Director of Maryland Government and Community Relations @ JCRC of Greater Washington

The primary responsibility of the JCRC’s Maryland Director of Government and Community Relations is to implement our agency’s advocacy and community relations agendas throughout the state.

This includes: 1) formulating the JCRC’s state and local legislative agenda and overseeing advocacy at the state and local levels; 2) strengthening existing and cultivating new relationships with Jewish community leaders, elected officials, coalition partners, and law enforcement officials 3) organizing policy forums, receptions, and other programming efforts in support of the JCRC’s agenda; and, 4) collaborating with and supporting our agency’s Intergroup and Education Programs and Services directors in their Maryland-based efforts.

PRINCIPAL RESPONSIBILITIES AND DUTIES
• Represent the agency before the Maryland state government, Montgomery County government, Prince Georges County government and federal elected officials from those jurisdictions and advocate for the Jewish community’s budgetary and policy priorities. (Working in partnership with our Annapolis based lobbyist).
• Develop and oversee programs of grassroots lobbying in support of the JCRC’s legislative agenda, including building coalitions with local Jewish organizations, faith communities, and community organizations.
• Organize our annual Maryland legislative advocacy day, Montgomery County legislative advocacy day, legislative breakfast, and policy briefings, candidate forums, and other programmatic efforts in support of our advocacy agenda.
• Strengthen and expand the JCRC’s Maryland’s grassroots activism and expand awareness of the JCRC’s activities and resources through outreach to rabbis, synagogues, and agency boards.
• Engage and steward board members and other volunteers in fulfilling JCRC’s advocacy agenda.
• Manage the agency’s domestic affairs policy making process, guiding the drafting of JCRC policy resolutions that underpin all JCRC advocacy activities.
• Work with the Secure Community Network Regional Security Advisor for the Jewish Federation of Greater Washington (JFGW) to respond to security-related concerns, threats and incidents in throughout the region.
• Work with our national partners including the Jewish Council for Public Affairs and the Jewish Federations of North America to advance our common federal agenda.
• Initiate and develop annual work plan and both the Maryland Commission and Maryland Lobbying departmental budgets.
• Carry out other responsibilities as assigned by Executive Director and Associate Director.

QUALIFICATIONS
• A passion for the Jewish community and a love of politics and Israel.
• Minimum of 7 -10 years of significant advocacy/government and programmatic experience.
• Familiarity and comfort with grass-roots activism and coalition-building.
• Ability to multi-task, prioritize, and work independently to complete assignments in a fast-paced environment where priorities change frequently.
• Extremely well organized, self-motivated, focused, detail oriented with exceptional written, oral, and public speaking skills.
• Proficiency in computer usage and social media.
• Willingness to work evenings, Sundays.
• Law or Public Policy graduate degree or graduate degree in related field, preferred, buy not required.