Policy Researcher and Organizer

ABOUT MOTHER’S OUTREACH NETWORK

Mother’s Outreach Network, Inc., (MON) based in Washington DC, is a non-profit, tax-exempt, racial justice and antipoverty advocacy organization that pursues the inclusion and empowerment of Black mothers in the struggle for family preservation by transforming government income and child welfare laws, policies, and practices from punitive to empowering. MON uses movement-lawyering strategies that will build parents’ power to transform systems and that will aid in harm reduction against impacted constituents. MON does so through three primary programs:

• The legal program, which provides representation, advice, and referrals for mothers who are facing adverse administrative decisions, with a focus on matters before the DC Child and Family Services Agency, that negatively impact family preservation and economic security;
• The advocacy program, which seeks to transform income and child welfare/family regulation system policy at the local and federal level; and
• The community engagement program, which includes outreach events, know-your-rights workshops in law and civic activism, as well as community-driven research and mutual-aid.

POSITION DESCRIPTION

The Policy Researcher and Organizer role combines the responsibilities of conducting in-depth research on policy issues with actively mobilizing grassroots support to advocate for policy changes, often involving gathering data, analyzing legislation, supporting coalitions, and supporting grassroots campaigns to influence policy decisions at the local, state, or federal level.

Reporting directly to MON’s Executive Director, this person plays a key role in implementing MON’s policy research and writing as well as working with MON’s clients, coalitions, and other community-based programs. Current programs and projects that the Policy Researcher and Organizer will work on include, for example, the D.C. Guaranteed Income Coalition, Mother Up Guaranteed Income Research Project, researching and drafting of policy memorandum, legislative tracking, and community organizing in support of program campaigns.

The Policy Researcher and Organizer convenes and coordinates with MON’s other teams and constituents as necessary as well as produces timely and comprehensive monthly written reports with detailed status updates for the Executive Director. She/he/they works with leadership to set strategic goals and objectives for programs.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Research

• Conducting thorough research on priority and relevant policy areas including reviewing existing literature. analyzing data sets, and conducting surveys or interviews to understand the issue’s impact.
• Identifying key stakeholders and analyzing their positions on policy issues.
• Drafting policy reports and briefs summarizing research findings and providing evidence-based policy recommendations.

Policy Advocacy and Organizing

• Building relationships with MON clients and participants, policymakers, community leaders, and advocacy groups to build coalitions and support for policy changes.
• Developing grassroots mobilization strategies including organizing, i.e., meetings, petition drives, and letter-writing campaigns to engage MON mothers and others.
• Coordinating grassroots outreach efforts to educate the public about policy issues and encourage them to take action.
• Preparing MON mothers and others to lobby elected officials and their staff to advocate for policy positions.

Communication and Public Engagement:

• Developing communication materials such as fact sheets, press releases, and social media content to raise awareness about policy issues.
• Presenting research findings and policy recommendations to diverse audiences, including community groups, policymakers, and the general public.
• Managing and maintaining relationships with key stakeholders through regular communication and outreach.

The Associate Legal Director may be required to:

• Represent and provide varied legal services to mothers who are undergoing investigation by the DC Child and Family Services Agency (CFSA) or have open in-home family cases and are being monitored by CFSA as they seek to mitigate the conditions leading to agency involvement and to retain custody of their children.
• Represent parents who have been placed on DC Child and Family Services Agency’s Child Protection Register. This includes conducting outreach to engage clients, client intakes, client interviews, case-related investigations, and referrals, performing discovery, participating in mediations and hearings, communicating with clients, coordinating follow-up with constituents.
• Represent and provide brief legal services to parents who seek assistance in our advice clinics, and community education programs.
• Coordinate and engage in community education, outreach, and communications related to legal programs, our legal clinics, and clinic operations.
• Manage the legal program’s full-time staff attorney.
• Recruit and supervise pro bono attorneys and other legal volunteers.
• Assist with grant applications and grant reports.
• Other duties related to the position as assigned by the Executive Director and as supported by funding.

QUALIFICATIONS & REQUIREMENTS

• Commitment to the mission and culture of MON.
• Candidates must live in the Washington, D.C. area.
• Research: Strong analytical skills, ability to collect and analyze data, proficiency in research methodologies.
• Policy Analysis: Understanding of policy development processes, ability to interpret legislation and identify policy implications.
• Communication Skills: Excellent written and verbal communication skills to effectively convey complex information to various audiences.
• Organizational Skills: Ability to manage multiple projects and deadlines, prioritize tasks, and work effectively in a fast-paced environment.
• Political Savvy: Understanding of the political landscape, ability to navigate political processes and build relationships with policymakers.
• Community Organizing: Experience in mobilizing grassroots support, building coalitions, and engaging diverse communities.
• Ability to maintain a positive rapport with the CEO – both initiating important conversations and listening to constructive advice – is essential for success in this position.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams that include staff, volunteers, and constituents.
• Experience working with people living in poverty strongly preferred. The applicant’s personal background, experience, or professional background should reflect an ability to work effectively in cross-cultural situations with clients, co-workers, and the community with which MON partners.
• Enthusiasm to learn, take direction, and accept constructive feedback.

COMPENSATION

This is a full-time salaried position. The salary is competitive with other small nonprofit organizations in Washington, D.C. and will align with the candidate’s relevant experience and knowledge. A health, dental and vision benefits package is provided: health insurance is covered by 100% for the employee and available to dependents. All federal holidays and all holidays observed by the District of Columbia are observed, as well as the week between Christmas and New Year.

TO APPLY

If you are interested, please email a resume, a list of three professional references, a writing sample, and a cover letter that describes why you are interested in this position and how your work history and goals relate to the position, to Melody Webb at careers@mothersoutreachnetwork.org. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, and the position is open until filled.

Mother’s Outreach Network is an equal opportunity employer. We embrace diversity and insist on equity and inclusion in our work environment and in the world. If you have the passion for our mission and have the skill sets to help us fulfill this mission, we welcome you as you are.

Visit https://www.mothersoutreachnetwork.org for more information about the organization.