WAND (Women's Action for New Directions) is a national, non-profit organization which works to educate the public and opinion leaders about the need to reduce violence and militarism in society, and redirect excessive military spending to unmet human and environmental needs. WAND operates two non-profit organizations with one united vision. WAND Education fund is a non-partisan educational program. WAND Inc. helps us to transform our ideas into policies and real change. WAND has a staff of 12, with offices in Arlington, MA, Washington, DC, and Atlanta, GA.

WAND began in 1981 as Women's Action for Nuclear Disarmament. Today, our work focuses on several areas:

Progress toward reduction and elimination of nuclear weapons
Changing national budget priorities to redirect money away from outmoded military weapons designed to fight the Cold War, and toward human needs
Educating and empowering women to take effective political action
Creating a pipeline of women leaders to run for office up to Congress and beyond. (WAND has a program for women state legislators called WiLL)

The Position:

General Responsibilities: WAND seeks a Washington director to represent WAND in Washington, carry out the legislative, political and policy goals of the organization before Congress and the Administration, and through coordination with the arms control and women's communities. Supervised by WAND's Executive Director, the public policy director will research and analyze policy options; develop and direct policies, programs and strategies to implement the mission of the organization; and manage WAND's political action committee (PAC). This person will work out of the D.C. office and manage the staff in the D.C. office.

Essential Functions:

Annually develop a policy agenda that highlights WAND's issues
Analyze new and existing federal policies and their impact on programs and create proposed action plan to address WAND's position on areas that may impact our mission
Advocate WAND policy positions before Congress and the Administration
Develop, nurture, and leverage relationships with elected and appointed officials and their staffs, and with national advocacy organizations and coalitions that can influence federal policies related to WAND issues
Develop, promote, monitor and help to implement new or revised policies and legislative strategies designed to promote our issues
Represent WAND outside of the organization at meetings and speaking engagements
Prepare (with the help from communications staff) policy and advocacy materials, including issue briefs, legislative recommendations, journal articles, letters, press statements, opinion editorials, action alerts, and talking points
Provide issue-related information for grants supporting WAND work
Help keep WAND website updated with latest policy resources and materials related to our work (working with communications staff)
Help to develop a strategy to engage state chapters, partners, and WiLL members in federal policy development and advocacy activities
Qualifications

Bachelor's degree in related field
Minimum of 5 years managerial experience
Minimum of 5 years Capitol Hill experience
Understanding of federal policy-making process
Understanding of political landscape and ability to work on issues that require bi-partisan support to lead to policy change
Knowledge of foreign policy and federal budget issues, and major organizations involved with setting policy and advocating for policy changes and improvements
Demonstrated skill/experience in developing strategies to affect public policy debates and decisions, and an ability to consider complex issues and explain those issues (both in writing and orally) for broader audiences.
Advanced communications skills including public speaking, persuasive writing and negotiations. Ability to communicate tactfully and effectively, both verbally and in writing, with a wide range of external contacts, and the ability to speak to large and small groups as well as facilitate and plan meetings.
Demonstrate the maturity and confidence to work internally and externally to promote the legislative agenda
Familiarity with key policy issues important to WAND
Proficiency in Microsoft PowerPoint, Excel, Word and Outlook
Ability to prepare graphic presentation and conduct internet research
Salary commensurate with experience, plus benefits including generous vacation, personal and holiday time-off. Pension plan options after first year.

To Apply:

Please submit a cover letter outlining your interest in the position, your salary history, two writing samples, and a recent copy of your resume to Sharon Zimmerman jobs@wand.org This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . We seek diversity including but not limited to race, sex, age, physical and mental ability, sexual orientation, religion, class, philosophy and culture.