The National Center for Transgender Equality (NCTE) seeks a Director of Policy to lead and manage NCTE’s policy team. This position is responsible for charting NCTE’s overall policy strategies and approach, including federal and state advocacy on civil rights, health care, identity documents, privacy and technology, criminal justice, immigration, and other policy areas; and including collaboration with partner organizations, grassroots activists, and other stakeholders and experts. This position reports to the Deputy Executive Director for Policy and Action and serves on the management team, participating in discussions to coordinate actions organization-wide and to help set organizational strategies.
About NCTE and NCTE Action Fund
The National Center for Transgender Equality (NCTE) is a strong voice for transgender people in our nation’s capital. NCTE advocates for policy change at federal, state, and local levels and works to increase societal understanding and acceptance of transgender people. NCTE has a serious commitment to approaching and engaging in its work with an awareness of how racial and economic justice is intertwined with transgender justice, and a commitment to ensuring that policymakers and society understand the connection as well. Launched in 2017, the National Center for Transgender Equality Action Fund (NCTE Action Fund) is a 501(c)(4) non-profit advocacy organization fighting for transgender equality at the local, state, and federal levels, affiliated with NCTE. The two organizations share office space and staff, including this position, though the vast majority of the Director of Policy’s work is for NCTE.
Responsibilities
- Strategy and Prioritization: Lead and manage the policy team in developing NCTE’s federal, state, and other policy goals, priorities, and advocacy campaigns. Lead and/or manage NCTE’s federal advocacy with Congress and the Executive Branch, including legislation, congressional oversight, and agency rulemaking and policy. Lead and/or manage NCTE’s technical assistance to state and local advocates, including providing strategic advice, policy research and recommendations.
- Developing Policy Materials: Lead and/or manage the NCTE Policy team in developing materials for policymakers and the public, such as reports, fact sheets, FAQs, memorandums, and public comments.
- Supervision: Supervise Policy staff, consultants, and/or interns, including ensuring all staff have reasonable work plans and goals that reflect NCTE’s strategic plan and values, including values of racial and economic justice, and nurture our organizational culture of sustainable excellence and collaboration.
- Accountability: With support from the Finance/Operations team who can share information and expertise, ensure that the work this position supervises does not exceed the allotted budget, applicable laws are complied with, and that, as a supervisor, human resource best practices are being followed.
- Coalition Work: Leverage national coalitions and partner relationships—including with government agencies, professional and intergovernmental associations, academics, and grassroots activists—to increase the impact of our advocacy.
- Training/Education: Coordinate and provide training and educational presentations for government, professional, and other influential organizations and conferences around the country on policy-related topics.
- Media: Work closely with organizational colleagues to leverage communications resources and community voices for NCTE’s advocacy, including public education and advocacy campaigns. Act as a spokesperson for NCTE on Capitol Hill, with press, and at public events.
- Leadership: As a member of the management team, provide vital input for short- and long-term strategic and operational planning within the organization.
Qualifications
- Policy Experience: At least 3-5 years of demonstrated experience in public policy, law, or political advocacy. An ideal candidate has more than five years of experience. This experience can be shown through substantial volunteer roles.
- Supervision and Management Experience: Two years of experience of supervising staff members is needed. More experience is preferred.
- Expertise: A strong knowledge of at least two of the following areas is strongly preferred, but not required: health care policy or systems; criminal justice policy or systems; legislative processes; administrative policy-making; privacy and technology policy; diversity, inclusion, and civil rights policy or law.
- Strong Writing and Editing Skills: Demonstrates strong persuasive, accessible, and analytical writing and editing for a variety of audiences.
- Experience with Coalitions and Advocacy Campaigns: Experience supporting and leading advocacy coalitions and planning and executing advocacy campaigns.
- Collaborative Leadership: Ability to lead a team of hard-working, energetic professionals, taking input from a diverse group of colleagues.
- Understanding of Transgender Justice: A deep and nuanced understanding of issues affecting transgender people as well as an understanding of how racism, classism and other systems of inter-connected oppressions affect trans people.
- Understanding of Racial and Economic Justice: A full understanding of racial and economic justice and systems of inter-connected oppressions and how these issues must be addressed in policy advocacy.
- Prioritization and Detail Orientation: Ability to set and meet goals, prioritize, plan, manage, and complete work on time while maintaining optimum quality.
- Self-direction: Takes initiative and is ambitious to ensure that all projects are moving forward.
- Optimism: An optimism that is unwavering, with a can-do attitude and a problem-solving orientation, and the assumption that most people are also trying to improve the world.
- Strength and Persistence: The ability to be exposed to transphobia and other kinds of discrimination or stress on a daily basis and keep fighting hard for transgender equality.
- Flexibility: Ability to shift one’s one work and expectations given the nature of our work and how it can change quickly.
- Education: No specific degree is required for this position. Education or training in law, public policy, public administration, or related fields is a plus.
Salary and Benefits
For many years, NCTE has maintained high-level benefits and competitive salaries. For this position, the salary range is $95,000-$120,000 with the candidate’s skills and experience determining where they fall in the range. However, for candidates with more than 10 years of experience, salaries above this range may be considered. NCTE offers a strong, generous benefits package that includes 100% employer-paid health, dental, and vision insurance, employer contributions to retirement, pre-tax Metro benefits, paid holidays, vacation, sick and volunteer time off. For information about salary, benefits, and working at NCTE, see https://transequality.org/about/jobs.
Location
The Director of Policy is a full-time position working out of our office in Washington, DC. For applicants who reside outside the Washington, DC metropolitan area, NCTE offers assistance with relocation expenses. Note: The health of our community is important, especially during the COVID-19 crisis. We anticipate this position starting as remote.
Application and Timeline
Apply via our Applicant Portal at: https://secure.entertimeonline.com/ta/NCTE.careers?CareersSearch. Please, no calls. For more information about timeline and what to expect during the application process, see https://transequality.org/about/jobs.
Equal Opportunity
The National Center for Transgender Equality is an equal opportunity employer. For our full EEO policy, see https://transequality.org/about/jobs.
NCTE is committed to creating a diverse staff made of people who are hardworking, kind, optimistic and committed to social justice from all segments of transgender and allied communities.
Transgender people, including non-binary people, people of color, people who were formerly incarcerated, and people with disabilities are particularly encouraged to apply.
NCTE provides reasonable accommodations for the application, interview, or any other aspect of the employee selection process to applicants with disabilities. Please contact us via our confidential medical email at accommodations@transequality.org so your request can be handled appropriately and confidentially.