Director, Policy

Silicon Valley Community Foundation; Mountain View (CA); On-site; USD 160,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Silicon Valley Community Foundation in Mountain View, CA is seeking a Director of Policy to lead the development and execution of the foundation's public policy agenda. Reporting to the Executive Vice President, Community Impact and Policy, you will coordinate with senior leadership, shape policy priorities, and advance SVCF's impact across issue areas.

You will monitor federal, state, and local policy developments, prepare briefings and advocacy materials, build relationships with policymakers

Qualifications

• Minimum of seven years of relevant experience in public policy, public affairs, or philanthropy.
• Experience working with local, state, and federal legislative processes.
• Ability to build relationships with elected officials and stakeholders.
• Excellent writing, editing, research, and public-speaking skills.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute SVCF's public policy agenda in alignment with community impact priorities.
• Monitor legislation and advise senior leadership on implications and response options.
• Coordinate advocacy activities and engage policymakers and partners.
• Represent SVCF in coalitions, briefings, and public forums.
• Collaborate with communications to translate policy issues for diverse audiences.

Skills

Policy analysis

Public policy

Stakeholder engagement

Public speaking

Writing & editing

Tools

Microsoft Office Suite

CRM systems

Job description

ABOUT SILICON VALLEY COMMUNITY FOUNDATION

Silicon Valley Community Foundation (SVCF) is a regional catalyst, connector, and collaborator. We bring together the resources and skills of donors, business, government, and community to solve some of our region’s toughest challenges. We promote philanthropy in our region and support philanthropists to invest with impact. Through advocacy, research, policy and grantmaking, we seek systemic solutions that drive enduring community change. Learn more at svcf.org .

ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY

This is a full-time, exempt level position in Mountain View, California.

HYBRID WORK SCHEDULE

SVCF operates on a hybrid work model. All teams are expected to work in the office twice a week, every other week. In-office days are Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

Please note that there may be times when meetings, events, or other organizational priorities require you to be in the office more frequently than this standard schedule. This structure is designed to support equity, collaboration and consistency while still maintaining flexibility in how we work.

SVCF also reserves the right to modify its hybrid work schedule as needed.

All SVCF team members must be based and hold residency in California.

JOB SUMMARY

Reporting to the Executive Vice President, Community Impact and Policy, the Director, Policy supports the development and execution of SVCF's public policy agenda in close partnership with senior leadership. Serving as an internal policy resource, the Director monitors and analyzes policy developments, advises leaders on implications and response options, coordinates advocacy activities, and builds relationships with policymakers, community partners, and cross-sector stakeholders.

As a policy generalist, the Director works across issue areas and helps connect senior leadership's policy priorities with SVCF's community impact, grantmaking, partnerships, and external engagement. The Director provides research, recommendations, briefings, and implementation support; prepares senior leaders for public events, policy briefings, and media engagements; and represents SVCF externally as assigned.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Policy, Advocacy and Government Relations

• Support senior leadership in developing, implementing, and refining SVCF's public policy and advocacy agenda in alignment with the foundation's community impact priorities.
• Monitor and analyze relevant local, state, and federal legislation, regulations, budgets, and policy developments; advise senior leadership on implications for SVCF and its partners and recommend response options.
• Conduct policy research and prepare policy memos, recommendations, talking points, testimony, advocacy materials, and letters of support or opposition for senior leadership and internal teams.
• In coordination with senior leadership, cultivate relationships with elected officials, legislative staff, government agencies, advocacy organizations, and other policy stakeholders and support SVCF's engagement with them.
• Apply working knowledge of the rules governing nonprofit advocacy, lobbying, campaign activity, and electoral participation, consulting with legal or compliance colleagues as appropriate.

Field Leadership and Strategic Partnerships

• Build and maintain trusted relationships with nonprofit and community leaders, advocacy organizations, public agencies, philanthropic peers, anchor institutions, and other regional partners.
• Represent SVCF, as assigned, in coalitions, working groups, public forums, briefings, and other policy and community-related engagements; share relevant insights with senior leadership and internal teams.
• Identify and support cross-sector partnerships that advance the policy agenda and community impact priorities established by SVCF leadership.
• Serve as a connector across sectors, building common ground and supporting collaboration, strategic alignment, and collective action.
• In partnership with senior leadership and internal teams, design and facilitate convenings, roundtables, and briefings that elevate community expertise, strengthen coordination, and inform policy and systems-change strategies.

External Engagement

• Partner with senior leadership and the Marketing and Communications team to translate complex policy issues, legislation, and regulations into clear, accessible messages for diverse audiences.
• Prepare presentations, talking points, briefing materials, opinion pieces, advocacy communications, and other content for senior leaders in support of SVCF's policy priorities and public positioning.
• Collaborate with the Marketing and Communications team to support SVCF's principal spokespersons on policy matters, including the President and CEO and Executive Vice President, by preparing them for public events, policy briefings, community forums, partner meetings, and media engagements.
• Represent SVCF externally as assigned, using diplomacy and sound judgment to navigate differing perspectives, build trust, and identify common ground.

Strategy and Grantmaking Support

• Provide senior leadership and internal teams with policy analysis, research, and community perspectives that inform grantmaking strategies, without responsibility for managing a grantmaking portfolio.
• Identify opportunities to align policy and advocacy strategies with community partnerships and philanthropic investments.
• Monitor emerging community needs, policy developments, and regional dynamics and share relevant analysis with senior leadership to inform organizational strategy and positioning.
• Support cross-sector initiatives and special projects identified by senior leadership involving nonprofit, philanthropic, public-sector, and community partners.
• Contribute policy and community perspectives to organizational learning, evaluation, and decision-making.

Other

• Other related duties as assigned.

The responsibilities outlined in this job description are not meant to be all-inclusive and are subject to change. Employees are expected to be flexible and adaptable, performing other related duties as needed to meet the organization’s evolving goals and priorities.

QUALIFICATIONS AND REQUIRED SKILLS

Education and Experience

• Minimum of seven years of relevant experience in public policy, public affairs, government relations, advocacy, community impact, nonprofit leadership, philanthropy, or a related field.
• Experience working with local, state, and/or federal legislative and regulatory processes.
• Experience building relationships with elected officials, government staff, advocacy organizations, community leaders, and other stakeholders.
• Experience designing and facilitating convenings, briefings, and other stakeholder engagements.
• Experience managing complex, multi-stakeholder initiatives and coordinating work across teams.

Knowledge

• Strong understanding of public policy, government relations, and legislative and regulatory processes.
• Working knowledge of the rules governing nonprofit advocacy and lobbying, including when to seek legal or compliance guidance.
• Understanding of how policy analysis and community perspectives can inform philanthropic and grantmaking strategies.

Skills

• Political and public policy acumen, with the ability to navigate complex and sensitive issues.
• Ability to work across a range of policy issues and quickly develop knowledge of new subject areas.
• Strong analytical skills, including the ability to assess complex policy issues and communicate their implications clearly to diverse audiences.
• Excellent writing, editing, research, presentation, and public-speaking skills.
• Strong organizational and project-management skills, with the ability to balance competing priorities.
• Collaborative and relationship-centered approach, with sound judgment, discretion, and diplomacy.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and experience working with CRM systems.
• Ability to work effectively in a dynamic environment and adapt to evolving organizational and community priorities.
• Commitment to continuous learning, community-centered approaches, and SVCF’s mission and values.

SALARY AND BENEFITS

SVCF is committed to offering competitive salaries and comprehensive benefits. The target hiring range for this position is $160,000 to $180,000 per year based on experience, credentials and internal salary equity.

Our comprehensive benefits package includes generous medical, dental, and vision plans; paid time off; holidays and employer contribution and matching to a 403(b) retirement plan.

WORK ENVIRONMENT AND PHYSICAL DEMANDS

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel objects, tools, or controls; reach with hands and arms; and talk or hear.The employee must regularly lift and/or move up to 10 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.

The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work performed by the incumbent in this position.They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills.

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY AND INCLUSION

Silicon Valley Community Foundation has a deep commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and equal opportunity.We are committed to building a team that is representative of our community.

SVCF is an equal opportunity employer.Applicants will not be discriminated against because of race, color, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, religion, national origin, political affiliation, citizenship status, disability, ancestry, marital status, veteran status, medical condition or any protected category prohibited by local, state or federal laws.

SVCF is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals.As part of this commitment, we will ensure that persons with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations.If reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process and to perform essential job functions, of employment, please contact [e-mail] of reasonable accommodation include making a change to the application process or work procedures, providing documents in an alternate format and/or using specialized equipment.

We speak up and take risks to fight for justice, equity and lasting systemic change.

We partner with people everywhere.

We learn from and work with each other, our community and nonprofit partners and donors to achieve positive impact.

Inclusion

We elevate all voices.

We are most impactful when our organization and our work include people from varied backgrounds, opinions and perspectives.

Respect

We listen deeply and treat each other with kindness.

We ask for and seek to understand the ideas of those we serve.

Accountability

We take responsibility.

We expect transparency and accountability from ourselves and the social systems we seek to improve.

McAndrew joined SVCF in 2021 and most recently served as director of philanthropic partnerships

Quintero, who has served as SVCF's interim chief financial officer since January, brings more than two decades of experience across public accounting, nonprofit leadership and strategic consulting

O’Leary, vice president of global policy at OpenAI, has extensive experience in crisis leadership and public policy, having served in senior roles across federal, state and local government; Mitchell, founder of Scale Venture Partners and past chairman of the National Venture Capital Association, brings decades of venture capital and policy leadership as she rejoins the SVCF board.