Bolder Advocacy Alliance for Justice Washington, DC

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1 Page 1 Director, Bolder Advocacy Alliance for Justice Washington, DC THE SEARCH Alliance for Justice (AFJ), a national association of more than 100 organizations dedicated to advancing justice and democracy, is seeking a director for its Bolder Advocacy initiative. This is an exceptional opportunity to play a major role in an organization that has, since its founding in 1979, led the fight for a more equitable society on behalf of a broad constituency of progressive groups. Bolder Advocacy is AFJ s nationally renowned program which has been a thought and action leader in the field of nonprofit advocacy. As more nonprofits recognize the need to engage in advocacy, lobbying, and election-related activities to best serve their constituencies, there is an increased demand for information on how to do so within the confines of current tax and election laws and regulations. Bolder Advocacy fulfills that demand through a series of in-person and web-based workshops, ongoing direct legal technical assistance, plain language publications, public education and the development and expansion of state-specific resources. It also provides foundations with the information and confidence they need to increase their support for advocacy and public policy work in the nonprofit sector. The Director is a member of AFJ s six-member senior staff team and is responsible for all aspects of the operation of Bolder Advocacy, both in Washington, DC and Oakland, CA. Along with monitoring laws and policies affecting nonprofit advocacy at the federal and state levels, the Director is responsible for developing strategies and coordinating efforts to protect the advocacy rights of nonprofits. Heightening the visibility of Bolder Advocacy, increasing its reach, its revenues and its effectiveness are all key priorities for the incoming Director. The ideal candidate will possess knowledge of the legal framework governing 501(c)(3), (c)(4), and other nonprofit organizations, and experience in nonprofit advocacy, grassroots mobilization or electoral politics. S/he will also possess excellent communications skills, a demonstrated commitment to social justice advocacy, experience managing large-scale programs and an ability to direct challenging and diverse tasks gracefully. This position reports to the President of the organization.

2 Page 2 The search for a new director provides an exciting opportunity to bring new energy and vision to a widely respected and highly successful program that is poised for growth. BACKGROUND In 1979, 20 advocacy organizations joined to form Alliance for Justice under its founder, Nan Aron, who has served as the organization s president since then. AFJ is premised on the belief that all Americans have the right to secure justice in the courts and have their voices heard when government makes decisions that affect their lives. The vision of Alliance for Justice has remained steadfast, while its programs and tactics have been nimble and resilient, evolving with changing times and the needs of its members and the progressive community. AFJ is known for identifying and addressing threats to public interest and civil rights organizations, as well as opportunities they can seize. It pools resources and talents, drives strategies, organizes campaigns and mobilizes constituencies. For more than three decades whenever threats have emerged to the principle of "liberty and justice for all," Alliance for Justice has been prepared to act. When radical right-wing judicial nominations have posed a threat to core constitutional values, AFJ has fought to preserve the integrity of the courts. When conservatives threatened to undermine the advocacy rights of nonprofit organizations, AFJ embarked on a long-term, multi-faceted program to empower nonprofits to exert a progressive influence on public policy. When critical issues of justice have arisen be it promoting sensible gun safety laws, the use of torture, protecting habeas corpus, or opposing legislation that chills the First Amendment rights of nonprofits, AFJ has sprung into immediate and ongoing action.. With the leading support of two visionary California foundations, the McKay Foundation and the French American Charitable Trust, in 2004 Alliance for Justice reached a significant milestone with the establishment of its West Coast office in Oakland, CA. Since then AFJ has provided an increasing level of assistance to nonprofits and foundations in that region of the country. This work is especially significant because the West Coast in general, and California in particular, have been the incubators of many of the policies that have subsequently been adopted elsewhere in the country both progressive and conservative. Furthermore, activists in these western states have increasingly reached beyond traditional legislative methods for adopting such policies by turning to the direct democracy of citizen initiatives and experiments with varying methods of selecting political leaders, from Oregon s move to by-mail voting to the 2003 California recall election. AFJ is currently pursuing its work with three major programs.

3 Page 3 The Judicial Selection Project advocates for a fair and independent judiciary by encouraging the selection of judges who respect constitutional values and the rights of citizens, and by ensuring that the judicial selection process is fair and expeditious. It monitors judicial nominations at all levels of the federal judiciary and plays a leading role in encouraging public participation in the selection and confirmation process and raising public awareness about the significant impact the federal judiciary has on all Americans. The Access to Justice Project builds on AFJ s long history of leadership on issues related to the courts and justice. Through its expansive civil justice legal networks and its tradition of working in coalitions, it leverages and magnifies the voice of the nonprofit community. Alliance for Justice is working to create an infrastructure that will support a progressive agenda to protect and improve the American civil justice system. Bolder Advocacy has trained thousands of organizations to become effective advocates within the full limits of the law and strengthened the public policy work of tens of thousands more through publications, Internet resources and technical assistance. It has also fomented a sea change in philanthropy by giving foundations the confidence and know-how to increase their financial support for advocacy and public policy work. BOLDER ADVOCACY Formed when AFJ s Nonprofit Advocacy Project and Foundation Advocacy Initiative merged, Bolder Advocacy works to amplify the voice of the nonprofit sector by giving tax exempt organizations and the foundation community that supports them a better understanding of the laws that govern their participation in the political process. Often non-profit organizations are the only entities working to provide a voice for individuals too vulnerable or too underrepresented to compete with powerful corporate and special interests that dominate policymaking decisions Bolder Advocacy has been the leading force in the protection and expansion of the nonprofit sector s advocacy rights. It has developed cutting-edge resources, and implemented broadly based initiatives to help build and strengthen the capacity of the nonprofit and foundation communities to take their rightful seat at the policy table. It has also educated the foundation community on regulations governing grants and the need for increased foundation support for organizations that seek to influence policy and public opinion. With its staff of attorney-trainers, Bolder Advocacy translates laws and regulations into easy-to-understand language, and addresses questions about the permissibility of specific activities while protecting and expanding the rights of nonprofits to participate actively in public policy development in pursuit of their charitable missions. It does so through a series of in-person and web-based

4 Page 4 workshops, ongoing direct legal technical assistance, plain language publications, public education and the development and expansion of statespecific resources. In addition, Bolder Advocacy itself advocates for the rights of nonprofits to engage in the policymaking process. DIRECTOR, BOLDER ADVOCACY The Director of Bolder Advocacy will assume responsibility for a highly respected initiative with an impressive track record and substantial strengths. Working closely with the President and the staff, the incoming Director will be expected to provide the animating force to take Bolder Advocacy to its next level of influence. S/he will be expected to accomplish the following objectives in the first 18 to 24 months of his or her tenure: Provide strategic and visionary leadership. In cooperation with staff and senior leadership, refine and clarify, particularly to external audiences, the mission of Bolder Advocacy and execute that mission efficiently and effectively. Report on program activities to management, Board, and relevant grant makers. Be a part of the senior management team that establishes priorities and program plans for the organization. Raise the profile and visibility Bolder Advocacy. In cooperation with AFJ s communications team, assertively promote the expertise and value of Bolder Advocacy. Reach out to targeted audiences through traditional and new avenues. Ensure that the initiative takes best advantage of new media, social networking, and other technologies. Publicly position Bolder Advocacy as the leading go-to resource around issues of its expertise. Represent the organization externally at conferences, meetings, in policy advocacy coalitions and on Capitol Hill. Work closely with allies and stakeholders in the nonprofit and foundation communities. Increase the resources. In cooperation with senior leadership and the development team, participate in raising funds for the Bolder Advocacy. Serve as a unifying and decisive staff leader. Attract, lead, and retain a strong and diverse staff and hold them to clearly defined, high standards of excellence and accountability. Organize the staff in a way that best accomplishes the goals of the program. Sustain a supportive, collaborative, and equitable working environment with open channels of communication.. Implement effective staff development programs. Increase the use of Bolder Advocacy s services. In coordination with the outreach team, strategically reach out to add new nonprofits and foundations to the program. Cultivate relationships with existing coalitions and advocacy organizations working toward similar public policy objectives. Play a leadership role in the content of the Bolder Advocacy s programs. Expand offerings in areas such as advocacy skills building. Oversee a training program that provides legal education for nonprofits and foundations and develops other resources, including online and printed materials, electronic and social media, and face-to-face training.

5 Page 5 QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE While no one candidate will embody every quality, the successful candidate will bring many of the following professional qualifications and personal attributes:. An informed and deep passion for the vision and mission of Alliance for Justice. A sophisticated understanding of the work of Bolder Advocacy, the political arena in which it operates, and a sense of urgency about expanding its reach. A solid track record of leadership in an advocacy, political or governmental relations operation. Skills in team building and inclusive staff leadership. Discipline and focus in setting realistic priorities, meeting or surpassing goals, and running a fiscally sound operation. A law degree strongly preferred. Superior communications and public speaking skills, along with familiarity with all current methods of communication including online, electronic and social media tools. Familiarity with foundation fundraising. Ability to work quickly under pressure, with shifting deadlines and priorities. Strong interpersonal skills and positive attitude. For more information about Bolder Advocacy, please consult its website at: Application: AFJ has retained the services of Mary E. King Executive Search to assist with this search. All inquiries, nominations, and applications, including a cover letter, may be directed in confidence to: maryeking@comcast.net. Alliance for Justice is an equal opportunity employer.