Federal Advocacy Manager

For more than 20 years, the Sikh Coalition, a national community-based, civil rights organization, has defended Sikh civil liberties in the courtroom, classroom, community, and halls of Congress. Whether it’s working to secure safer schools, combat and prevent hate and discrimination, create equal employment opportunities and access, or empower local Sikh communities, the Sikh Coalition’s goal is pushing towards a world where Sikhs, and other religious and racial minorities in America, may freely practice their faith without bias and discrimination.

The Sikh Coalition is a nonpartisan civil rights nonprofit with approximately 20 full-time staff and over one hundred volunteers that operates on a $2.4 million budget with complete financial transparency. Our funding comes from private foundations and individual donors. We receive no direct funding from any government agencies.

For more information please visit www.sikhcoalition.org.

Position Summary: The Sikh Coalition is seeking an individual, located in the Washington D.C. area, to serve as a key driver of our federal policy portfolio. 

The ideal candidate will possess a deep commitment to the below objectives, coupled with a strong interest in the nexus of policy, advocacy, and ecosystem organizing. A crucial aspect of this role is the willingness to represent not just the Sikh Coalition but the Sikh community in conversations around efforts to defend and expand the civil rights of all marginalized groups in the spirit of the Sikh principle of sarbat da bhala (for the good of all). Additionally, the role demands flexibility and adaptability in terms of being able to understand, analyze, and concisely communicate to others the complexities of various policy proposals.

The successful candidate will serve as a key representative of the Sikh Coalition, articulating the concerns and perspectives of the Sikh community in diverse forums, including policy roundtables and conferences, meetings with legislators and agency staff, and meetings with ecosystem partners. 

Key Areas / Responsibilities: 

• Develop and maintain relationships with government officials, policymakers, and key civil rights ecosystem partners, and effectively engage with these stakeholders to advance the Sikh Coalition's advocacy goals and initiatives;
• Analyze and synthesize complex legislative and policy documents into clear, concise summaries to inform the Sikh Coalition's advocacy strategies, including written and oral reports, letters, policy briefs, presentations, reports, and talking points, and community-facing content to explain all of the above;
• Vet and consider proposals (including sign-on letters, advocacy toolkits, and wider campaigns) from allied organization in the civil rights ecosystem and weigh their relative value to the strategic imperatives of the Sikh Coalition;
• Apply an understanding of various policy areas and legislative or administrative processes to provide strategic recommendations on policy solutions that align with the Sikh Coalition's mission and objectives;
• Contribute to the development and execution of advocacy campaigns and initiatives that are aligned with the Sikh Coalition’s goals and values; and
• Where necessary, act as a spokesperson for the Sikh Coalition in various forums, including meetings, conferences, and community-facing engagements.

Requirements:

Qualifications, Skills, and Abilities

The ideal candidate for the role will have:

• Bachelor's Degree in Political Science, Public Policy, Law, or a related field. 
• 1-3 years of experience in employment and/or internship positions related to advocacy, policy analysis, government relations, or a related field, preferably at the federal level;
• Demonstrated experience in building and maintaining relationships with government officials and civil society actors;
• Strong understanding of legislative and policy-making processes;
• A willingness to learn about a wide variety of topics related to civil rights, including but not limited to hate crimes, workplace discrimination, inclusive education, immigration, transnational repression, and more;
• Excellent writing and communication skills, including strong public speaking and presentation skills.

The ideal candidate will also exemplify the Sikh Coalition’s values:

• Belief in the Sikh Coalition values of truth (sach), service and humility (seva), and persistence (sangarsh) as being critical in how we pursue creating change;
• Respect for the faith-based roots of the organization and sensitivity to the specific cultural needs of the community;
• Commitment to consensus-building and shared decision making as a process, coupled with the ability to make decisions and bring together the whole team on delivering against them; and
• A commitment to social justice and a strong interest in social justice education and community empowerment.

Compensation:

This is a full-time, remote, exempt salaried position and compensation will depend on the role and be commensurate with experience in the $60,000 - $65,000 range. 

Benefits include:

• Medical, dental, vision starting the first day of work, fully covered for employees, including a zero deductible medical plan. 
• Ability to contribute to a Flexible Spending Account (FSA).
• Retirement savings 401K plan with an immediate vested contribution match.
• Generous vacation and sick leave.
• Home office reimbursement.
• Paid parental leave.
• Employee perks including benefits and retail discounts through our PEO service.
• Commitment to professional development and growth. Applicable professional membership dues can be eligible for reimbursement.
• Annual team-wide offsites with opportunity for team building, team bonding, and other activities.

TO APPLY: Please submit a current resume and a substantive cover letter highlighting your interest and relevant experience. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

The Sikh Coalition is an Equal Opportunity Employer. The Sikh Coalition is committed to providing equal employment opportunity for all employees and applicants, and does not discriminate against any employee or applicant on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, physical or mental handicap, political belief, marital status, age, veteran status, ancestry, caste, medical condition, genetic characteristic, pregnancy, registered domestic partner status, sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression, reproductive health choices, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state and local laws.

Salary : $60,000 - $65,000