Director, Advocacy

Iowa-Soybean-Association; Ankeny (IA); On-site; USD 110,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, Dental and Vision insurance

FSA and HSA available

Cellphone and Wellness reimbursement

Fitness center and Golf simulator

401(k) with generous company match

Dress for your Day Dress Code

Job summary

Iowa Soybean Association seeks a Director of Advocacy to lead day-to-day government affairs, shaping strategy with senior leadership, the board, and partners. You will oversee advocacy programs and budget planning while guiding policy development and stakeholder engagement across Iowa's soybean farming community.

The role requires building strong farmer relationships, managing multiple policy projects, and representing ISA at events, with travel to Washington, D.C., and within-state sites.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in agriculture, political science, communications, public policy, or a related field.
• 5–7 years of advocacy, agriculture, policy development, government or related experience.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple projects with strong organization and time management.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to work independently and collaborate effectively in a team.

Responsibilities

• Build and strengthen relationships between farmers, officials, and partners to advance ISA policy priorities.
• Develop, implement, and manage a farmer-led policy development process.
• Cultivate relationships with industry partners and sponsors to support advocacy initiatives.
• Identify, recruit, and develop farmer leaders to represent peers.
• Grow Advocate membership by engaging farmers and supporters in advocacy opportunities.
• Lead grassroots engagement and coordinate statewide advocacy efforts aligning priorities with policy strategy.
• Represent ISA at events and meetings as an advocate for farmer priorities.

Skills

Relationship building

Communication

Project management

Independent work

Team collaboration

Adaptability

Agriculture advocacy

Education

Bachelor's degree in agriculture, political science, communications, public policy, or a related field

Job description

The Director of Advocacy is responsible for overseeing the day‑to‑day government affairs activities of the Iowa Soybean Association (ISA). The Director works with ISA senior leadership, the board, policy committee, broad membership, and partner organizations to set the strategic direction and tone of ISA’s government affairs work. They will be charged with developing and implementing government affairs strategies, interfacing with key partners and contractors, and recommending government affairs budget allocations to leadership and the board.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Build and strengthen relationships between farmers, government officials and external partners through proactive outreach that advances the policy priorities of the Iowa soybean farmers.
• Develop, implement, and manage a farmer‑led policy development process.
• Cultivate and manage relationships with industry partners and sponsors to support advocacy initiatives, leadership programming, and member engagement efforts.
• Identify, recruit, and develop farmer leaders to represent and advocate for their peers.
• Grow paid Advocate membership by connecting farmers and supporters to advocacy opportunities and meaningful engagement experiences.
• Lead grassroots engagement by coordinating local and statewide advocacy efforts that align farmer priorities with ISA’s policy development and advocacy strategy.
• Represent ISA at advocacy events, meetings, conferences, field days, and industry or community gatherings as an advocate for farmer priorities.

COMPETENCIES

• Strong relationship building and communication skills; comfortable on the farm and in the capitol.
• Organized and dependable, with proven skills in project management.
• Highly motivated self‑starter who thrives in an independent work environment while communicating effectively and collaborating as a strong team player.
• Collaborative mindset with the ability to partner effectively across departments and with external organizations.
• Adaptable to changing needs, with a customer service approach that prioritizes farmer success.
• Enthusiasm for agriculture and a commitment to championing Iowa’s soybean farmers.

TRAVEL/LOCATION

• This position is located at Iowa Soybean Association headquarters in Ankeny, Iowa. The position could also be staffed from Washington, D.C., but Iowa is preferred.
• Flexible schedule, including some evenings and weekends
• Frequent travel, including regular visits to Washington, D.C., as well as in‑state travel to farms, meetings, and events.
• Primarily office‑based, with regular travel; requires consistent communication and collaboration with colleagues
  

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITY

• This position currently has no direct reports. As the advocacy function grows, the Director may assume supervisory responsibility for additional staff.

REQUIRED EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

• Bachelor’s degree in agriculture, political science, communications, public policy, or a related field.
• 5–7 years of relevant experience in advocacy, agriculture, policy development, government, or soy‑adjacent industries.
• Strong relationship‑building skills with legislators, regulators, farmers, industry partners, and stakeholder groups.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple projects with strong organization, time management, and attention to detail.
• Proven ability to work independently, think strategically, and collaborate effectively in a team environment.
• Demonstrated ability to translate member priorities into effective advocacy engagement and policy support.

BENEFITS

• Medical, Dental and Vision insurance
• FSA and HSA available
• Cellphone and Wellness reimbursement
• Fitness center and Golf simulator
• 401(k) with generous company match
• Dress for your Day Dress Code

Accessibility: If you need an accommodation as part of the employment process please contact Human Resources

Equal Opportunity Employer, including disabled and veterans.