Community Impact Department

JOB SUMMARY:

Under the general direction and guidance of the Director, Homeless Initiatives, the Public Affairs Manager, Homeless Initiatives will be responsible for critical aspects of Home For Good, the initiative to create and sustain an end to homelessness in LA County. The Manager will help engineer the drum beat of this inspiring and historic effort. In particular, the Manager will activate and sustain the involvement of key segments of our work: the public at large, advocates, and business leaders. The Manager will cultivate these important stakeholders through orientation an organizing efforts, regular and strategic communications and form a collective advocacy campaign to secure substantially higher investments in housing and services needed to end homelessness.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

• Craft and implement a communications strategy for major public education campaigns and for Home For Good’s key stakeholders. Home For Good is a collective effort of over 100 community based providers and features an annual walk of over 10,000 members of the public. In any work of collective impact, regular and strategic communications are the lifeblood of greater impact, and the Manager will be entrusted to cultivate this profoundly important strategy.
• Develop and execute a broad-based policy agenda and community organizing strategy. United Way has a portfolio of funded advocacy organizations. The Manager will work to organize this body to develop joint actions that drive toward the investments and policies necessary to end homelessness.
• Manage and drive the strategic direction of the Home For Good Business Leaders Task Force. The Manager will also be the primary staffer that supports preparation and follow-up to regular meetings and actions of the Task Force. The aim will be to ensure that this unique body is meaningfully connected to the broader actions of Home For Good and a key catalyst in public and political mobilization.
• Develop and strengthen necessary relationships with staff at elected offices, advocacy organizations, public agency staff, at leading service providers, and strategic community stakeholders.
• Manage and monitor budgets of public affairs work and solicit additional resources as necessary.
• Manage a set of special advisors and contractors to provide specialized supports and production of short-term campaigns and communications.
• Propose and create engagement opportunities for additional stakeholders to participate in the regional efforts to end homelessness. Partner with United Way’s Development and Marketing Teams to produce and execute.
• Identify and develop emotionally compelling stories to support United Way’s efforts to secure greater resources for community impact on a quarterly basis.
• Other duties and responsibilities as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS:                                         

• Minimum 3 years relevant work experience in communications, systems change, policy, and/or politics.  Proven ability to develop, manage, and evaluate initiatives to end homelessness 
• Bachelor’s degree in Public Policy, Political Science, Communications, Social Work, Urban Planning, or a closely related discipline, or equivalent experience required.  Master’s degree or equivalent advanced degree preferred.
• Expertise and background in policy, political negotiations with elected offices, legislative processes, strategic communications, community organizing, and systems change strategies 
• Working knowledge of the root causes of and solutions to homelessness
• Must have excellent relationship building skills, strong organization, and follow up skills
• Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively at all organizational levels within a diverse environment
• Must be able to help others organize thoughts and ideas into concrete and coherent actions
• Must be able to exercise initiative, independent good judgment, flexibility, discretion, and solid decision making
• Must be able to utilize creative strategies to engage a range of stakeholders, maintaining effective working relationships with key stakeholders
• Must be able to successfully consolidate competing priorities from stakeholders toward a singular goal
• Should possess strong interpersonal skills, written, and verbal communication skills, as well as the ability to persuade small and large groups alike
• Must be able to organize and prioritize work and meet specific deadlines, improvising to changing circumstances when necessary
• Proficient in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook) 

Interested candidates please email a cover letter, resume, and salary history, with the “Public Affairs Manager, Homeless Initiatives” position title in the Subject line, to Hiring Recruiter at [email protected]

No phone calls please.

United Way of Greater Los Angeles is an equal opportunity employer.  We are committed to providing equal employment opportunity for all applicants and employees regardless of race, color, religion, creed, gender, national origin, ancestry, marital status, sexual orientation, age, citizenship status, physical or mental disability, medical condition, or status as a veteran.   Employment decisions are based on merit, qualifications, abilities and business needs.