Policy Specialist
- Firm Name
- People United for Sustainable Housing (PUSH Buffalo)
- Firm Location
- Currently working remotely and will support a candidate as needed to work from their home.
- Firm Website
- https://www.pushbuffalo.org/jobs/policy-specialist/
Description
People United for Sustainable Housing (PUSH Buffalo) seeks a Policy Specialist to support the work of the Policy & Strategy department, particularly around local and regional policy work around water equity, green infrastructure, and other New Economy social enterprise impact areas focused on sustainability.
PUSH Buffalo is a community-based non-profit located on Buffalo’s West Side. The organization was founded in 2005 as a membership organization that would combine community development and community organizing activities to address displacement and improve Buffalo’s West Side. Our mission today is to mobilize residents to create strong neighborhoods with quality affordable housing; to expand local hiring opportunities; and to advance social, economic and environmental justice in Buffalo. At PUSH we know that our current systems are not designed for the sustainable, regenerative future we need in our neighborhoods, cities, regions, states, and country. By design, they put people over corporate profit, and fail to address the disproportionate marginalization of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC), and poor and working-class communities. At PUSH, we build community power for a Just Transition by organizing people and money to secure housing, climate, and environmental justice campaign victories that lead to transformative, structural change. At the same time, our New Economy Department works to develop and implement community-based solutions on the ground in our neighborhood.
The PUSH Policy Specialist supports the work of the Policy & Strategy department, particularly around local and regional policy work around water, green infrastructure, and other New Economy social enterprise impact areas. The Policy Specialist will be responsible for collaboratively researching local policy, making advocacy recommendations, developing local relationships, representing PUSH on local coalitions, and strategizing with PUSH’s implementation-focused projects.
This is a full-time (40 hrs/wk) non-exempt position with a pay range of $18-$20 hour depending on experience. The position can be made part-time if desired. This is currently a grant-funded position through August 30, 2021, but the organization would like to make it a permanent position and will be fundraising to do so.
The organization is currently working remotely due to the COVID-19 pandemic and will support a candidate as needed to work from their home.
Duties:
- Uphold PUSH Core Values: Member Involvement, Inclusiveness, Ownership, Results Oriented, Relevant, Justice
- Perform job duties in ways that will promote and uphold our organization’s mission
- Actively participate in visioning and strategizing about PUSH goals and priorities
- Perform thorough research into existing and potential policies both locally and nationally effecting PUSH’s implementation work, particularly around water and stormwater management
- Develop recommendations and plans for policy advocacy work in collaboration with the Director of Policy & Strategy, Director of New Economy, Director of Organizing, and other staff
- Assist with local/regional power mapping, coalition work, and related meetings/events
- Assist with related grant applications, narrative, budget, tracking, and reporting
- Develop and deliver information and/or educational materials in topic areas
- Coordinate feedback/strategy sessions with PUSH Blue and other projects to guide policy and research needs
- Other duties as assigned
Skills:
- Familiarity with and interest in policy, advocacy, and related work
- Alignment with PUSH’s mission for intersectional approaches to social, economic, and environmental justice
- Alignment with PUSH’s vision for operating within New Economy values and structures for a Just Transition
- Strong organization skills, including good attention to detail and follow through
- Strong research, writing, and analysis skills
- Team player, creative, innovative, flexible & enthusiastic self-starter who can work independently
- Willingness to participate in a broad scope of organizational initiatives a plus
- Bilingual/bicultural a plus
Education:
- Minimum of 2 years of professional experience with policy research, writing, advocacy, and/or analysis, ideally in a diverse multi-racial, multi-gender, multi-ethnic workplace environment;
- Demonstrated ability to communicate clearly, effectively, and powerfully in writing and orally around the intersection of issues directly relevant to PUSH Buffalo’s mission;
- Bilingual or multilingual proficiency a plus;
- Experience working on water equity, economic justice, environmental justice, and social justice issues;
- Experience working in and with communities of color, immigrant communities, and/or people whose first or only language is other than English is highly desirable.
Job Details
- Job Type
- Full-time (40 hrs/wk) non-exempt position
- Paid Y/N
- Pay range of $18-$20 hour depending on experience.
- Job Category:
- Community Development, Economic Development
- Job Sector:
- Non Profit