Director of Legislative Affairs

Job Type

Full-time

Description

Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI), "Your Food and Health Watchdog," is one of the nation's leading public health advocacy organizations, with a 50-year record of fighting for public health and a food system that makes healthy, sustainable food accessible to all. We've led efforts to pass sweeping federal legislation that has shaped the food and nutrition environment in the United States.

These include the Nutrition Labeling and Education Act and menu labeling provisions of the Affordable Care Act, which require nutrition information for packaged and restaurant foods; the Food Safety Modernization Act, which gave authority to the FDA to recall contaminated foods; and the Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act, which requires clear labeling of foods containing leading allergens. CSPI also engages in regulatory advocacy and supports state and local policies to improve nutrition and food environments (e.g., sweetened beverage taxes, warning labels, added sugars and sodium reduction, and addressing harmful marketing practices), food safety (e.g., banning unsafe food chemicals, reducing chemical and pathogenic contaminants in food, reforming the Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS) loophole, and improving ingredient disclosures and food allergen protections), and leveraging the power of public programs to improve nutrition and public health (e.g., school foods, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) and the broader charitable food system, and food procurement in public institutions such as carceral facilities).

CSPI is searching for a Director of Legislative Affairs to serve as the lead lobbyist for the organization. The Director of Legislative Affairs, in partnership with issue area leads, will develop and implement strategic policy objectives at the federal level and support efforts in key states as needed. This position leads and oversees legislative and federal advocacy and outreach activities to achieve CSPI's campaign goals on a variety of issue areas.

The Director of Legislative Affairs reports to the Vice President of Programs, supervises two full-time staff and (periodically) interns, and collaborates closely with various issue area leads. This position must be based in CSPI's DC office, where we offer a hybrid work environment. Employees in the DC office may choose to work from home or in the office. Though this role will need to come to the office for in-person meetings occasionally.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Legislative Strategy and Direction

• Provide strategic thinking, oversight, coordination, and management of CSPI's congressional priorities related to nutrition, food safety, and health.
• Establish, manage, maintain, and oversee relationships with federal legislative officials and staff, government agencies (as needed, and in collaboration with other CSPI staff), coalition partners, and other stakeholders to advance CSPI's public policy agenda at the federal level.
• Lead all lobbying activities for CSPI, including the planning and execution of Hill days in support of our legislative priorities. Create and ensure systems are in place to manage legislative relationships, campaigns, and track national legislation and policies related to food, nutrition, and other public health issues identified by CSPI. Support regulatory efforts as relevant to congressional priorities.
• Collaborate with cross-organizational teams (e.g., Regulatory Affairs, Advocacy, Engagement, Science, and Communications) on shared goals and strategies. Provide strategic input to support state and local policy campaigns as relevant.
• Identify research gaps (e.g., scientific, legal, or policy) to further CSPI policy priorities and projects.
• Lead and organize Hill briefings, coalition events, webinars, and trainings.

Communications and Outreach

• Lead engagement and outreach strategy for the National Alliance for Nutrition and Activity (NANA) - a 520-member coalition coordinated by CSPI. Represent CSPI priorities within NANA and expand support for food and nutrition policies at the national level.
• Draft, review,…