Job Description
The American Business Immigration Coalition (ABIC) is seeking a seasoned, politically astute, and deeply passionate individual to serve as our Senior Director of Policy and Government Affairs to report to the Chief Executive Officer. This individual will develop the ABIC’s strategy for building support among federal and some key state elected officials for its common sense immigration policy campaigns. This includes driving ABIC’s analysis of policy proposals, managing relationships with elected officials’ offices, and ensuring ABIC’s Field team and business leader supporters are effectively advocating with electeds. Capitol Hill experience prioritized. ABIC is interested in candidates who are looking to apply their policy and relationship-building expertise on the Hill to a mission-driven advocacy organization. Remote position based in Washington DC.
The American Business Immigration Coalition (ABIC) promotes common sense immigration reform that advances economic competitiveness, provides companies with the talent they need, and allows the integration of immigrants into our economy as consumers, workers, entrepreneurs, and citizens.
ABIC members include CEOs, retired CEOs, business associations, small business owners as well as hospitals and universities. ABIC works in partnership with diverse immigrant advocates to support pro-immigrant legislation at the state and federal levels.
For more information, visit https://abic.us
CORE RESPONSIBILITIES
Build a Policy and Government Affairs Strategy:
● Lead organizational efforts to build and activate support among elected officials for ABIC-supported common sense immigration solutions, including but not limited to:
o Providing a high-level analysis of federal and some key state policy proposals that impact immigration, immigrant workforces, and sectors of the economy reliant on immigrant workers.
o Working with the Campaign Director, National Field Director and Field staff to identify, develop, assess and adjust policy opportunities and strategies related to ABIC campaigns.
o Conducting research that identifies the specific immigration-related political, economic or business interests of concern to elected officials or their districts, in conjunction with other field team members.
o Identifying priority elected officials to build relationships with and sharpening arguments to win their support.
Policy and Advocacy Skills Training and Development:
● Design, build and implement a training and mentoring process that prepares the staff and business leader supporters to advocate for ABIC’s common sense immigration solutions, working in conjunction with the National Field Director and field team.
● Prepare state of play updates and educational programs for ABIC staff and business leader supporters.
Legislative Strategy Execution:
● Ensure ABIC is building (across its staff and business leader supporters) meaningful relationships with priority Senators and Members of Congress, Congressional offices, committees and caucuses, the White House and Administration officials.
● Develop systems to track elected officials’ degree of support and leadership on ABIC’s issues and ABIC’s engagement with electeds.
● Ensure ABIC communications and outreach to electeds are well coordinated and strategic.
● In key states work with Field team members to identify and assess key pieces of state legislation; help map key state electeds; and propose possible state advocacy campaign strategies.
● Identify missing segments of the business community and other constituencies that might be important for ABIC to be engaging in order to reach key elected officials.
● Identify and drive the creation of policy-related materials and tactics.
● Build and maintain a cadre of key relationships with employer members, bipartisan lawmakers, and/or organizational allies around legislative strategy.
● Regularly communicate and identify when and how ABIC can best partner and drive the organization toward effective partnerships.
Organizational Leadership:
● Lead subsections of our organizational planning processes.
● Represent ABIC in external meetings, conferences, discussions, etc.
● Provide input and information in support of campaign, communications, and fundraising strategy related to policy/GA issues.
● Work with colleagues in other departments to help coordinate work.
● Take on other tasks as assigned.
QUALIFICATIONS
● A deep commitment to advocating for a path to citizenship and comfort and ease advocating for undocumented immigrants.
● At least 7-10 years experience working directly for a Member of Congress, the White House, Department or a Congressional Committee, or advocating with Members of Congress.
● Can leverage in-depth knowledge of the legislative and administrative process and procedures, rulemaking, executive actions, to develop proactive strategies to advance ABIC priorities
● Substantive knowledge of policy related to immigration and economic development.
● Experience analyzing policy proposals and communicating their impact to a broad range of stakeholders.
● Skills in training, mentoring, and developing staff and community or business leaders’ skills in understanding and advocating for policy.
● Committed to and capable of engaging with and messaging to partners, lawmakers, constituencies from a vast range of political leanings from the right to the left
● Experience with organizing unlikely allies, businesses, rural and faith leaders, and a willingness to work with electeds from both parties.
● Strong understanding of national and state political and electoral landscape and how best to make strategic impact at scale.
● Experience developing, writing, and executing successful policy advocacy plans that demonstrate strategic focus and creativity.
● Proficient with data, polling, the latest campaign technologies, and best practices in the field, including the ability to learn various systems for data tracking, email, mobile, volunteer recruitment, and fundraising.
APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS
Submit a resume and cover letter to info@americanbic.biz with the subject line: Senior Director of Policy and Government Affairs_ First Name, Last Name. Cover letters should speak to relevant policy or Hill experience and interest in immigration policy. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.
EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY STATEMENT
ABIC is an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other legally protected status. We strongly encourage candidates of all backgrounds, including those from communities directly affected by immigration policy to apply.