Senior Advocacy Manager

Legislative Advocacy: 

• Develop and execute strategies to influence local, state, and federal legislation and budgets to better support the Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail, trails programs at large, and public lands. 
• Build and maintain productive relationships with elected officials, staff, agency leaders, and partner organizations. 
• Monitor relevant policy developments and provide timely analysis and recommendations. 
• Collaborate with necessary PCTA staff and partner organizations to analyze and/or draft proposed legislation.  

Community Engagement and Mobilization: 

• Design and lead a PCT-focused volunteer advocacy network to support targeted legislative, policy, and community campaigns. 
• Educate and rally community members to speak on behalf of the protection of the PCT experience and public lands.   
• Train and empower volunteers to engage effectively with their communities, lawmakers, and media. 
• Organize and manage annual advocacy trips to Washington, D.C. for PCTA staff and volunteers. This includes drafting talking points and leave-behind materials that support budget and legislative priorities for PCTA and the larger trails community. 
• Collaborate with PCTA’s Trail Operations staff to support regional and local advocacy efforts, including drafting materials and coordinating in person, local events.   

Public Campaigns and Communications: 

• Write and implement persuasive public campaigns that build political and community support for the PCT and public lands priorities. 
• Author articles, op-eds, and policy communications that advance the PCTA’s mission and policy priorities. 
• Represent the organization through public speaking engagements, presentations, coalition events, and press/media engagement. 
• Collaborate with PCTA’s Marketing and Communications and Philanthropy staff to design and deploy campaigns to increase awareness, advocacy volunteer engagement, and fundraising. Work closely with other program areas to offer opportunities for advocacy volunteers to engage with other parts of the PCTA such as volunteering or donating. 

Partnerships and Coalitions: 

• Actively engage in broad, nonpartisan coalitions to strengthen the collective public lands and trail recreation movements.  
• Collaborate with partner organizations, outdoor recreation groups, and community advocates to shape local and national response to public lands projects and policies. Align PCT-focused strategies with regional and national groups to amplify impact. 
• Participate with partner organizations, such as the Partnership for the National Trails System, to advance the management of trails and public lands to ensure their protection and enjoyment for generations to come.   

See full job description on our website at: https://www.pcta.org/about-us/jobs/  

What makes you a great fit for this position:  

• Minimum 5 years of experience in legislative advocacy, government relations, reporting, or public policy work related to environmental, conservation, or outdoor recreation issues. 
• Demonstrated success engaging with elected officials at multiple levels of government. 
• Proven experience in grassroots organizing or volunteer network management across a large geography. 
• Exceptional writing and communications skills, with published examples highly weighted 
• Strong public speaking and diplomatic skills; adept at working across political and cultural boundaries. 
• Strategic, self-directed, and collaborative, with the ability to manage multiple priorities in a remote work setting. 

Physical Requirements: 

• The ability to work at a computer for several hours at a time 
• The ability to occasionally walk up to five miles on uneven ground to visit trail projects 

Typical Working Conditions and Travel: 

The Senior Advocacy Manager is a PCTA headquarters position, currently located in Sacramento, CA. This position is eligible to work remotely from a location in California, Oregon, or Washington near a major airport or near a PCT community with access to a regional airport.  The Senior Advocacy Manager will be expected to attend in-person meetings and events to conduct their work including local, regional, and national travel for advocacy visits. A valid driver’s license is required.