International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers
IFPTE Local 21

Political Director

Based in San Francisco, CA

 

Position Summary
Under the direction of the Executive Director, the Political Director is responsible for development, oversight and management of the union's political and policy/legislative work. The Political Director represents Local 21 in government forums, political and policy coalitions, meetings with elected and political leaders and contributes to union related strategy and program development. The Political Director provides assistance to the Executive Director in budget and staff planning for political, budget and policy work.

Responsibilities

• Leading the development and implementation of the political, election campaign, legislative/ policy and public sector budget agenda for the union in conjunction with the Executive Director.
• Developing and maintaining relationships with elected officials and their staff and key political leaders. Meeting and lobbying elected officials and their staff about proposed budgets and policy. Serving as a liaison between the Executive Director and union leaders with elected and political officials.
• Working with the Union to develop and run progressive revenue generating ballot measures.
• Designing and implementing a program to engage and train Members in legislative and budget advocacy. Designing and implementing a program to increase member participation in electoral politics.
• Developing programs and providing support to Representatives in the recruitment, leadership development and coordination of member political and legislative activists to involve them with COPE, electoral campaigns, issue campaigns, legislative meetings, budget work and other activities.
• Monitoring key political issues as they relate to the Local 21 membership. Reviewing, preparing and tracking local (and as needed, state and national) legislation, preparing and presenting testimony for public hearings, writing letters to elected officials, and memos for the Executive Director and union on key issues.
• Tracking the budgets for San Francisco, Oakland, and other jurisdictions as needed. Preparing budget analysis, fiscal options, and convening budget working groups as needed. Recommending positions on legislation and budgets.
• Recommending legislative and budget research projects.
• Ensuring that the Executive Director, Executive Committee, L21 Political Action Committees, Chapters, leaders, members and staff are regularly updated on emerging political, legislative, budget, campaign and policy changes and trends through written reports, presentations, one-on-one meetings, staff and membership meetings and other activities.
• Assisting the Executive Director in recruiting, managing and, where needed, training short term campaign and organizing staff.
• Preparing direct mail and managing consultants as needed.
• Coordinating Local 21's involvement in state, national and local election campaigns and campaign coalitions and directing legislative campaigns and lobbying at the state and local level.
• Overseeing the union's endorsement process in accordance with Local 21's endorsement policy and providing political and policy analysis of state and local candidates and ballot measures. Assisting in developing questions for candidate interviews and questionnaires.
• Establishing and providing support to the union-wide PAC and in consultation with Reps, the local and regional PACs.
• Maintaining the campaign, budget and legislative calendar.
• In conjunction with the Executive Director and VP for Political and Legislative Action, recommending contributions to candidates, ballot measures, political committees and elected officials. Overseeing independent expenditure campaigns.
• Recruiting Members to become political, budget and legislative activists.
• Designing and implementing activities to build and maintain the TJ Anthony Fund (Political Action Fund).
• Coordinating with Local 21’s state and federal Legislative Advocates to keep them updated on union priorities.
• Reviewing the agendas of the major jurisdictions for items that impact Members, including outsourcing and budget policy. As appropriate, working with staff to monitor local government commissions for legislative policy that affects Members.
• Working with Local 21 staff and members to integrate external political and policy strategy into planning for contract and organizing campaigns.

Political Action/Government Relations

• Carries out or assists in carrying out communication of research findings aimed at impacting key policy issues.
• Represents the Union before elected and regulatory bodies
• Lobbies elected officials and regulators with member leaders.
• Participates in political campaigns
• Encourages member involvement in politic action and lobbying and contributions to PAC fund.

Contribute to Local Wide Strength

• Works cooperatively with other staff and contributes to a productive collegial work environment
• Leads entry level staff when assigned
• Promotes unity within the membership and leadership
• Respects the appropriate role of staff in relation to elected union leaders. Avoids actions that lead to counterproductive internal political conflicts.
• Completes required staff reports and schedules
• Contributes to union related strategy and program development

Minimum Qualifications

• Three years working as a political organizer or lobbyist.
• Proven ability to work in a team

Application Procedure
All materials must be sent electronically to Debra Grabelle: jobs@ifpte21.org
Submit the following documents to be considered:

• An updated résumé reflecting your qualifications for this position.
• Letter of application addressing how your career accomplishments have prepared you to meet the challenges and opportunities facing Local 21, a public-sector union of highly trained professional and technical employees.

All inquiries and material submitted will be kept confidential. Compensation for this position is very competitive; the salary range is $84,685-$159,326; depending on experience.

IFPTE Local 21 is deeply committed to diversity and inclusion in our hiring practices. We are an affirmative action, equal opportunity employer. We are interested in applicants of all ages, races, sexual orientations, national origins, ethnicities, religions, and genders.