Federal Legislative Manager

ASPCA; Washington (District of Columbia); Hybrid; USD 77,000 - 82,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health coverage

Paid time off

401(k) plan

Professional development

Job summary

The ASPCA Government Relations (GR) team seeks a Federal Legislative Manager to support the federal affairs unit, ensuring compliance, tracking legislation, and coordinating communications. This hybrid DC-based role partners with the VP of Federal Affairs and lobbyists to enable effective advocacy while preserving IRS non-profit status.

The role also oversees administrative functions, research, and information management, including tools for congressional outreach and policy messaging.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree preferred; experience in federal legislative or policy sectors is desirable.
• Experience reviewing legislation, drafting communications, and compliance reporting is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Oversees federal lobbying compliance and 990 reporting for ASPCA staff.
• Tracks federal legislation, analyzes policy, and supports priority policy outreach.
• Manages projects/events for the federal affairs team and coordinates communications.
• Maintains infrastructure for bill tracking, staff contacts, and outreach to legislators.

Skills

Communication

Project management

Attention to detail

Adaptability

Policy advocacy

Education

Bachelor's degree preferred

High School Diploma / GED or equivalent

Tools

Microsoft Excel

Microsoft Word

Airtable

Merging software

Job description

Summary: Overview: The Federal Legislative Manager serves as the operational backbone of the ASPCA's federal team, working closely with the VP of Federal Affairs and the organization's federal lobbyists to ensure day-to-day functions run smoothly so that the team can operate at full strength in the fight for stronger animal welfare laws.

The Federal Legislative Manager is responsible for administrative support, coordination and operations, as well as legislation tracking, news monitoring, research, and internal information-sharing for priority federal policy issues.

The Federal Legislative Manager also oversees all federal lobbying compliance and reporting for the ASPCA, working closely with the General Counsel.

The Federal Legislative Manager is also responsible for identifying, implementing, and applying software applications that facilitate helping the Federal Affairs team's members communicate with Congressional offices and federal agencies, and identifying and implementing enhanced tools for strategic communications outreach to legislators and government officials.

Who We Are

The ASPCA Government Relations (GR) team helps to enact meaningful legal protections for animals at the local, state, and federal levels by working with policymakers and stakeholders to develop, regulate, and enforce meaningful animal welfare policy, lobbying, providing advocacy training, participating in ballot measure campaigns, and more.

What You’ll Do

This role will provide critical support to the Federal Affairs team, ensuring compliance with federal reporting, tracking and supporting our policy priorities, and overseeing administrative functions.

Compliance

• Oversees federal lobbying and 990 reporting and compliance for all ASPCA staff involved in policy work, spearheading internal report filing, integrating data, and collaborating with the General Counsel's office to ensure timely federal filings to protect our non-profit IRS status and mitigate liabilities

Federal Bill Tracking and Supporting Policy Priorities

• Tracks federal legislation and regulations; identifies relevant legislation, provides initial analysis, and determines whether to elevate it to the federal team
• Helps draft, edit, and review advocacy materials, including letters, emails, advocacy alerts, social media posts, blog posts, and talking points, ensuring high quality and consistent messaging
• Manages major projects and events for federal affairs team, providing organizational input, research, legislative insights and analysis
• Conducts other activities aimed at achieving legislative goals

Communications and Information Management

• Ensures fulfillment of the Federal Affairs team's day-to-day operations, deadlines, and administrative responsibilities
• Supports preparation and follow-up for internal and external meetings, briefings.
• Organizes department documents across internal drives
• Manages the sending of emails, newsletters, and calendars to Congressional offices
• Initiates, builds, and maintains critical infrastructure for federal team, including Congressional staff contacts lists, committee hearings announcements and testimony deadlines, outreach tools, and Congressional/agency communications to the public
• Researches, identifies, and integrates new technologies for bill tracking and communications to Congressional offices, agencies, and the public
• Tracks ASPCA grants awards; prepares and distributes email notifications to grant recipients’ Congressional delegations
• Monitors and captures media coverage related to federal priorities
• Other duties as assigned by manager

Where and When You’ll Work

This is a hybrid role based out of the ASPCA's DC office, with 1-2 onsite days required per week. Ability and willingness to travel up to 10%, as needed.

What You’ll Get Compensation

Starting pay for the successful applicant will depend on a variety of factors, including but not limited to education, training, experience, location, business needs, internal equity, market demands or budgeted amount for the role. The target hiring range is for new hire offers only, and compensation may increase beyond the maximum hiring range based on performance over time. The maximum of the hiring range is reserved for candidates with the highest qualifications and relevant experience. The expected hiring salary ranges for this role are set forth below and may be modified in the future. $77,000 - $82,000 annually

Benefits

• Affordable health coverage, including medical, employer-paid dental, and optional vision coverage
• Flexible time off that includes vacation time, sick and bereavement time, paid parental leave, 10 company paid holidays, and paid personal time off that allows you even more flexibility to observe the days that mean the most to you
• Competitive financial incentives and retirement savings including a 401(k) plan with generous employer contributions - we match dollar for dollar up to 4% and provide an additional 4% contribution toward your future each year
• Robust professional development opportunities including classes, on-the-job training, coaching and mentorship with industry-leading peers, internal mobility, opportunities to support in the field, and so much more

Responsibilities

• Must be able to lift 40 pounds to support event needs
• Working knowledge of the legislative and regulatory processes, and grassroots organizing tactics
• Shows drive and passion for getting things done
• Maintains optimism and perspective to drive forward our mission
• Identifies new opportunities and comes up with new ideas
• Forges deliberate bonds across organizations in which they work
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel and Word (preferred)
• Proficiency in merging software, Excel, Word, Airtable, etc.
• Ability to exemplify ASPCA's core values, behavioral competencies, and commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion
• Commitment to work for animal protection
• Intensely driven to see positive change for animals
• Highly organized with acute attention to details
• Ability to work in a fast-paced, dynamic environment where priorities shift quickly in response to legislative activity and evolving policy developments
• Team-oriented approach
• Ability to prioritize responsibilities, multi-task, manage time and address time sensitive projects in a professional and responsible manner
• Language English

Qualifications

• Education and Work Experience: Bachelor's degree preferred
• 2 years of experience in the federal legislative or policy sector preferred
• Experience reviewing legislation and writing a summary preferred
• Experience with compliance reporting preferred
• Experience drafting, editing, and reviewing communications for external audiences highly preferred
• Experience managing projects highly preferred

Additional Information

Projects and responsibilities may be added or changed at the company's discretion. Language: English (Required) Education and Work Experience: High School Diploma, GED, or Equivalent Experience.

The ASPCA was founded in 1866 on the belief that animals are entitled to kind and respectful treatment by humans and must be protected under the law. As a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit corporation with more than two million supporters nationwide, the ASPCA is committed to preventing cruelty to dogs, cats, equines, and farm animals throughout the United States.

The ASPCA is headquartered in New York City, where we maintain a full-service animal hospital, spay/neuter clinic, mobile spay/neuter and primary pet care clinics, a rehabilitation center for canine victims of cruelty, kitten nursery, adoption center, and two community veterinary centers. The ASPCA also operates programs and services that extend nationwide. We assist animals in need through on-the-ground disaster and cruelty interventions, behavioral rehabilitation, animal placement, legal and legislative advocacy, and the advancement of the sheltering and veterinary community through research, training, and resources.

At the ASPCA, we are committed to fostering a collaborative and compassionate culture and we welcome all voices to contribute to our lifesaving mission. Our staff represent a vast array of backgrounds and diversity dimensions, bringing with them valuable experiences and perspectives. They join the ASPCA to learn, grow, and continually do their best work on behalf of animals. We are inspired by our staff, partners, and the communities we support across the country who work to improve animal lives.

We are committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion at the ASPCA because it elevates our organizational culture, aligns with our Core Values, and enables us to move further and faster toward the ASPCA's vision - that all animals live good lives; valued by society, protected by its laws, and free from cruelty, pain and suffering.