California Policy Officer

Government Affairs and Advocacy 

• Serve as RLF’s lead public policy strategist and advocate in Sacramento.
• Research, analyze, and develop policies and campaigns to meet organizational goals.
• Monitor legislation, consult stakeholders, and draft analysis.
• Cultivate and maintain strong relationships with legislators, legislative staff, governor's office, state agency leadership, and other decision makers.
• Monitor the legislative process, budget, and regulatory landscape.
• Lobby decision makers on specific policy and budget items.

Strategy, Partnerships, and Internal Support 

• Assist program staff in designing and executing effective policy and public funding campaigns.
• Advise staff on policy strategy, assess feasibility, alignment, and strategic leverage points for their priorities.
• Train staff on legislative and budget processes, policy analysis, decision-making processes, advocacy, and politics.  
• Work with partners to develop and implement policy solutions.
• Provide or commission needed policy analysis, and draft related collateral (public comments, bill language, etc.).
• Identify opportunities for RLF to expand its impact.
• Convene and participate in statewide coalitions, task forces, and special initiatives.
• As needed, assist compliance staff with lobby tracking and other compliance issues.
• Hire and manage contract lobbyists and other consultants as needed.
• Undertake special projects as assigned.

Qualifications:

Note: These qualifications are guidelines, not hard and fast rules, so if you have 75% of the qualifications listed, we encourage you to apply. Experience can include paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work and lived experiences that helped you to build the competencies, knowledge, and skills needed for this position. Applying gives you the opportunity to be considered.

• At least 10 years of experience in government affairs, public policy, and/or advocacy campaigns. 
• Excellent working knowledge of California policymaking, state budgeting, regulatory processes, and related politics. 
• Strong working knowledge of California’s environmental, climate, and conservation landscape. 
• Comfortable and eager to work within complex policy, stakeholder, and political spaces.  
• Experience building trust-based relationships with diverse constituencies such as policymakers, government officials, Tribes/Tribal communities, non-profit partners and the private sector.
• Experience engaging with diverse coalitions and effective campaigns for policy and funding outcomes.
• Excellent composition, editing, and spoken communication skills. Ability to synthesize complex information from multiple sources into lucid, cohesive, and compelling written products.
• A commitment to a work environment free from discrimination, where all team members feel welcomed, valued, and respected.
• Positive attitude and a commitment to being part of and building a positive work environment.