The Senior Director, Federal Advocacy serves as a principal (registered) federal lobbyist and a key strategist for the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) and is responsible for supervising and leading a team of up to 5 lobbyists in executing and achieving identified federal legislative and regulatory policy priorities in a bi-partisan manner with the goal of reducing the cancer burden through evidence-based public policy.
This position is based onsite at the ACS CAN Washington, D.C. office.Team Leadership & Advocacy Execution (45%)- Manages a team of up to 2 Federal Directors (registered lobbyists) to ensure execution of effective advocacy strategies that leverage the organization's national grassroots structure and maximize a cross-team approach to executing impactful campaigns and advancing priorities with Congress and the Administration.
- Provides strategic guidance to ACS CAN senior leaders on the annual federal appropriations process and related legislative issues.
- Collaborates with the Policy team to determine appropriate positions and opportunities on legislation and regulatory matters, and with counterparts on grassroots advocacy, advocacy communications, field, and other internal ACS and ACS CAN teams to identify campaign execution strategies and tactics that move federal priorities forward. Cross-team collaboration is a key component of ACS CAN's enterprise work.
- Provides frequent status updates and reports to the Vice President, Federal Advocacy and Strategic Coalitions on team activities and work accomplished.
- Attends Federal Government Relations Team meetings, other ACS CAN meetings, and approved relevant conferences, as assigned.
Federal Lobbying, Legislative & Regulatory Advocacy (30%)- Represents ACS CAN as a principal lobbyist before members of Congress and Congressional staff, Executive Branch/Administrative Agency personnel, and other federal decision-makers to advance ACS CAN's federal legislative and regulatory priorities, including the federal budget and appropriations process, cancer research, and global health issues (e.g., ARPA-H) and other issues as assigned.
- Identifies and recommends public policy advocacy opportunities and designs and implements appropriate strategies in coordination with ACS CAN leadership and team members; works to defeat legislation that would negatively impact the mission of ACS and ACS CAN.
- Ensures a comprehensive approach to legislative strategy, including time-sensitive legislative and issue tracking; drafting and analyzing legislative proposals; tracking and reporting on budget and appropriations numbers; scheduling and staffing meetings; developing talking points, charts, fact sheets, presentations, correspondence, and testimony; and conducting briefings on and off Capitol Hill.
- Responds effectively to information requests from Congressional offices and the public, as well as inquiries from ACS and ACS CAN staff and volunteers.
Strategic Partnerships, Coalition Leadership & External Engagement (25%)- Identifies federal advocacy opportunities for the team and leads own portfolio of issues, collaborating with counterparts across team functions to ensure execution of campaign strategies and tactics and leading participation in coalitions and external partnerships.
- Serves as Executive Director of the ACS CAN-led One Voice Against Cancer (OVAC) coalition, a coalition of more than 50 groups that advocate for cancer research and prevention funding. Responsibilities include chairing monthly coalition meetings; leading coalition members to reach consensus on annual appropriations requests; developing strategy to advocate for those requests; organizing Congressional briefings, annual lobby days, and letters to Congress; and serving as the coalition's primary point of contact with Capitol Hill and relevant federal agencies.
- Represents ACS CAN on additional coalitions, including United for Medical Research and the Ad Hoc Group for Medical Research, and coordinates ACS CAN engagement with the Director of the National Cancer Institute, the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, and other senior federal stakeholders to ensure partnership and engagement in support of federal advocacy priorities.
- Proactively identifies, cultivates, and stewards high-level strategic partnerships and multi-sector alliances - spanning Congress, federal agencies, corporate and nonprofit partners, and patient advocacy organizations - that strengthen and expand ACS CAN's influence, reach, and credibility on shared advocacy priorities.
- Builds and maintains bipartisan federal champions, and designs and executes external engagement strategies that align diverse coalition partners, funders, and stakeholders around common goals in support of ACS CAN's mission.
- Proactively identifies needs for research and materials to support lobbying activities and to enable quick response to inquiries and current events.
Teamwork & Collaboration- Drives collaboration and mutual support with regional field leadership, state Government Relations Directors, and Grassroots Managers.
- Supports the organization's volunteer capacity and training as needed.
- Leads consistently, modeling the organization's values and cultural beliefs.
- Ensures collaboration with ACS colleagues to help facilitate the success of the entire enterprise, and enhances the overall external visibility of the enterprise in a manner commensurate with the organization's brand.
- Models team leadership by embracing the organization's technical tools and Direct Action Organizing (DAO) training.
- Serves as an effective steward of relationships with ACS CAN corporate members, partners, donors, and prospective funders, communicating effectively to advance strategic partnership and engagement goals.
- Effectively completes administrative duties around reporting and documentation.
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion- Approaches the work of the enterprise with a spirit of diversity, equity, and inclusion, establishing a climate where every individual is valued and respected, and ensures that team members follow this lead and are held accountable.
Legal- Ensures that ACS CAN policies and guidelines are followed, along with compliance with all federal lobbying-related requirements, ethics, regulations, and laws.
Experience/Qualifications- Minimum Degree Required: Bachelor's Degree
- Preferred Degree: Master's Degree or JD
- A minimum of 15 plus years of professional experience required, including extensive federal legislative and/or advocacy experience.
- Capitol Hill and/or Administration experience strongly preferred.
- Demonstrated experience building and leading strategic partnerships, coalitions, or multi-stakeholder alliances in a policy, advocacy, or related setting strongly preferred.
Knowledge, Skills, and Ability- High level of knowledge in the federal legislative and regulatory process, including the federal budget and appropriations process.
- Significant knowledge and expertise in federal health policy, cancer research policy, and global health issues.
- Ability to develop and manage highly effective teams to advance policy priorities.
- Ability to develop and lead strategic advocacy campaigns.
- Ability to build and maintain bipartisan federal champions to advance mission.
- Ability to lead and work effectively and strategically with advocacy coalitions.
- Demonstrated ability to identify, cultivate, negotiate, and steward high-level strategic partnerships and multi-sector coalitions that advance shared advocacy objectives.
- Skilled in designing and executing external engagement strategies that build and deepen relationships across Congress, federal agencies, corporate and nonprofit partners, and patient advocacy communities.
- Strong relationship-management, diplomacy, and consensus-building skills to align diverse coalition members and partners around common goals.
- Ability to represent the organization as a trusted, credible voice in complex, multi-partner strategic relationships.
- Excellent presentation, written, oral, and interpersonal skills.
- Ability to work on fast-paced, time-sensitive matters with internal and external constituents.
- Positive attitude and a team player able to work collaboratively across teams to achieve goals.
- Ability to work with minimal supervision and understand the context of media, politics, and grassroots mobilization.
- Strong project management skills and ability to utilize technology to execute responsibilities and advance priorities.
Travel RequirementsPhysical Requirements- Work typically performed indoors office environment. This position is hybrid based at the ACS CAN Washington, D.C. office.
The starting rate is $190,000 to $219,000. The final candidate's relevant experience/skills will be considered before an offer is extended. Actual starting pay will vary based on non-discriminatory factors including, but not limited to, geographic location, experience, skills, specialty, and education.
ACS CAN provides staff a generous paid time off policy; medical, dental, retirement benefits, wellness programs, and professional development programs to enhance staff skills. Further details on our benefits can be found on our careers site at: jobs.cancer.org/benefits.
