Vice President of Policy & Advocacy

Key Responsibilities

The Vice President of Policy and Advocacy’s responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following:

Executive Leadership

• Serve as a thought leader within the policy and advocacy space to provide strategic and operational leadership across essential functions of the organization guided by their assessment of opportunities and vision for FoodCorps’ role in policy change with a strong justice orientation. 
• Leverage critical thinking skills and bring a big-picture approach to leadership that centers on creative problem-solving and innovation that is actualized through the creation of detailed action plans and clear deliverables.
• Shape an organization-wide culture of policy literacy within a justice framework that supports FoodCorps’ Theory of Change and that builds power among leaders of every level to participate in policy and advocacy campaigns.
• Report on policy wins, losses, and trends to the Board of Directors, as requested by the Co-CEOs. 
• Collaborate with the philanthropy team to support fundraising efforts, including conveying the vision and impact of the organization’s policy and advocacy efforts to potential funders.

Policy Leadership and Strategy Development

• Responsible for the overall performance of the Policy and Advocacy Team, leveraging policy, advocacy, and movement-building expertise, setting future direction, and implementing long-term plans in line with FoodCorps’ Policy Vision and Policy Theory of Change and the organization’s justice mission.
• Leverage knowledge of government institutions and the broader political context to help mobilize and organize the resources necessary to effectively advance FoodCorps’ political strategies.
• Anticipate and monitor shifts in the national policy landscape, while staying abreast of current trends, proposed legislation, and issues related to the school food and education systems.
• Work with the Policy and Advocacy Team to identify opportunities for state policy and/or implementation and to determine which policy improvements can have the greatest impact on expanding access to nourishing free meals and food education to all kids.
• Build the team infrastructure and vision to craft world class advocacy campaigns and position FoodCorps to have an impact across legislative and administrative entities at multiple altitudes (federal, state, local).
• Cultivate and manage toward strong relationships and establish credibility with key community leaders, school food and education system partners, nonprofits, foundations, policymakers, elected officials, and other stakeholders to develop a robust coalition of advocates who will partner to advance FoodCorps’ Policy Vision and the movement for food and educational justice.
• Foster an environment in which our school and community partners can share innovative ideas and insights on issues related to food, education, and justice to refine our policy perspective.

Team Leadership and Organizational Culture

• Hire, retain, and develop a team of policy experts responsible for federal government affairs, state-based legislative and administrative campaigns, and advocacy and movement-building campaigns.  Ensure individuals and teams have the capacity, authority, and information necessary to fulfill their responsibilities.
• Communicate a compelling vision and strategy to staff to guide annual strategic plans, multi-year campaign development and individual work plans and results.
• Manage and coach a highly effective and diverse team while building a positive culture rooted in justice, transparency, humanity, and learning.
• Model the organization’s values and encourage collaborative, transparent communication across the organization.

Ideal Candidate

The ideal candidate is a justice-centered leader and a movement-builder with an unwavering commitment to advancing democracy through child wellbeing by amplifying the voices of, and building power within, BIPOC individuals and communities.  The Vice President is unfaltering in their belief in a future where every child’s health, education, and sense of belonging is nurtured through their relationship with food. The ideal candidate is a creative problem solver experienced in building strong teams and developing the infrastructure needed to strengthen FoodCorps’ policy, advocacy, and movement-building capacity. They embody an intersectional systems perspective to advance policies that progress justice in the food, health, and education systems. The Vice President will have a history of working with a diverse array of local, state, and national partners, developing strategies for engaging key stakeholder groups, and identifying, creating, and executing action plans around new policy opportunities. The ideal candidate builds strong, long-lasting, positive relationships with policymakers, partners, community-leaders, and colleagues, with the ability to listen and learn as much as they share their wisdom and ideas. They have experience navigating significant political shifts and working across party lines.

Additional qualifying factors for the Vice President of Policy and Advocacy include:

• A high degree of cultural competence and emotional intelligence, experience participating in or leading DEI initiatives, and track record of contributing meaningfully to a workplace where equity and inclusion are core values in FoodCorps’ internal and external work.
• Relevant professional policy and advocacy experience, including senior leadership experience in school nutrition, child well-being, food justice, or a related space.
• Extensive experience designing and managing U.S.-based advocacy campaigns in the areas of school nutrition, education, child wellbeing, or food justice.
• Demonstrated political skills and media savvy, including a proven track record of effectively navigating complex power dynamics and systems, with a comfort operating in high-stakes, high-profile contexts.
• Experience leading, working in, or with, advocacy organizations such as 501c4s, PACs and Super-PACs, preferred.