Coalition Manager

Description

Background:

Organization: Heartland Alliance is one of the world’s leading anti-poverty organizations, working in communities in the U.S. and abroad, while serving those who are homeless, living in poverty, or seeking safety, by partnering with communities to break cycles of poverty and inequality. The organization is comprised of five nonprofit corporations that provide a comprehensive array of services in the areas of health, housing, economic opportunity, safety, and justice.

The Impact Division was established in 1989 to address the root causes of poverty and inequity. The division’s teams work individually and together to advance social and economic change in to further our mission of equity and opportunity for all. Our core areas of work include research and evaluation, data analytics, policy and advocacy, technical assistance and field building, and innovation. We center the experiences of our program participants and people with lived experience in the systems we are trying to change, and we impact well over 4 million individuals’ lives annually through policy and systems change efforts.

Our Policy & Advocacy team leads by working within coalition with directly impacted people and non-profit partners, developing policy proposals, and pursuing legislative and administrative action. Our goal is to pass and implement research-driven, meaningful policy and systems change efforts that strengthen communities and advance equity.

Summary:

Heartland Alliance is seeking an advocate and relationship builder to support our economic opportunity policy advocacy. Specifically, Heartland is seeking a manager for our coalition work to protect financial consumers and advance strategies to close the racial wealth divide. 

The Coalition Manager will focus primarily on advancing key initiatives to promote financial justice and economic opportunity, and address racial wealth inequities. In order to do that, the Coalition Manager will provide leadership and support to a statewide coalition of community organizations, advocates, and researchers working to advance racial wealth equity and strengthen the financial security of Illinois families. The Coalition Manager will be responsible for strengthening the coalition, spearheading coalition planning efforts, and leveraging its substantive and strategic expertise to achieve its goals. The Coalition Manager will also provide support to other coalitions and campaigns, especially those with a goal of preventing wealth-stripping and advancing economic security.

Travel to Springfield, Illinois may be required for this position.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Lead, strengthen, and help coordinate the coalition Financial Inclusion for All Illinois (FIAI), including building relationships, planning coalition meetings, and developing coalition strategy.
• Assist FIAI with planning, including identifying policy priorities, and planning for short-term advocacy and long-term direction.
• Engage people with lived expertise to inform coalition and advocacy work, from conception to design to action.
• Collaborate with Heartland staff to help identify system barriers and possible policy solutions to inform coalitions and fold into advocacy strategies.
• Develop strategic partnerships with allied individuals, coalitions, and organizations to advocate for policy changes.
• Analyze state and national public policies, programs, and legislation related to assets, wealth, and consumer protections for their impact on people experiencing poverty and inequity.
• Build subject matter expertise and become a resource on economic opportunity strategies to prevent wealth-stripping and closing the racial wealth divide.
• Provide policy information and analyses, both verbally and in writing, to internal leadership as well as policymakers, advocates, partners, and other stakeholders.
• Support strategies to advance legislative and administrative change.
• Execute communications strategies to support coalitions and their advocacy work, including managing social media, updating websites, writing fact sheets, creating action alerts, developing letters to the editor, and more.
• Participate in key national, regional, and local meetings and working groups as they support Heartland’s policy advocacy priorities.
• Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications: Wondering whether you have the right credentials or background to apply? The truth is, we don’t care where you went to school or what your connections are. We value lived experience. We are looking for people who care about addressing poverty and fighting for equity, and who have shown the potential to do great policy and coalition work. If we’re not looking for a specific educational or professional background, what are we looking for? Some of the specifics depend on the position (see the above description), but there are traits and standards we value across the board:

• Commitment to Human Rights and Equity: We are looking for people who are passionate about ending poverty, advancing racial and gender equity, and ensuring basic human rights for all. We are looking to see these values exhibited in your life and experiences, both personal and professional.
• Curiosity and Eagerness to Learn: The best advocates ask good questions, dig deep to understand the details of complex issues, and are always learning and growing.

We are also looking for evidence of the following types of skills. These may be acquired through lived experience, education, and/or employment. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Policy Advocacy Skills: Experience could include policy analysis, policy development, and/or advocacy.
• Coalition Building: We are looking for someone who can develop and manage relationships with diverse partners, build coalition buy-in, develop coalition strategy, and execute coalition activities, including meetings, communications, and advocacy.
• Critical Thinking Skills: We are looking for someone who is able to analyze the factors contributing to social problems and their potential solutions.
• Language/Communication Skills: Excellent written and oral communication skills. Demonstrated ability to speak and write persuasively to a range of diverse audiences. Comfort with meeting facilitation and public speaking. Ability to develop and execute communications strategies, such as social media campaigns, is a plus.
• Technical Skills: Proficiency with skills in word processing, spreadsheets, Internet, and communications platforms like Mailchimp and social media. Familiarity with Microsoft Office package.

Physical Demands: The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk or hear.
• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel and reach with hands and arms
• The employee is regularly required to sit, stand and walk
• The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 10 pounds.
• Due to computer usage, the employee will need vision abilities such as close vision and ability to adjust focus.
• This position involves some travel.

Work Environment: The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Travel may be required, including overnight stays, during legislative session
• The noise in the work environment is moderate

Heartland Alliance makes all hiring and employment decisions without regard to race, creed, color, age, gender, gender identity, marital or parental status, religion, ancestry, national origin, physical or mental disability, sexual orientation, sexual identity, immigrant status, political affiliation or belief, record status (depending on the offense and position to be filled), unfavorable military discharge, membership in an organization whose primary purpose is the protection of civil rights or improvement of living conditions and human relations, height, weight, or HIV infection, in accord with the Organization's AIDS Policy Statement of September, 1987. Individuals with disabilities requiring accommodation should contact the Employee Services Office at (312) 660-1431.

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