Overview
POSITION SUMMARY
Americans for Tax Fairness, a coalition of national and state endorsing organizations active on high-profile federal tax reform issues, is seeking a Legislative Director with at least five years of experience with some combination of lobbying and/or working in Congress or other legislative bodies, knowledge of tax policy and/or domestic policy issues and communicating policy issues in writing. The person must have strong advocacy and communications skills; knowledge of tax, economic and/or domestic policy issues; good writing and analytic skills; strong leadership skills; knowledge of Excel; be well organized and detail oriented; and be comfortable operating in a fast-paced, campaign-style environment. The Legislative Director supervises the Senior Research and Policy Associate. This is a senior, full-time exempt position that reports directly to the Executive Director. The salary is $120,000-$130,000, depending on experience, and a competitive benefits package that includes employer-paid health, dental, and vision insurance, 3% employer match on 401k contributions, pre-tax transportation benefits, and paid holidays, vacation, sick, and volunteer time off. Location: Washington, DC
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Legislative
Create and implement a legislative strategy that pursues ATF’s tax-reform goals.
Maintain current and develop new relationships with the Biden administration and congressional offices, with a special focus on tax-writing committees.
Organize and lead lobbying meetings on Capitol Hill and with the executive branch that include lobbyists from coalition partners.
Staff the ATF Legislative Committee, develop and maintain relationships with legislative staff at partner organizations.
Maintain knowledge of tax-related developments on Capitol Hill such as bill introductions, hearings, markups, press conferences and floor activities.
Draft written materials such as letters to Congress, fact sheets and reports of lobbying activities.
Distribute ATF’s policy and messaging materials to staff on Capitol Hill and encourage their use in hearings, press conferences and other activities.
Track the social media feeds of key members of Congress and tax and economic journalists and pundits to stay on top of developments that ATF should react to or influence.
Policy & Research
Maintain knowledge of a wide range of tax policy issues and tax research sources.
Track key economic indicators, including ones measuring inequality, and be conversant in the debate over fiscal policy and its relationship to economic performance and equity.
Stay abreast of domestic policy issues that relate to tax issues and the federal budget, such as healthcare.
Work with other staff in drafting reports, fact sheets and other materials that influence the tax policy debate.
Rapidly respond to short-term research and policy requests, often in reaction to breaking news.
Develop and maintain relationships with research and policy staff at partner organizations.
QUALIFICATIONS
Bachelor’s degree required.
Knowledge of tax policy issues and related domestic policy, federal budget and economic policy issues.
Minimum of five years employment in some combination of the following: as a lobbyist, in a policy position at an advocacy organization, and with Congress or the Executive Branch.
Strong writing and analytical skills.
Experience leading and motivating partner organizations.
Considerable experience with Microsoft Word and Excel.
Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively, work well under pressure and manage multiple priorities and projects effectively.
Excellent attention to detail and accuracy.
Facility with Twitter to track and respond to breaking developments.
Experience with messaging and communications strategies is helpful.
TO APPLY
Send cover letter and resume to jobs@americansfortaxfairness.org
Subject line: ATF Legislative Director
Americans for Tax Fairness is a project of New Venture Fund (NVF), a 501(c)(3) public charity that incubates new and innovative public-interest projects and grant-making programs. NVF is committed to attracting, developing and retaining exceptional people, and to creating a work environment that is dynamic, rewarding and enables each of us to realize our potential. NVF’s work environment is safe and open to all employees and partners, respecting the full spectrum of race, color, religious creed, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, political affiliation, ancestry, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, and all other classifications protected by law in the locality and/or state in which you are working.
E-Verify
NVF participates in E-Verify and will provide the federal government with employees’ Form I-9 information to confirm authorization to work in the United States. Job candidates and employees authorized to work may not be discriminated against on the basis of national origin or citizenship status.
About Americans for Tax Fairness
Who We Are: Americans for Tax Fairness (ATF) is a coalition of over 400 national and state endorsing organizations working to ensure that the wealthy and big corporations pay their fair share of taxes so we can build an economy that works for everyone, not just those at the top. Progressive tax reform raises revenue needed for vital public services while narrowing income and wealth gaps that destabilize our economy and threaten our democracy. ATF is a project of the New Venture Fund.
What We Do: Since its founding in 2012, ATF has been a leader in the tax fairness movement. Working with coalition partners—including labor unions, anti-poverty advocates, grassroots activists, think tanks, small business groups, and racial justice leaders, among others—ATF lobbies Congress and the Administration, spreads the tax-fairness message through traditional media, and builds grassroots support through a dynamic digital program. Over the last decade, ATF has played a central role in fighting extension of the Bush tax cuts for the wealthy, building strong public opposition to the 2017 Trump-GOP tax scam, enacting the tax fairness provisions of the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act, and building broad support for taxing billionaires on their primary sources of income.
ATF pursues its mission through in-depth reports featuring original research and analysis; social media campaigns reaching, engaging, and influencing tens of millions of viewers; and an email program that in 2022 mobilized over 700,000 actions, such as constituent letters to Congress and petition signatures.