Policy, Advocacy and Community Engagement Senior Coordinator

Greater-Chicago-Food-Depository; Chicago (IL); Hybrid; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health, dental, and vision insurance

Employer-paid life and disability

Employee Assistance Program

403(b) retirement plan with employer

Generous paid time off

Parental leave

On-site gym

ThrivePass lifestyle and wellness

$250 employee referral bonus

Job summary

Greater Chicago Food Depository seeks a Senior Coordinator to advance advocacy and community engagement across local, state, and federal efforts. You will manage stakeholder engagement, track policy developments, and help coordinate cross-functional initiatives with partners and directly impacted community members.

The role emphasizes collaboration, training advocates, organizing events, and supporting Get Out the Vote efforts while maintaining relationships with elected officials and coalition

Qualifications

• 3+ years in advocacy, community organizing, or nonprofit work.
• Strong written and oral communication for diverse audiences.
• Ability to manage multiple projects with limited supervision.
• Experience engaging directly impacted communities.

Responsibilities

• Provide project management and logistical support for lobbying events and meetings.
• Draft advocacy communications and recruit/train advocates.
• Monitor policy developments at federal, state, and local levels.
• Support Get Out the Vote initiatives and coalition activities.
• Coordinate coalition partners and community stakeholders.
• Maintain records and reporting for engagement activities.

Skills

Advocacy and policy

Coalition building

Project management

Stakeholder engagement

Communication

Event coordination

Education

Bachelor's degree in public policy or related field

Advanced degree preferred

Tools

MS Office

Quorum

Stratus

Job description

GENERAL DESCRIPTIONThe Greater Chicago Food Depository is leading a robust statewide and federal advocacy and outreach campaign in response to significant threats to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) in Illinois as a result of H.R. 1 at the federal level. The Greater Chicago Food Depository is actively collaborating with hundreds of organizations and collectively galvanizing thousands of neighbors throughout the state to protect SNAP and mitigate harm for SNAP beneficiaries at risk of benefit loss. We are now growing our team to continue to supercharge this critical work.The Senior Coordinator serves as a key member of the Policy, Advocacy and Community Engagement team and plays an integral role in executing advocacy initiatives, building and sustaining strategic partnerships, elevating the voices of directly impacted community members, and coordinating cross-functional initiatives that advance the Food Depository's policy agenda.The Senior Coordinator will help execute and track stakeholder engagement, monitor policy developments, support coalition effectiveness, and contribute to campaign planning and implementation across local, state, and federal advocacy efforts.Cover letter submission required for application consideration.KEY RESPONSIBILITIES AND ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONSAdvocacy and Government AffairsProvide project management and logistical support for lobbying events and rallies in Springfield and Washington D.C. and meetings with federal, state and local elected officialsSupport the drafting of advocacy-focused communications to a range of audiences, and enhance the effectiveness of advocate recruitment, training and engagement strategiesSupport the preparation of legislative meetings by developing issue briefs, packets, and stakeholder profilesResearch and help the team implement best practices in digital advocacy engagement and retention, and legislator engagementAlongside the Senior Manager of Advocacy, build transformative relationships with a portfolio of advocates through the Champion Advocates training program which advance shared advocacy goalsSupport the recruitment, leadership development, and activation of directly impacted advocates and community leadersSupport organizational efforts around a non-partisan Get Out the Vote project in advance of upcoming elections, including but not limited to matching pantry partners with volunteers for voter engagementIn collaboration with the Director of Government Affairs and Policy team, monitor and summarize federal, state, and local policy developments related to nutrition assistance, food security, poverty, and economic justiceSupport data-entry on all elected official and advocate engagement (Quorum), and partner engagement (Stratus)Implement enhancements to maximize Quorum (our advocacy CRM) and the organization's Advocacy Action CenterStatewide Advocacy Coalition EngagementIn collaboration with the Senior Director of Community Advocacy, coordinate and support strategic engagement with statewide coalition partners, policymakers, advocacy organizations, and community stakeholdersIdentify opportunities to expand coalition membership and strengthen partner participationProvide administrative support for the statewide Save Our SNAP Coalition and all of its relevant working groups and steering committeeSupport the scoping, administration and relationship building with recipients of advocacy grants (invoices, meetings, reporting, communications, toolkits and resources) and technical assistance for partner-hosted lobby days via the Statewide Save Our SNAP CoalitionCommunity EngagementManage incoming inquiries for community events and presentations and support with implementationSchedule and coordinate Community Engagement meetings and the planning of community events by securing translation and catering vendors, working with partners, and managing virtual platformsAttend events representing the Food Depository and engage directly with neighbors with information about SNAP and advocacy opportunitiesProject ManagementProvide support for the project management and tracking of milestones and metrics related to the overall Save Our SNAP projectManage project budget spend for Save Our SNAP across three departmentsMaintain organized records of engagement activities, contacts, and reportsQUALIFICATIONS AND SKILLSMinimum of 3 years of work experience in advocacy, community organizing, political campaigns, volunteer engagement, nonprofit programs, or a related field requiredBachelor's degree and advanced degree in public policy, social work, public health, or a related field preferred (not required)Excellent customer service, attention to detail, organizational and problem-solving skills with demonstrated success in hitting milestones, meeting deadlines and managing competing prioritiesStrong written and oral communication skills, including the ability to present complex information in a clear and concise manner and to communicate effectively to a variety of audiencesAbility to work collaboratively as part of a team and across organizational functions in a complex organizationExcellent emotional IQ and proven ability to work with a variety of stakeholders to mobilize action toward a common goalExperience working in community and/or working with people with lived experience preferredAbility to work in political environments requiring a high degree of tact and discretionAbility to implement complex projects effectively and efficiently with strong organizational skills and with limited supervisionAbility to advance multiple projects simultaneously and leverage opportunities to achieve multiple objectivesAction-oriented and entrepreneurial with strong problem-solving skills and creative and flexible thinkingStrong commitment to our mission of addressing the root causes of hunger: poverty, systemic inequity and structural racismProficiency in MS Office: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and CRMsEXPOSURENormal office environment; some warehouse environmentHybrid work environment, with minimum three days per week on-siteOut of office meetings and events. Occasional travel.Interacts with Food Depository staff; civic and community leaders; federal, state, and local government elected officials and staff; volunteers; member agencies and general publicBenefits:• Health, dental, and vision insurance coverage• Employer-paid life and disability insurance• Employee Assistance Program• 403(b) retirement plan with employer contribution• Generous paid time off• Parental leave• On-site gym• $3,000 annual employer-paid ThrivePass lifestyle and wellness benefit program• $250 employee referral bonus