Director of Advocacy and Outreach

The Director of Advocacy and Outreach will lead Trailnet’s strategic policy and advocacy agenda through coalition-building, community outreach, and government relations. The Director will leverage grassroots and grasstops strategies to advance initiatives and policies that align with Trailnet’s policy principles, values, and mission to create safer opportunities for residents to bike, walk, and use public transit. As part of the Leadership Team, they will also advise on organizational effectiveness and strategy.

The ideal candidate is a collaborative team player, strategic thinker, and politically savvy leader with a genuine commitment to racial equity, working to shape and advance Trailnet’s advocacy on transportation and mobility justice issues.

Advocacy and Outreach (70-80% of time)

• Lead all aspects of Trailnet’s advocacy work, in close collaboration with the Leadership Team, especially the CEO
• Lead grassroots and grasstops organizing efforts to build and support diverse coalitions of supporters for safe street policies;
  Serve on task forces and other advisory bodies
• Make recommendations for policies that align with Trailnet’s policy principles and mission based on the Sr. Policy Manager’s research and analysis
• Design and implement Trailnet’s advocacy agenda and actions to advance those priorities, including tracking and following up on legislative activity
• Supervise outreach staff to align outreach opportunities with strategic priorities
• Partner closely with the Planning Manager to ensure strategic alignment between community planning and advocacy initiatives and relationships

Project Management and Development (20-30% of time)

• Manage grant deliverables, report to funders, and assist with funding applications for advocacy programs
• Track and manage deadlines and delegate tasks to achieve objectives

• Advanced degree or commensurate experience in public policy or a related field.
• 5+ years of relevant experience in advocacy, government relations, policy research or related roles, including demonstrated success leading successful advocacy campaigns. Non-profit experience preferred.
• Strategic thinker: Quickly grasps the subtleties of complex issues and identifies patterns in challenges. Comes up with insightful, pragmatic, equitable, and sustainable ways to tackle common challenges and produce positive change.
• Relationship-building: Able to connect with individuals and build alliances among a wide range of players in the region. Works well with diverse or marginalized populations; can bring in allies across diverse communities.
• Highly politically experienced: Understands the political landscape in St. Louis City and County and uses that knowledge to make savvy recommendations for Trailnet’s role. Track record of shepherding legislation from start to adoption.
• Knowledge of mobility justice issues: Prior experience or understanding of transportation and mobility justice issues.
• Collaborative: Builds rapport and internal support for policy recommendations;
  Identifies and involves stakeholders appropriately
• Commitment to social justice and racial equity: Recognizes role of race, gender, and other identities in shaping health disparities, is driven to improve conditions, and proactively learns re: race, equity, and identity
• Basic technology skills: Effectively uses word processors, spreadsheets, email, and other software as needed. All employees will learn and use Asana, a project management tool, but previous experience with the platform is not required.
• The ability to constantly operate a computer and other office productivity devices such as a tablet, phone, scanner, and printer
• The ability to communicate information and ideas so others will understand.…