Hunger Free America Seeks Director of Policy and Research (NYC)

Hunger Free America (founded in 1983 as the New York City Coalition Against Hunger) is a dynamic and highly effective national progressive anti-hunger advocacy and direct service organization that is based in New York City but works in all 50 states.

The Nation has written that the organization has grown into “one of the leading direct service and advocacy organizations on hunger and poverty in the nation.”

Our mission is to build a nonpartisan, grass-roots movement to enact the progressive public policies and programs needed to end domestic hunger and ensure that all Americans have sufficient access to nutritious food.

Our long-term goal is not just to ameliorate the problem, but also to build the people’s movement necessary to enact the economic and public policies needed to end hunger entirely. Given that hunger drains our economy and tears at our moral and civic fabric, we know that eliminating it will boost the nation both economically and spiritually. Towards that end, we’ve adopted the motto: “Ending hunger lifts us all.”

HFA is looking to immediately fill its Director of Policy and Research position, which will be based in the New York City headquarters of Hunger Free America and will report directly to the organization’s Chief Executive Officer.

Job Responsibilities:

  • Overseeing the organization’s research related to hunger, poverty, nutrition, and food-related economic development. Researching, writing, editing, and distributing reports, policy memos, and other materials on hunger, poverty, and nutrition issues. To give one example, leading efforts to research and write a report on application requirements and processes at the New York City and New York State related to SNAP, WIC, Medicaid, HEAP, Section 8 and child care subsidies.
  • Lead efforts to achieve concrete government anti-hunger and anti-poverty policy victories at the federal, state, and local government levels.
  • Lead efforts to convince federal, state, and local elected and appointed government officials to increase funding for Hunger Free America and other anti-hunger and anti-poverty efforts.
  • Directly lobbying elected and appointed officials.
  • Working with the Chief Executive Officer, Manager of Child Nutrition, and Director of Organizing, and the organization’s board of directors to develop Hunger Free America’s and Hunger Free New York City’s anti-hunger and anti-poverty policy goals.
  • Serving as the chief liaison for Hunger Free New York City with other anti-hunger and anti-poverty advocacy organizations.
  • Writing, distributing, and following-up on timely online and paper documents and publications, such as “action alerts,” as well as blog posts and social media posts designed to engage the public in advocacy efforts.
  • Building and maintaining advocacy contact management databases.
  • Supervising advocacy and research interns and volunteers.
  • Working closely with the organization’s communications staff to use social and news media to advance the organization’s advocacy agenda.
  • Working closely with the organization’s development staff to develop public education materials and assist with grant applications and research.
  • Carrying out other duties, as assigned.

Qualifications: 

The ideal candidate will have significant and effective management experience in community organizing, policy research, issues advocacy and lobbying, legislation analysis, and conducting and writing research reports.

Must possess strong writing and policy research skills. 

Experience working with or for elected officials — either in governmental or campaign positions — is a plus. Spanish fluency is also a plus.

A Master’s Degree or professional degree is preferred, although people with very significant, relevant, work experience will be considered. 

The organization is seeking a self-starter with strong coalition-building, communications, problem solving, and inter-personal skills, as well as a very positive, “can do” attitude and a demonstrated commitment to fighting poverty and enacting progressive social change. 

The ideal candidate should be comfortable working in a flexible environment and possess demonstrated commitment to, and effectiveness in, fighting poverty and enacting progressive social change. The ability to work in diverse neighborhoods and with diverse people is a must. Given that the nature of this work is ever-changing, the ideal candidate should have the ability to multitask by handling long-term goals while addressing the day-to-day nuances of the legislative and social change environment. 

Details at a glance

  • On-site Location
  • Full Time Schedule
  • 4-Year Degree Required
  • Managerial

Benefits

Salary will be competitive with other similar positions in nonprofit organizations. Hunger Free America offers benefits, including a health insurance plan, to all full-time…

Level of Language Proficiency

Spanish fluency is a plus.

How To Apply

jobs@hungerfreeamerica.org

https://www.hungerfreeamerica.org/about/jobs-and-internships

  • To apply, submit a resume, a cover letter detailing your qualifications for this specific position, and a brief grant-related writing sample to:
  • Email: jobs@hungerfreeamerica.org…

Location

50 Broad Street, Suite 1103, New York, NY 10004