Job Description

Overview

The national offices of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), based in Louisville Kentucky, serve with mid-councils, congregations, worshipping communities, and partner organizations to carry forth the mission of Jesus Christ. Approximately 400 individuals, diverse in race, age, gender, sexual orientation, faith, skills, and more, come together as colleagues to work for a world where justice reigns, peace prevails, and God’s love extends to all people. This community comprises the staff of several national agencies and entities: the Office of the General Assembly, Presbyterian Investment and Loan Corporation, the Presbyterian Mission Agency, the Presbyterian Publishing Corporation, Presbyterian Women, and the Administrative Services Group. Join a community of gifted and caring professionals to work closely with the Associate Director for the Office of Public Witness apart of the Compassion, Peace and Justice ministry area. 

Position Purpose:

1. Advocate on behalf of the public policy positions of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) General Assembly on matters of domestic policy and environmental justice to the federal government;
2. Equip Presbyterians to engage in advocacy on domestic legislative issues;
3. Co-manage the internship program for the office with the other staff and Office Manager;
4. Help coordinate communications between PC(USA) program agencies and community partners.

This position is based in our Washington D.C. office. 

Job Skills / Requirements

Roles and Responsibilities (listed in order of priority):

1. Advocate for the domestic policy issues approved by the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). Special attention must be given to the issue priorities established by the meetings of the General Assembly.
   • Provide leadership in ecumenical, interfaith and secular coalitions to advocate on issue priorities
   • In coalitions, use tactics such as advocacy meetings with Members of Congress and Staff, press conferences, sign on letters, call in days, issuing of statements, to influence just public policy
   • Participate in campaigns that align with issue priorities
2. Work in conjunction with other offices of Presbyterian Mission Agency and the Office of General Assembly as assigned by the OPW Director to advance policy goals.
   • Collaborate with the Office of Immigration Issues and Presbyterian Disaster Assistance to streamline and coordinate the PCUSA’s Sanctuary efforts
   • Collaborate with Mission Responsibility Through Investment on efforts to divest Church resources from institutions whose actions conflict with GA policy positions
   • Collaborate with the Presbyterian Hunger Program to advocate on child nutrition and government entitlements preservation, in addition to environmental justice advocacy
   • Work with Peacemaking, the LGBTQIA+ Task Force, and the Office at the United Nations on LGBT asylum and refugee issues
3. Supervise and Administer OPW internship program in conjunction with staff
   • Publicize the fellowship, recruit a strong pool of applicants, maintain relationships with seminaries and colleges with the staff team, conduct interviews, make selections
   • Create work plans, set expectations, provide accountability
   • Evaluate fellows and provide letters of recommendation
4. Partner within the WISC community and other Ecumenical/Interfaith groups in Washington, DC on lobby visits, sign on letters and active engagement in justice advocacy through roundtable discussions, working group tables, webinars, and other opportunities.
   • Active in the WISC Working Group on Race and Racism
   • Engage with working groups that align with work duties and responsibilities as listed in this position description.
5. Represent the OPW at the CPJ Communications Table and produce communications for the office
   • Participate in monthly CPJ communications table calls
   • Contribute to CPJ publications
   • Advise communications of upcoming events in DC and collaborate to report on them
   • Work with communications to produce quarterly Washington Report to Presbyterians, 8-page newsletter with legislative updates
   • Draft press releases, advisories, and statements on behalf of the director
6. Other duties assigned by the Director.

Education:

• Bachelor’s Degree required; Master’s Degree in Public Policy or M. Div. preferred
• Demonstrated skill in advancing public policy at the local, state or federal level
• Demonstrated experience creating coalition strategy
• 3-5 years grassroots or community organizing experience
• Confidence developing congregational leaders
• Demonstrated openness to an ecumenical/interfaith work environment.

Experience:

• Experience in Justice Advocacy Work in Washington, DC, or state and local advocacy.
• Strong writing and editing skills; ability to work collaboratively in a small office environment; community organizing skills; supervisory and management experience.

Essential Position Requirements:

• Excellent written and oral communication skills; must be able to communicate adverse outcomes with compassion, sensitivity, and clarity.
• Data Analysis for aid administration and mission priorities; must be able to identify critical data points related to objectives and seek data to resource mission priorities.
• Work flow administration; must be adept at organizing work, developing deficiency analysis tools, interventions for incomplete applicants, and checklists organized around decision trees.
• Networking to build relationships with financial aid professionals, mid-councils, and staff in the church corporations.
• Confidentiality

Helpful Skills:

• Experience working in communities that have been oppressed and marginalized, fluency in anti-racism, and equity work and environmental justice.

Required Competencies:

• • Collaborative: Works together in an inclusive community, invites input, shares ideas and seeks the best ways to accomplish common goals.
  • Accountable: Takes responsibility for actions and works with integrity, transparency and love.
  • Responsive: Responds to the voices and needs of the church by being timely, helpful, enthusiastic and mission-centered
  • Excellent: Works with energy, intelligence, imagination and love.
  • Cultural Proficiency: Understands and values differences in various cultures
    within the organization. Manages dynamics of cultural differences within a work group. Adapts to cultural diversity by continuously learning about differences and creates opportunities for staff to learn about one another.
  • Life / Work Balance: Recognize the importance of rest and renewal and maintain an appropriate balance between work life and personal life by adapting to changing needs at work, taking time to pursue personal interests, seeking others' help and discernment when needed and responding appropriately when they are overcommitted or when faced with stressful or dynamic situations.

Physical Requirements:

This is largely a sedentary position that may require occasional filing and lifting up to 15 pounds. Requires the ability to see, hear, speak, type, write, walk, stand, bend and lift.  This is a full-time position.

Sensory and physical requirements include the ability to communicate verbally in person and by telephone and the ability to read and understand written materials. Ability to communicate in a manner suitable to a church office environment.

Overnight, out of town travel will be necessary in support of fulfilling work needs and obligations.

Education Requirements (Any)

Bachelor Degree

Additional Information / Benefits

We believe a balanced life, with time for work, leisure, and spiritual nurture, makes us healthier and more productive colleagues at the Presbyterian Center.

The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) offers a competitive benefits package including:

Company Paid Benefits
Medical
Vacation Days
Sick Days
Paid Holidays
Death and Disability
Pension Plan
Short-Term and Long-Term Disability
Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

Voluntary Benefits
Dental insurance
Flexible Spending accounts
403(b) Retirement Savings Plan
Group Term Life Insurance
Critical Illness Insurance
Accident Insurance

The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
Individuals living with disability encouraged to apply.