Choose a career where you can better someone else’s life, while bettering your own. The Greater Cleveland Food Bank is the largest hunger relief organization in Northeast Ohio having provided over 50 million meals in 2021 to hungry people in Cuyahoga, Ashtabula, Geauga, Lake, Ashland and Richland counties. The organization’s mission is to ensure that everyone in these communities has the nutritious food they need every day.

Apply for a position at Greater Cleveland Food Bank where we offer a culture of learning and development, competitive pay and amazing benefits including Low Cost Medical, Dental, Vision, Short-Term and Long Term Disability, Life Insurance, Generous Retirement Plan, and Holiday Pay all starting on first day of hire and paid time off which starts after 90 days.

The Director of Advocacy and Public Education educates and lobbies with local, state and Federal elected officials to gain support for hunger related issues and to increase funding to hunger programs that are essential to GCFB. The Director of Advocacy is directly responsible for creating and maintaining relationships with legislators and the public which directly affects the supports our ability to serve those in our community.

SUMMARY

The Director of Advocacy and Public Education works with the Greater Cleveland Food Bank board-level Advocacy Committee and staff to carry out the public policy priorities set forth in the Food Bank’s Board-approved Strategic Plan and Emergency Food Agenda. Creates and implements initiatives to impact and influence legislation in support of the Food Bank mission. Builds public support and creates awareness of hunger, serving as an internal and external resource on research and issues that affect the Food Bank, our partner agencies and the clients they serve. The position supervises a full time Advocacy and Education Analyst, who oversees the Advocacy Fellow.

The position educates elected officials about how they can help fight hunger, works closely with local leaders and community organizations, manages grassroots volunteer advocacy efforts, and oversees public education initiatives.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES include the following. This list is not all-inclusive and other duties may be assigned.

• Leads efforts to implement public policy priorities in the Food Bank’s Strategic Plan and “Emergency Food Agenda.” Engages CEO, Senior Leadership Team, Advocacy Committee, and other key staff in these efforts.
• Supports strategic planning efforts related to our advocacy work. Identifies new initiatives and outcomes annually in support of public policy priorities in the Agenda.
• Develops and manages advocacy department budget. Keeps track of time and resources spent on lobbying efforts for reporting purposes.
• Provides annual education sessions, including poverty simulations, for Board members, board level committees (when appropriate), and other community organizations.
• Serves as GCFB expert on nutrition-related legislation and programs, with an emphasis on programs authorized in the Farm Bill, Child Nutrition Reauthorization, and Ohio’s General Operating Budget.
• Lobbies to protect and strengthen nutrition programming at the federal and state levels, with an emphasis on commodity programs and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
• Serves as primary GCFB advocate with elected officials in D.C, Columbus and locally with involvement and support from CEO, Chief Programs Officer, and Advocacy Committee. Educates elected officials about what they can do to address food insecurity in Northeast Ohio. Supports and expands existing relationships and identifies and creates new relationships.
• Researches and lobbies for public funding to support capital growth and necessary programming to support the mission of GCFB.
• Researches, develops and coordinates public policy education campaigns and activities. Creates toolkits, white papers, email campaigns, and other materials to enable various constituents to communicate about current issues relating to nutrition programs.
• Collaborates with Help Center and Benefits Outreach teams to ensure income-eligible residents are able to access SNAP and other critical benefits. Serves on the Benefits Access Partnership to address and elevate SNAP access challenges to Jobs and Family Services.
• Works collaboratively with the Government Relations team at Feeding America, the nation’s food bank network, to provide background information on local legislators and their involvement in hunger relief, and guidance as appropriate. Participates in federal advocacy calls, campaigns, and provides support to Feeding Advocacy initiatives. Tracks direct legislator outreach, media/press engagements, local partnerships, grassroots actions, grasstops engagements, and all necessary information as required by Feeding America’s annual Network Activity Report.
• Works with the Ohio Association of Foodbanks to lobby on advocacy issues in our state. Engages our network in calls to action, email campaigns and other OAF-led efforts.
• Recruits, manages and motivates grassroots advocates, engaging them in activities in support of public policy priorities. Develops anti-hunger action tools (petitions, action alert emails, sample letters, etc.) and distributes them widely to encourage maximum possible usage. Maintain database of advocates and legislative contacts in Raiser’s Edge.
• Serves as GCFB spokesperson on policy-related issues. Develops materials, writes and edits Op-Eds, fact sheets, speeches, press releases, memorandums and other communications materials related to advocacy.
• Works closely with the GCFB communications department to share research and provide advocacy-related information to the public at large.
• Coordinates policy-related meetings and events to educate constituents, elected officials and the general public about the need for food in our community and what people can do to help.
• Attend and speak at events as a GCFB representative to relay information, share research and educate listeners about hunger and hunger relief efforts.
• Maintains required job knowledge and skills and core professional competencies. Attends and participates in required educational programs and staff meetings.
• Serves as a member of the community impact leadership team, providing guidance on department issues and opportunities and helping with projects outside of his/her area of responsibility as needed.
• Provides oversight to the Speakers’ Bureau, a group of dedicated volunteers who give presentations to the community at large about the Food Bank and our mission.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Supervisory Responsibilities

Supervises one (1) full-time staff member (Advocacy and Education Analyst)

QUALIFICATIONS

Bachelor's degree (B. A.) from four-year college or university. Five to seven years of experience in the field of public policy, understanding of state and federal government and how legislation is enacted. Previous non-profit experience preferred. Willingness to work beyond normal working hours when necessary. Strong diplomacy, writing, interpersonal communication, organizational and computer skills required. An understanding that the Food Bank is a non-partisan organization and that support from all parties is critical to our success in serving our community. This position requires strong attention to detail, ability to work in a team atmosphere, motivate volunteers and manage a flexible schedule. Must be able and willing to register as a legislative lobbyist with the State of Ohio. Some early morning and late evening meetings as well as occasional travel will be required.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS
The physical requirements for this position include: Ability to frequently remain in a stationary position. Ability to move about inside the office to access file cabinets, office machinery, etc. on seldom occasions. Ability to operate a computer or other office productivity machinery frequently. Ability to ascend/descend stairs to access work spaces on seldom occasions. Ability to position or move body to access filing cabinets or other work equipment on seldom occasions. Ability to constantly exchange accurate information and communicate in person or via telephone with clients, partners, donors, coworkers and other members of the community. Must be able to frequently view a computer screen. Travel to meetings throughout the state can occur; travel out of state for conferences and lobby-related events can occur. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally exposed to outside weather conditions. The noise level in the work environment is usually quiet.

Don’t just apply for a job, apply at the Greater Cleveland Food Bank where our passion is feeding those in need and feeding the need for purposeful work. At the Food Bank diversity and inclusion are an important element of our culture and our organizational success.

Proud to be a North Coast 99 Employer for 6 years in a row

Proud to be a Cleveland.com Top Workplace for 2017

Payrate: $75,500 to $90,000, based on experience