Affordable Housing Policy Advocacy Professional (Sacramento/Hybrid)

 REPORTS TO:                       Nonprofit Affordable Housing Advocacy Professional

STATUS:                               Full-Time, Exempt

SALARY:                               Role Dependent (see chart below)

LOCATION:                          Sacramento (Hybrid)

ABOUT THE POSITION

The California Housing Partnership (“Partnership”) is seeking a motivated and skilled professional to work in close coordination with our President & CEO and senior leadership team to advance legislation and regulations that further our mission and the interests of our nonprofit affordable and sustainable housing field in California. The position provides a focal point for legislative and regulatory policy work internally and coordinates positions and efforts with our external allies in California and D.C. 

This is a hybrid position that requires a minimum regular in-office presence of three days per week in our Sacramento office, with schedule flexibility based on legislative needs and meeting schedules. As the primary emphasis is on state legislation and regulations, candidates must live within a 90-minute commute of Sacramento to be available for short-notice, in-person meetings.

We are hiring for ONE position at one of four levels of seniority, depending on the qualifications and experience:

1. Senior Director of Policy Advocacy
2. Director of Policy Advocacy 
3. Associate Director of Policy Advocacy 
4. Senior Policy Advocacy Manager 

Applicants will be considered for all four levels, and the final title and responsibilities will align with the candidate's experience and skills.

BASIC DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Senior Director of Policy Advocacy 

• Set long-term advocacy priorities in close collaboration with the CEO.
• Lead the development and execution of complex, multi-year policy campaigns, including legislative sponsorship, regulatory engagement, and coalition strategy.
• Serve as the Partnership’s chief policy spokesperson with high-level stakeholders, including state and federal lawmakers, agency leadership, funders, and media.
• Supervise advocacy staff, providing mentorship, performance evaluations, and workload management as applicable.
• Coordinate interdepartmental initiatives that integrate policy advocacy with research, communications, and program teams.
• Cultivate and steward relationships with external partners, including philanthropic funders, national and state-level coalitions, and executive agency leaders.
• Manage department functions, including advocacy budget oversight, funder reporting, and staffing strategy.
• Ensure the Partnership maintains a proactive and respected presence in public policy forums and the broader affordable housing ecosystem.

Director of Policy Advocacy 

• Develop and lead organizational advocacy priorities in consultation with the CEO.
• Oversee legislative and regulatory strategies, including the development of new legislation and shaping of policies impacting affordable housing.
• Supervise advocacy staff, providing mentorship, performance evaluations, and workload management as applicable.
• Represent the Partnership at the highest levels, including meetings with state and federal lawmakers, agency officials, and major coalition partners.
• Manage department functions, including advocacy budget oversight, funder reporting, and staffing strategy.
• Provide strategic vision and executive leadership for the Partnership’s full range of legislative and regulatory advocacy efforts.

Associate Director of Policy Advocacy

• Oversee mid-level advocacy priorities, bridging the gap between strategic leadership and tactical execution.
• Coordinate cross-team collaboration on major legislative and regulatory strategies, ensuring alignment with organizational goals.
• Supervise and mentor advocacy team support as applicable.
• Represent the Partnership in high-level coalition meetings, conferences, and key legislative discussions.
• Collaborate with the CEO to develop policy priorities, draft high-level advocacy communications, and manage departmental operations as needed.

Senior Policy Advocacy Manager

• Take primary responsibility for key issue areas, including strategy development, policy development, and implementing the identified policy strategies.
• Track legislative bills and regulatory comment opportunities, drafting letters and memos, staffing sponsored bills, expressing support for partner bills and coalition building.
• In coordination with the Partnership’s Research Team, conduct policy research, analyzing data and translating complex ideas into clear communications for stakeholders.
• Represent the Partnership in external coalitions, conferences, public hearings and meetings.
• Develop compelling communications such as blogs, newsletters, and op-eds for external audiences.
• Execute tasks under the guidance of the CEO and senior leadership with minimal supervision.

QUALIFICATIONS & REQUIREMENTS

To be considered, candidates must have prior lobbying experience and be detail-oriented with strong organizational and communication (written and verbal) skills. The preferred candidate is someone with current and advanced knowledge in as many as possible of the following: affordable rental housing finance, housing law, California and/or federal Legislative politics and budgetary process. 

We recognize that each applicant will bring unique skills, knowledge, experiences, and background to this position. We welcome applicants with diverse experiences and backgrounds and especially encourage those with lived experience in affordable housing or housing insecurity to apply. At a minimum, we are seeking candidates who possess the following qualifications:

All Roles:

• Alignment with the Partnership’s nonprofit mission, organizational values and commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion as demonstrated by prior work and life experience.
• Proficiency with Apple computers and cloud-based tools such as Salesforce, DropBox, Google Drive, and Microsoft OneDrive (or demonstrated ability to quickly learn such tools).
• Demonstrated ability to:
  • synthesize large amounts of reports quickly.
  • write and speak about policy issues persuasively and passionately.
  • understand political power and relationships with respect to policy making
  • manage overlapping deadlines and assignments.
• Able and willing to travel regularly within California by car, plane and public transit. 

Senior Director of Policy Advocacy:

• Minimum 15 years of senior-level experience in policy, advocacy, or legislation.
  • A Masters Degree in a directly related field may substitute for up to one year. 
  • A PhD in a directly related field may substitute for up to two years.
• Minimum of three (3) years of successful experience supervising staff. 
• Minimum four (4) years of experience working successfully with elected and appointed officials, ideally in California, with leadership responsibilities.
• Demonstrated ability to develop high-impact strategies and expert knowledge of all state affordable housing finance programs and their regulations. 
• Strong knowledge of nonprofit affordable housing development and operations. 

Director of Policy Advocacy:

• Minimum 12 years of senior-level experience in policy, advocacy, or legislation.
  • A Masters Degree in a directly related field may substitute for up to one year. 
  • A PhD in a directly related field may substitute for up to two years.
• Minimum of two (2) years of experience working successfully with elected and appointed officials, ideally in California, with leadership responsibilities.
• Strong knowledge of state affordable housing finance programs and understanding of nonprofit affordable housing development and operations. 
• Proven ability to supervise and mentor team members.

Associate Director of Policy Advocacy

• Minimum of seven (7) years of relevant experience  in affordable housing advocacy, regulatory and/or related legislative work.
  • A Masters Degree or PhD in a directly related field may substitute for up to one year. 
• Experience with leadership responsibilities.
• Strong knowledge of state affordable housing finance programs and understanding of nonprofit affordable housing development and operations. 
• Ability to supervise and mentor team members.

Senior Policy Advocacy Manager:

• Minimum five (5) years of experience in affordable housing advocacy, regulatory and/or related legislative work. 
  • A Bachelors or Masters Degree in a directly related field may substitute for up to one year. 
• Ability to perform assignments independently or with minimal assistance both at the higher strategy level and policy detail level.

COMPENSATION & BENEFITS PACKAGE

The Partnership offers annual performance-based salary increases and maintains competitive compensation ranges. Starting salary is determined based on the candidate’s experience, knowledge, and skill level. The salary range for each position level is as follows:

• Senior Director of Policy Advocacy: $200,000 - $220,000
• Director of Policy Advocacy: $180,000 - $192,500
• Associate Director of Policy Advocacy: $145,000 - $157,500 
• Senior Policy Advocacy Manager: $115,000 - $125,000

The Partnership also offers a robust benefits package to all permanent employees working 20 or more hours per week, including:

• Medical Benefits:
  • 100% employer-paid medical, dental, and vision insurance
  • 80% premium coverage for dependents
  • Medical waiver subsidy for employees who opt out of health insurance
  • Employer-paid Health Reimbursement Account (HRA) covering up to $1,200/year for out-of-pocket medical expenses
• Workplace Support:
  • Hybrid work model
  • Employer-funded Specialty Reimbursement Account of up to $500 for home office equipment in the first year and $250 annually thereafter
  • Cell phone and home internet reimbursement
  • Office commuter subsidy of up to $220 per month
• Financial Wellness:
  • 403(b) retirement plan with employer contributions based on years of service
  • Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account (FSA)
• Time Off & Support:
  • Immediate paid time off (PTO) accrual and usage with no waiting period
  • Access to an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) for mental health and personal support

ABOUT THE CALIFORNIA HOUSING PARTNERSHIP

The Partnership is a dynamic nonprofit “think and do tank” providing critical technical assistance, training, applied research and policy leadership to increase the production and preservation of affordable and sustainable homes serving Californians who are low-income.

To achieve this mission, the Partnership’s three technical assistance teams (finance, clean energy, applied research) work closely with a network of more than 60 mission-driven nonprofit and government housing agencies throughout California, as well as the nonprofit associations who represent them.

A deep commitment to racial equity and inclusion grounds the Partnership’s work and policies – click here to learn more about our core equity values. An Equity Policy Advisory Board ensures that the perspectives and experiences of low-income renters also grounds our work – click here to learn more about this board.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

The California Housing Partnership is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to creating a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace. We strongly encourage people of diverse backgrounds and identities to apply. For more information about the Partnership, visit our website at www.chpc.net.