The application period closed on August 10, 2022, 11:59 pm PT

Position Summary 

Working with the Senior Director of Public Policy and the entire SAFSF team, the Public Policy Associate will play a critical role in developing policy-related content to engage our network of philanthropic and investment funders in opportunities to support sustainable agriculture and food systems policy work. This is a new role for SAFSF that will support and help shape our overall policy work, including membership engagement and learning, policy analysis and writing, planning and executing events, both virtual and in-person.  

Successful candidates will have a firm grasp on the basics of the policy- making process, be highly organized, communicative, and detail-oriented individuals. They will be able to connect, build rapport, and work with individuals who have a wide range of interests and lived experiences, including funders and NGOs. This role requires strong interpersonal and writing skills, the ability to multi-task with limited supervision and a comfort level communicating across multiple platforms.

All SAFSF employees work remotely; candidates may live anywhere within the United States. 

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About SAFSF

Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems Funders (SAFSF) is a philanthropy-serving organization (PSO) that amplifies the impact of philanthropic and investment communities in support of just and sustainable food and agriculture systems. Established in the late 1990s and staffed since 2003, SAFSF has evolved into a vibrant network of approximately 100 organizational members from the philanthropic and investment sectors whose work spans a broad range of issues and strategies as well as a wide geographic range—domestic and international. Our vision is that all resources invested in food and agriculture systems enhance our collective wellbeing. Our core values of collaboration, equity, respect, stewardship, and integrity drive our organization on a daily basis. We use these values to guide our decision-making process in all our work, from developing programs and hiring new staff to choosing caterers, vendors, and venues.

SAFSF recognizes that a diversity of perspectives, lived experiences, and professional and personal skills among our staff, leadership, and membership is critical to our success as an organization. We are a dynamic organization that values creativity and innovative thinking and fosters strong teamwork based on mutual respect.

Core Duties and Responsibilities

• Stay abreast of public policy developments as directed by the Senior Director, Public Policy.

• Assist with conceptualizing, developing, producing, and executing SAFSF policy convenings, webinars, member calls, learning cohorts and other in-person and virtual convenings that have a policy focus.

• Assist with design, development and implementation of campaigns designed to engage and align funders in support of policy and advocacy initiatives.

• Assist with development of policy communication materials Including monthly policy newsletter, weekly policy updates, blog posts, sign-on letters, website resources, etc.

• Organize and track policy team projects and timelines in our project management software, and coordinate with Program, Operations, and Communications staff to ensure all project elements move forward and are completed in a timely manner.
  
• Manage online and in-person logistics related to policy work:
  • write, edit, and/or distribute announcements, agendas, resources, etc. 
  • schedule meetings; send reminders; document notes (internal and external); and follow up on action items.
  • develop and manage registration sites; speaker invitations, travel planning, and tracking; interface with vendors and venues for selection and relationship management.

Required Qualifications 

• 2-3 years of policy experience and familiarity with federal and state sustainable agriculture and food policy
• Understanding of racial equity concepts and the importance of working to dismantle white supremacy
• Outstanding interpersonal skills
• Strong project management skills, excitement about managing timelines, task scheduling, and project tracking, experience with some type of project management software or system
• Strong writing and verbal communication skills coupled with the ability to synthesize information and summarize it for practical implications
• Experience working in a highly collaborative environment
• Ability to work efficiently and accurately through many tasks, with guidance but limited supervision

Additional Preferred Skills / Qualifications

• BA/BS or equivalent experience
• Experience managing virtual and/or in-person events with diverse participants, interests and perspectives
• Experience working with individuals across political affiliations
• Some understanding of philanthropy and philanthropy-serving organizations (also called affinity groups)

Basic Work Requirements

Familiarity with common computer-based tools such as Microsoft Office Products (Word, Excel, Powerpoint) and Google Drive (docs, sheets, slides); email; and websites. Fluency in English. Willingness to travel within the U.S. occasionally, up to several times per year.  We acknowledge the continuing challenges with COVID-19 that may cause travel restrictions but expect that this position will require travel.  

Compensation and Benefits

This is a full-time, exempt, permanent, remote position with a starting salary range of $50-54,000. SAFSF offers an excellent benefits package, which currently includes:

• Paid medical, vision, dental, and prescription insurance (100% paid by SAFSF for employee and children)
• Short-term and Long-term Disability 
• Life Insurance 
• Retirement plan contributions (match and profit sharing)
• Health and fitness, internet, and cell phone reimbursements 
• Half-day Fridays 
• 9 paid holidays 
• Office closed the last week of the year (Dec 26-Jan 1)
• Two weeks accrued vacation
• Two weeks annual sick time

Application and Hiring Process 

All interested applicants must apply online at https://www.tfaforms.com/4992321 no later than 11:59 pm PT on August 10, 2022. Applicants must respond to the following three questions in the application form, in lieu of a traditional cover letter, and upload a resume to complete the application. Please limit each response to 250 words or less.

1. What interests you in working at the intersection of public policy and agriculture and food?  
2. What policy issues do you follow and why? Are there elected officials who you think of in relation to the issues you follow?
3. What are your thoughts on the role of public policy in addressing systemic racism and economic inequities in agriculture and food systems?

We are committed to transparency and aim to minimize the stress and uncertainty of our application and hiring process. SAFSF seeks to minimize bias and the impact of structural discrimination within our hiring practices. We focus first on relevant work skills and experience, both lived and professional. We are actively seeking a diverse pool of candidates.

To this end, the application form will ask candidates to voluntarily disclose demographic information. Voluntarily providing demographic information helps SAFSF assess the diversity of our applicant pool throughout the hiring process. Please note: This information will not be visible to the members of the hiring committee.

Applicants who move forward through the hiring process will participate in a combination of a phone and video interview(s). 

Please contact [email protected] with any questions. We look forward to getting to know you!

Equal Employment Opportunity 

SAFSF is a 501(c)(3) public charity that is committed to attracting, developing, and retaining exceptional people, and to creating a work environment that is dynamic, rewarding, and enables each of us to realize our potential. SAFSF’s work environment is open to all people, respecting the full spectrum of race, color, religious creed, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, political affiliation, ancestry, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, and all other classifications protected by law in the locality and/or state in which you are working.