Legislative Representative, Sustainable Energy & Environment
The Friends Committee on National Legislation (FCNL), an established Capitol Hill Quaker lobbying organization, is seeking a senior lobbyist to strategically advance FCNL polices for achievable legislative change for our Energy and Environment program. FCNL’s sustainable energy and environment program encompasses a wide range of issues related to climate change, from putting a price on carbon with protections for vulnerable populations, and securing federal investments in key environmental programs, to building a broad, bipartisan consensus around addressing climate change.
FCNL seeks to create a diverse workplace. We are actively soliciting applicants from different ethnic, sexual orientation, racial, generational and religious backgrounds.
The Organization
FCNL lobbies from a basis of spiritual and ethical purpose and seeks to change government policy and practice for the better, playing a key role in lobbying initiatives on Capitol Hill that focus on racial and economic justice, peace, stewardship of the environment, and election integrity.
FCNL’s lobbyists build extensive connections with congressional offices and conduct focused legislative campaigns on the following current priorities: peacebuilding, human rights, nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation, curtailing endless war, cutting Pentagon spending, criminal justice reform, immigration reform, gun control, solutions to climate change, economic justice and Native American issues. FCNL and Friends approach each of these priorities by identifying, exposing and working to eliminate institutional racism, sexism, and militarism in order to promote genuine equality of opportunity and communities in which everyone can safely live, learn, work, worship and love.
FCNL’s dedicated grassroots network brings constituent perspectives into congressional offices—both in Washington at two major lobbying events each year, and in local district offices. FCNL informs and educates its network through newsletters and collateral materials and activates its grassroots network through a robust website, email, and social media outreach.
FCNL’s national network includes people from many different faiths and backgrounds who are activists and donors. The organization is dedicated to growing the network with a particular emphasis on building effective relationships as a path to policy change. In the past three years, FCNL increased the number of in-person visits from its constituents to legislators by 50 percent. Headquartered on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, FCNL is governed by a General Committee of 190 Quakers from across the country and employs a staff of about 55, including 20 registered lobbyists.
FCNL has brought Quaker values to bear on national policy throughout its 75-year history through congressional testimony, Capitol Hill visits, grassroots lobbying, and educational initiatives. Its strategic direction in the coming years is to create a bigger presence for FCNL—through media and marketing, as well as through its growing and vibrant network of activists.
The Position
Working within FCNL’s vision to “seek an earth restored,” the Legislative Representative for Sustainable Energy and Environment manages FCNL’s robust environmental lobbying program. The legislative representative keeps current on evolving knowledge on sustainable energy and environment, analyzes bills, lobbies members of Congress and congressional staff on our priorities, writes materials for and engages our constituents around the country in legislative action, coordinates with colleague organizations, plays a leadership role in coalitions, presents information in meetings and conferences, and integrates the work of the energy and environment program with other aspects of the FCNL legislative program.
The Legislative Representative for Sustainable Energy and Environment occupies a senior position in FCNL and assists in the management of the legislative program. This person reports to the Legislative Director for Domestic Policy.
Key Priorities and Responsibilities
- Supervise and lead the work of FCNL’s Sustainable Energy and Environment Program.
- Monitor legislative and policy developments on sustainable energy and environmental issues.
- Develop focused change strategies, in consultation and collaboration with other appropriate staff. Clearly articulate change strategies for FCNL staff and committees. Implement the change strategies, arrange for periodic assessments and evaluations, and adjust strategies accordingly.
- Represent FCNL's positions on sustainable energy and the environment, in a manner consistent with FCNL’s Statement of Legislative Policy, to members of Congress, their staff, and other government officials. Engage government officials in dialogue on public policy in the spirit of mutual respect and seeking.
- Prepare letters, fact sheets, background papers, reports, talking points and other written materials as needed to support lobbying strategies with Congress and appropriate government officials.
- In collaboration with the communications department, prepare material for FCNL constituents and the general public to be distributed in a range of media, including action alerts, the FCNL web page, newsletters, essays, op-ed columns, letters to the editor, and other educational materials for general distribution. Oversee maintenance of web pages and list serves or calendars on sustainable energy and environmental issues.
- Participate in lobby visits and coalitions as appropriate, and cooperate with other organizations whose work is closely related to FCNL priorities. Offer legislative and lobbying strategy development and leadership at FCNL and within coalitions related to sustainable energy and the environment, including the Washington Interreligious Staff Community’s Energy and Ecology Working Group. Develop new partnerships as needed.
- Liaise with key current and former members of Congress who champion climate change on behalf of FCNL.
- Work cooperatively with the FCNL Legislative Hill Team to design and implement programs to help FCNL constituents educate themselves on specific issues and to take timely action. Such cooperative activities might include communicating with FCNL constituents, grassroots training, organizing list serves, and organizing lobby days.
- Design and lead events at FCNL’s Quaker Welcome Center, on occasion, to further bipartisan dialogue and action on climate change and educate FCNL’s network.
- Travel and interpret FCNL's positions and activities to Friends and other interested persons and groups. Represent FCNL at gatherings and events as needed.
- Brief and prepare the General Secretary for lobby visits, meetings with government officials, and policy presentations related to sustainable energy and environmental issues.
- Work with FCNL grant writer to seek funding to support legislative activities. Fulfill terms of grant contracts in good order.
- Work together with staff, volunteers and committees to help FCNL further its purposes.
- Attend FCNL Annual Meeting, Spring Lobby Weekend, and quarterly Policy and Executive Committee meetings as needed. Prepare reports to the committee and other documents as necessary for the good order of the committee process.
This description outlines the general nature of the duties that a person in this position would perform. It is expected that the employee will perform other duties as assigned by the supervisor.
Experience and Attributes
- An appreciation of the vision that FCNL promotes in Congress and with administrative agencies; an ability to help lead FCNL’s integrated legislative program.
- An abiding passion for stewardship of the earth.
- A consultative and collegial manner, with skills in facilitating group processes and cooperative work with colleagues inside and outside of FCNL.
- Self-reliance and the ability to take initiative.
- A systematic and well-organized approach to problems, with attention to details and deadlines, and the ability to handle a wide range of tasks as needed.
- Successful supervisory experience.
- Familiarity with Friends organizations, concerns and practices, and ability and willingness to work with Friends’ committee process.
- A strong interest in legislative issues and public policy development, and general agreement with the FCNL statement of legislative policy.
Qualifications
- Three to five years of experience in legislative advocacy--with Congress, a relevant administrative agency, a non-profit organization or business, etc.
- Knowledge of and experience with designing and leading legislative program development and legislative change strategies, preferably at the national level.
- Willingness to work on a bi-partisan approach to solutions.
- Excellent research, writing, editing, and public speaking skills.
- Ability to work with a team of individuals who are responsible for various aspects of FCNL’s work, including lobbyists who focus on other issues, communications experts, grassroots organizers, and public campaigns staff.
Compensation and Work Week
Salary: Starts at $65,000 and is negotiable based on experience and in relation to similarly-situated non-profits in the D.C. market.
Work Week: This is a full-time exempt position, based on a 37.5-hour work week, with some travel. Because of the focus on Congress, we expect this individual to work out of our Washington, DC office. Some compensatory time will balance evening and weekend work and travel.
Benefits: Health/dental/vision insurance; disability and life insurance; paid leave plus holidays; parental leave; generous employer contribution to a retirement plan; public transit benefit, and more.