Director, Government Affairs

Director, Government Affairs

FH - Food for the Hungry

Washington, DC, United States

Job Summary

The Director is responsible for developing, directing, and overseeing FH’s US government relations, policy work, and advocacy agenda, in order to leverage influence on behalf of the most vulnerable. In consultation with the VP External Affairs, this role will lead strategic planning related to external policy and advocacy and will define and develop FH policy positions consistent with FH’s Heartbeat. The Director will elevate and build FH’s reputation and brand among U.S. government, the advocacy community, and other institutions in order to help position FH as a first-rate relief and development organization and partner of choice.

Principal Responsibilities

• Directs U.S. government relations and represents FH to policymakers at the highest levels within U.S.G. (Congress and the Executive Branch) with a focus on addressing FH’s development and humanitarian response issues, concerns, and policies.
• Educates Congress and the Executive Branch on FH-implemented and other U.S.G. foreign assistance programs with the goal of building public policy champions of effective and efficient U.S.G. foreign assistance programs.
• Develops public policy and advocacy strategies as they relate to FH’s overall strategic planning process.
• Develops poverty-focused international development and humanitarian assistance policy positions and pronouncements, including position statements in response to urgent crises, consistent with FH’s Heartbeat.
• Leads efforts to engage FH donors (grassroots and grasstops) at key moments of engagement with the U.S. Congress.
• Ensures FH’s faith voice and concerns as a faith-based organization are represented and preserved among USG and other global institutions.
• Represents the organization among external policy and advocacy leaders and at global policy forums to advance FH policy positions.
• Builds relationships with fellow International Non-Governmental Organizations (INGO) and Civil Society Organizations (CSO) to shape, influence, and advance the INGO/CSO community’s strategic policy goals.
• Leads FH’s policy and advocacy engagement as part of FH’s memberships in relevant policy coalitions and alliances.
• Oversees successful execution of policy and advocacy-related grants, and public policy and advocacy donor relationships.
• Regularly liaises with fellow FH teams, including Relief & Humanitarian Affairs, Programs, Regions and Country Offices, Marketing & Communications, and both Private and Public Resource Development leadership to ensure consistent internal and external communication that exemplifies FH’s Heartbeat.
• Other duties as assigned.

Job Level Specifications

• Vibrant personal relationship with Jesus Christ, a Christian commitment to serving the poor and in full agreement with FH’s Christian beliefs expressed in The Heartbeat.
• Strong analytical and reasoning skills and be able to draw connections between FH’s field work, donor engagement and perpetually changing relief and development landscape, and demonstrate trusted leadership among policymakers.
• Readily understands and gauges the views and intentions of Congress and the US Administration regarding policies, bills and appropriations related to foreign assistance and affecting the work of FH.
• Team player and a proactive manager of people and processes with outstanding interpersonal and leadership skills.
• Articulate and persuasive when speaking before both large and small groups.
• Ability to interact positively with all levels of the organization and across organizational and cultural boundaries.
• Experience managing teams, unit budgets, and grants.
• Demonstrated capacity to create and maintain professional networks.
• Experience in political and budget formation processes within Capitol Hill and the Administration.
• Demonstrated experience in development and humanitarian advocacy.
• Demonstrated computer-operating skills, including proficiency in Google platforms, Microsoft Office products, and virtual technologies such as Skype and/or Zoom.
• Ability to travel up to 20% of time per year in the US and internationally, to insecure countries or locations.

Experience

• At least 7 years related experience in PPA or Government Affairs.
• Non-profit ministry experience within a global organization is a plus.

Education/Certifications

• Bachelor's degree in English, Political Science, Law, or development related fields preferred.

Language

• Proficiency in spoken and written English. Ability to write reports, business correspondence, and procedure manuals. Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from groups of managers, clients, customers, and the general public.

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