Membership & Advocacy Coordinator, DCAYA (complete pdf announcement)

The Membership and Advocacy Coordinator will be responsible for implementing key member supports to increase and sustain active participation of youth and adults within the coalition. This will consist of developing and managing a membership orientation, regularly training youth and adult coalition members in advocacy skills, managing and leading DCAYA’s Summer Leadership Institute for Youth, organizing and preparing members to give testimony, lead rallies, and participate in additional actions critical to the organization’s agenda, and working on-site with member organizations to mobilize and energize their constituencies.

Responsibilities include:

• Institute formal DCAYA membership orientation - outline roles, responsibilities and benefits for all members;
• Respond to member concerns, recommendations, and feedback;
• Manage DCAYA’s summer training series developing youth as advocates;
• Develop ongoing advocacy training and member education series for youth and adult members;
• Work one-on-one and collectively with DCAYA members to manage and execute advocacy projects at the committee level;
• Work on-site with member organizations to mobilize staff and youth for activities related to the DCAYA policy agenda;
• Work closely with the Policy Director to manage the annual membership meeting;
• The Membership and Advocacy Coordinator should be committed to expanding opportunities for youth and be familiar with DC government structure and policy culture.

Qualifications include:

• Bachelor’s Degree
  
• 2-4 years experience in leadership development training, grassroots advocacy, coalition building or working directly with youth;
  
• Basic familiarity with public policies that affect youth in the District of Columbia;
  
• Demonstrated capacity to successfully develop and maintain relationships with a broad and diverse range of people;
  
• Strong verbal and written communication skills; and
  
• Capacity to work for an emerging organization with a small, high-level, fast-paced, yet friendly team.
  

The Policy Assistant is a full-time position. Salary commensurate with experience. Please send resume and cover letter to Victoria Cunningham, DCAYA Policy Director, at victoria(at)dc-aya(dot)org.

Position remains open until filled.

Senior Policy Associate, DCAYA (complete pdf announcement)

A citywide coalition of youth-engaged organizations, youth, and concerned residents, DCAYA seeks an experienced and highly qualified individual to manage policy and advocacy efforts related to DCAYA’s member-led agenda focused on increasing positive opportunities for DC youth. The position involves policy research and analysis, strategy development, and project management. The Senior Policy Associate will work closely with the Policy Director to ensure effective implementation of DCAYA’s policy agenda with special oversight of advocacy efforts related to strengthening the out-of-school-time sector and dropout prevention and reconnection.

Responsibilities include:

• Work closely with the Policy Director to research, develop and communicate policy recommendations to forward the coalition’s member-led agenda;
• Develop factsheets, testimony, and policy briefs;
  
• Monitor youth development investments, legislation, initiatives, policy gaps and opportunities;
  
• Lead special projects including but not limited to:
  

Managing and further developing DCAYA’s collaborative effort to organize youth and youth-serving agencies in addressing the systemic causes of school dropout; and

Providing policy analysis and research support to advance and monitor local policy efforts focused on out-of-school-time as it relates to DCPS

The Senior Policy Associate should possess substantive policy skills, strong analytic and writing skills, and ability to work with local officials, other stakeholders, and DCAYA staff to successfully carry out work consistent with the mission of the organization. Other qualifications include:

• Demonstrated capacity to successfully develop and maintain relationships with a broad and diverse range of people;
  
• Strong verbal and written communication skills;
  
• Ability to manage multiple projects in a fast-paced environment;
  
• 3-5 years experience in public policy or advocacy related to youth development,
  education, or out-of-school-time; and
  
• Master’s degree in relevant discipline preferred

The Senior Policy Associate is a full-time position. Salary commensurate with experience.

Please send resume and cover letter addressed to Eshauna Smith (DCAYA Executive Director) to info(at)dc-aya(dot)org. Position remains open until filled.

The DC Alliance of Youth Advocates is an Equal Opportunity Employer. People of color encouraged to apply.