Vice President, Federal and Political Affairs

What You'll Do

GIFFORDS is seeking a Vice President of Federal and Political Affairs to join our team. This role oversees GIFFORDS' federal legislative initiatives and the strategy, planning, the coalitions team, and execution of all PAC, political, and electoral programs. The VP, Federal and Political Affairs will also serve as a senior spokesperson and representative for the organization, especially in Washington DC, and will serve as a senior organizational liaison to federal and advocacy organization coalition partners, federal elected officials, and candidates at all levels.

They will also serve as a member of GIFFORDS Executive Management Team, responsible for organization-wide strategic planning; execution of strategic imperatives through program and budget; sharing decision-making and providing input on cross-cutting issues; and elevating, monitoring, and addressing issues related to organizational performance.

Key Responsibilities:

• Design, lead, and execute federal affairs and political strategies, in coordination with staff and outside consultants aimed at passing critical legislation, establishing sensible gun safety regulation, and electing gun safety-aligned candidates to office.
• Steward and build high-level organizational relationships with government officials, elected leaders, candidates, principals, partners and others in service of communicating the organization's missions and goals and educating this audience on gun safety issues.
• Lead the organization's maintenance of strategic relationships with peer movements and organizations outside of the gun safety world, as part of comprehensive legislative and political strategy.
• Develop organization's gun violence prevention federal legislative priorities, including both offensive and defensive goals, through collaboration with the policy, research, community violence and litigation teams, and relevant outside partners and stakeholders.
• Work closely with the Vice President, State Affairs to ensure that strategies at the federal and state levels are coordinated and overarching messaging is consistent, as appropriate.
• Oversee a team of roughly seven federal, political staff, and numerous outside consultants working to execute the organization's legislative and political strategies.
• Elevate the issue of gun safety as a key policy priority and voting issue.
• Oversee the creation and analysis of new information and production of related materials to support government affairs and political agendas including talking points, fact sheets, testimony, letters, reports, among other materials.
• Serve as a senior spokesperson and representative for the organization, especially in Washington DC.
• Apply an inclusion, diversity, equity, and anti-racism lens to all aspects of the organization's government and political affairs work, including participating in and supporting the work of the Giffords IDEA team.

Who You'll Work With

• You will report to the Executive Director.
• You will supervise the Federal Affairs Director and the Political/Coalitions Director.

• At least fifteen years experience with federal legislative lobbying or political campaigns, with an emphasis on experience in the advocacy sector. Comfortable with the process of policy development and analysis.
• At least seven years' experience in effectively managing a team and a variety of outside consultants; able to motivate and inspire teams in the face of challenges.
• Demonstrated success building a team culture of inclusion, impact, and tenacity, valuing diverse voices and perspectives along with an appreciation for bipartisanship, pragmatism, and the power of unlikely alliances.
• Ability to grow GIFFORDS' brand, network, and relationships, with a track record of influencing leaders in government, politics, advocacy, etc.
• Strong analytical skills, with the ability to drive decision-making and implement major projects.
• Exceptional people and project management skills and demonstrated success building, managing and mentoring teams that produce high-quality results.
• Ability to coordinate effectively with external stakeholders by building new relationships, and creating and maintaining strategic partnerships.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills; demonstrated ability to convey complex issues in clear and simple terms.
• Demonstrated problem-solving skills and ability to be flexible.

Location and Work Environment

This is a full-time position based in our Washington DC office. This position requires the ability and willingness to travel up to 25% of the time, as well as interest and ability in staffing occasional weekend and evening events. This position will be expected to work in a hybrid model (2 days a week in the office, 3 days a week remotely).

Compensation

The salary range for this position is up to $250,000 annually with the exact salary depending on experience.

Benefits

Competitive benefits include employer-funded health, dental, and vision insurance; health, transit, and parking flexible spending accounts; 401k plan with 4% employer match; reimbursement for cell phone and monthly wifi stipend, 25 days of PTO annually plus paid week closure at the end of the calendar year; and ten paid federal holidays.

GIFFORDS is a nonprofit organization whose team is on a mission to save lives from gun violence. GIFFORDS is proud to be an equal opportunity employer committed to creating an environment that celebrates diversity, equity, and inclusion. People of color, trans individuals, gender non-conforming individuals, women, people with differing abilities, and veterans are strongly encouraged to apply.