KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Lead Foodlink’s internal Advocacy Working Group, serving as team lead at monthly meetings, summarizing ongoing legislation and issues, and holding the group accountable for assigned goals and action items.

• Ensure that Foodlink’s Advocacy Agenda stays current and relevant. Seek out new opportunities to advocate for legislation that aligns with this Agenda.

• Cultivate new and existing relationships with elected officials and their key staff throughout Foodlink’s 10- county service area, including but not limited to Congressional leaders at the federal level, and state senators and assemblymembers at the state level.

• Provide administrative duties to the Rochester Food Policy Council, including taking meeting minutes, scheduling meetings, and developing action plans for the members. This work will be done in conjunction with Foodlink’s assigned representative to the Council, and alongside two other administrative members (from Common Ground Health and City of Rochester).

• Liaise with Feeding America’s national advocacy efforts and lead Foodlink’s advocacy work during Hunger Action Month.

• Serve on the Feeding New York State advocacy committee and work alongside other advocacy specialists in NYS food banks.

• Represent Foodlink on several local coalitions involved in anti-poverty advocacy (e.g. the Rochester-Monroe Anti-Poverty Initiative).

• Regularly engage Foodlink’s network of partners and clients on critical advocacy issues and campaigns

• In collaboration with Foodlink’s Communications team, help coordinate press events and social media campaigns related to advocacy efforts at a local, state and federal level.

QUALITIES

• Strong communications skills and effective interpersonal relations skills related to engaging with elected leaders, and facilitating conversations with individuals and groups from culturally diverse backgrounds.

• Organizational skills required to stay abreast of key pieces of legislation and issues at the local, state and federal levels.

• Professional-level skills related to the planning, development and execution of Foodlink’s annual Hunger Action Month advocacy plan.

• Collaborative personality who works well in a team environment. This position must be able to work crossdepartmentally within Foodlink, and with our network of partners and community stakeholders. Preferred candidates also will have:

• Acute attention to detail; sense of urgency and ability to meet deadlines and work on diverse projects simultaneously.

• Ability to mediate/problem-solve when working with a diverse group of people.

• An ability to exercise judgment on a wide range of issues in written and verbal expression.

• Skills necessary to develop positive and reliable relationships with elected officials and their staff.

• Bachelor’s degree required; minimum of 2-3 years related experience preferred in advocacy or government relations role.

SALARY AND BENEFITS

This is a full-time position paid on an hourly basis. Foodlink covers 100% of individual health and dental insurance with the ability to acquire family coverage with pretax dollars. In addition to generous paid time off (PTO), we observe 14 paid holidays throughout the year. Opportunity to contribute to a 401k retirement savings plan upon hire. Eligible for generous employer match after 1 year of service. Pay range: From $48,745 per year.

Physical Demands

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit, stand and talk and hear. The employee is frequently required to use hands to handle or feel items such as documents. The employee is frequently required to stand and walk for long periods of time. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, color vision and ability to adjust focus. Able to lift bulk objects or objects weighing up to 60 pounds