SUMMARY

New Jersey Future (NJF) is seeking a motivated, solutions-oriented individual with a racial and social justice lens to develop and advance state policies that affect health, water infrastructure, and redevelopment, with a primary focus on lead in drinking water. The position requires experience applying equity, inclusion, and racial and economic justice perspectives in research, policy analysis and development, stakeholder convening, and communications. This is an exciting opportunity to achieve lasting equity-centered change on timely, high-profile issues affecting public health and climate resilience. NJF offers a fun, fast-paced, and supportive work environment, as well as the ability to make a difference.

RESPONSIBILITIES 

The Policy Manager’s responsibilities include, but are not limited to: 

• Policy development: Craft effective solutions that center equity and racial and economic justice for lead in drinking water (primarily), green infrastructure, and other policies that affect health, water infrastructure, and redevelopment. 
• Create recommendations for programmatic, regulatory, and legislative change based on analysis, stakeholder consultation, and best practice research. 
• Prepare clear and convincing policy briefs, white papers, testimony, fact sheets, case studies, recommendation reports, and blog posts. 
• Identify, explain, and share best practices.
• Educate and build consensus among stakeholders, decision-makers, and potential collaborators through activities ranging from small group meetings to public speaking engagements.
• Task force management: Facilitate a 30-member task force on lead in drinking water that works to identify practical, politically feasible policy solutions. Act as a liaison between the task force and two affiliated initiatives: Lead-Free NJ, which focuses on advocacy, and Jersey Water Works, which brings together hundreds of water practitioners.
• Funding: Prepare grant reports and proposals, with supervision from the Policy Director. 
• Collaboration: Work with colleagues engaged in green stormwater infrastructure, stormwater utilities, water infrastructure financing, data transparency, climate resilience, and more.
• Support of broader organizational efforts: Assist with organizational events, special projects, strategy conversations, and committees. Help build NJF’s networks and relationships. 

REQUIREMENTS

• We prefer a highly organized candidate with experience in policy analysis, policy communication, and consensus-building who can operate independently and collaboratively and meets the following criteria:
• Minimum three years of experience in policy, advocacy, government, or related fields
• Familiarity with at least one of NJF’s key policy areas—state policy, planning and redevelopment, the environment, sustainability, strong communities, water infrastructure, green stormwater infrastructure, or lead remediation—or a strong desire to learn 
• Excellent research and writing abilities 
• Basic public speaking skills
• Effective organizational skills, including the ability to coordinate and facilitate meetings 
• Demonstrated ability to assume responsibility and make sound decisions
• Team player with a collaborative working style, a proven ability to build consensus among a diverse group of individuals, and a successful record for interdisciplinary work and intercultural collaborations
• Ability to work independently and remotely
• A working knowledge of systemic inequities, including an understanding of the historical context and root causes of these inequities, as well as strategies to overcome them  
• Commitment to and experience with justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion policies and practices, as well as an understanding of how they can be implemented in the workplace
• Comfortable with self-reflection, eager to learn, and capable of working through conflict honestly and openly 
• Motivated by the organization’s issues and a strong mission-driven work ethic
• Bachelor’s or advanced college degree

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