Job Description

Overview

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Founded in 1955, the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) is the largest membership organization of professional social workers in the world, with more than 120,000 members. NASW works to enhance the professional growth and development of its members, to create and maintain professional standards, and to advance sound social policies.

Major Function

The Director of Public Policy and Government Affairs develops and leads NASWs public policy and government affairs portfolio with the goal of advancing legislation and public policies that support the social work profession and the individuals, families, and communities the social workers serve. The Director manages NASWs Public Policy and Government Affairs Department, collaborates with NASW departments and chapters and with coalitions, government officials, and other stakeholders to develop and implement public policies that advance the social work profession, and is responsible for integrating NASWs public policy and government affairs agenda into NASWs overall mission, goals, and priorities. This Director supports NASWs DE&I initiatives by helping to translate its organizational vision for DE&I into organization-wide planning, systems and policies that are designed, implemented, and regularly reviewed for equity and inclusion.

At NASW our members come from all walks of life and so do we. We hire great people from a wide variety of backgrounds because it makes our organization stronger. If you share our values and are enthusiastic you will find a home here.

Responsibilities

• Leading and overseeing NASWs public policy advocacy efforts, including building relationships with Congressional offices and Administration leaders to advance legislation and public policies that support the social work profession, overseeing advocacy days and other advocacy-related events, overseeing NASWs lobbying activities, ensuring compliance with all FEC lobbying rules and regulations, and supervising staff leading NASWs political action committees fundraising and endorsement efforts, partnering with chapters to identify, assess, strategize, and advocate on relevant public policies, and other activities as needed to advance NASWs public policy agenda
• Supervising department staff, monitoring workflow and accomplishments of the department, and facilitating a collaborative, innovative, teamwork-based atmosphere within the department
• Working with department staff to provide guidance and support to NASW chapters on state advocacy efforts
• Collaborating with other directors in the Programs division to promote efficient, effective, and coordinated work within the division
• Collaborating with NASW chapters, staff, and other stakeholders to analyze and pursue public policy opportunities that advance the activities and goals of the social work profession (and to develop strategies to oppose those that are contrary to the activities and goals of the profession)
• Leading the team on the development and dissemination of NASWs federal public policy priorities and updating work on those priorities on a regular basis
• Working with NASW chapters, Executive Office, Press, and Delegate Assembly to revise the Social Work Speaks process so that it supports the social work profession in a concise and timely manner
• Representing NASW at key legislative and coalition meetings, participating in coalitions to advance public policies relevant to the social work profession and the people social workers serve, and overseeing coalition participation by department staff
• Working with NASWs Chief of Programs, other departments, and chapters to develop and implement a strategy to pursue grants and federal appropriations for the social work profession
• Overseeing NASWs contract with its government affairs and public policies consultants and ensuring that all strategies and deliverables of the contract are met in a comprehensive and timely manner
• Leading the re-design and implementation of NASWs Social Work Policy Institute, a think tank that enhances connections between research, policy, and practice through convening of experts, development of policy briefs and briefings, and hosting of symposia to advance the social work profession
• Developing strategies to continuously build NASWs government affairs team and its visibility, reputation, and expertise on Capitol Hill
• Speaking at professional conferences and chapter meetings and on webinars and conference calls to present NASWs public policy goals, strategies, and activities
• Collaborating and strategizing with NASWs Communications department to ensure legislative and public policy updates are publicized as strategically and as timely as possible
• Monitoring legislative and regulatory updates relevant to the social work profession and disseminating those updates in a timely manner
• Keeping NASWs advocacy webpages updated on a regular basis
• Managing and mentoring department staff and promoting collaboration with other NASW departments and chapters
• Developing and managing the departments budget, including monitoring and approving all staff travel and expenses
• Other duties as required to meet the goals of the department and NASW.

Minimum Work Requirements

Knowledge:

• Masters degree from an accredited School of Social Work required, with an emphasis on macro social work preferred
• Understanding of public policies that impact the social work profession such as licensing, reimbursement, telehealth, and student loan debt relief, and of public policies that impact issues social workers work on such as mental health, child welfare, poverty, health, and social justice
• Knowledge of federal/state legislative processes including Congressional committees, bill sponsorship processes, appropriations and of federal regulatory bodies and regulations
• Demonstrated Knowledge of political action committees, candidate endorsement and fundraising rules, as well as FEC lobbying and reporting requirements
• Demonstrated knowledge of the legislative and political environment impacting social work policy.

Skills:

• Ability to lead and manage work in a fast-paced, fluid environment with competing interests and requirements.
• Ability to develop and implement department-wide strategic goals and objectives, communicate goals and objectives to organizational leadership, staff and partners, and monitor and update the status of goals and objectives through timely and clearly written and verbal communications
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills with the ability to analyze and succinctly communicate complex public policies in a timely manner to a wide variety of audiences.
• Excellent relationship-building and collaboration skills
• Ability to supervise and mentor staff and provide feedback and opportunities for growth in a timely manner
• Ability to analyze and evaluate progress of key departmental goals, report on goals and objectives to key stakeholders, and develop and implement recommendations on activities and goals from organizational leadership
• Ability to plan, organize, establish and maintain cooperative relationships and build credibility and trust throughout NASW and its partners.
• Ability to solve problems, exercise sound judgment, and make decisions based on accurate and timely analyses.
• Ability to build and grow collaborative, impactful relationships with NASW departments, chapters, external partners, coalitions, Congressional and Administrative offices, regulatory agencies, and others
• Ability to prepare department budgets and monitor department finances

Experience:

• Ten years of progressively responsible experience in public policy development, advocacy, and government relations
• Track record of successful development and implementation of public policy goals and objectives
• Five to ten years experience managing a complex department and supervising professional staff and multi-disciplinary teams
• Experience working in a union environment (preferred)
• Prior experience field organizing and working with complex multiple entities such as 501(c)(3), 501(c)(6) and Political Action Committee (PAC) (preferred)
• Prior experience working in a professional association with multiple state chapters (preferred)
• Prior experience working with appropriations and other fundraising/grant-related processes (preferred)
• Prior experience with public speaking (preferred)

Attributes

• Results driven: Sees opportunities, emerging trends, and the big picture and develops appropriate strategies to take advantage of those opportunities and trends. Capable of monitoring results and of making changes to strategies if necessary
• Innovative: Is able to assess current challenges, barriers, and limitations, and to develop, lead, and build support for strategies and innovative approaches to overcome challenges, barriers, and limitations
• Strong business acumen: Is knowledgeable about the operations, needs, and goals specific to member-driven, not-for-profit organizations. Sets priorities wisely and knows how to make tough resource allocation decisions. Exercises good business judgment, knows how to translate strategy into action, enjoys solving problems to meet strategic goals, and is detail-oriented and able to review and provide feedback on the implementation of strategies, policies, and procedures
• Firm, fair and inclusive leadership: Has a firm, fair, and flexible le]]>

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