Program Director, State and Local Policy

Job Summary

Since 1982, Enterprise has worked in Colorado with partners to bring together the people and resources to create affordable housing in strong neighborhoods, and to help connect the residents of that housing to opportunities in their communities. Enterprise is a national organization with offices throughout the country. The Denver based team covers a range of the most relevant and pressing affordable housing issues facing Colorado, especially in the Denver metro area and front range. The team works to provide policy, tools, support and solutions alongside our affordable housing partners – including nonprofit developers, government agencies, and community-based organizations. In Colorado, we have had a strong and growing presence since 1986, with leadership roles as part of the Strong, Prosperous and Resilient Communities Challenge (SPARCC), the Denver Housing Advisory Council (HAC), and Mile High Connects to name a few.

Our local, regional, and statewide priorities in Denver all contribute to our larger vision: to end housing insecurity in the state and increase opportunities for low- and moderate-income Colorado residents, especially families.

Enterprise is seeking a Program Director of State and Local Policy to work in the Denver market office. The Program Director develops and executes a state and local policy agenda, in coordination with Enterprise’s Denver office team and outside partners, to advance Enterprise’s policy priorities around the production and preservation of affordable housing, tenant protections and anti-displacement strategies, homeless resolution, and increasing positive health outcomes through housing stability. The position also coordinates with Enterprise’s federal policy team to align federal policy making with state, regional, and local policy, and works with senior leadership to create strategic communications for the Denver office with support from the national communications staff.

The successful candidate will be a highly motivated, creative, effective team player eager to continue existing Enterprise policy efforts in Colorado and advance new policy priorities in collaboration with partners. The position requires working with a wide variety of public and private organizations and with internal Enterprise teams, organization, public speaking, writing technical and advocacy materials, planning events and outreach, diplomacy and the ability to perform a wide array of tasks in a fast-paced environment, often with stringent deadlines.

Job Responsibilities

• Act as Enterprise representative with Denver City Council, elected officials throughout the metro Denver area, state legislators, and policy collaboratives.
• Work with elected officials, their staff, lobbyists and stakeholders to research, create, and advocate for housing policy at the local and state level.
• Collaborate with Enterprise Denver and national Enterprise staff to identify high impact and priority policy efforts focused on creating high quality affordable homes in areas of opportunity, increasing racial equity, and supporting anti-displacement efforts. Become proficient in Enterprise housing efforts, and identify opportunities to use policy to meet Enterprise Denver programmatic goals.
• Responsible for monitoring the state and local policy landscape and informing senior Denver leadership about relevant policy efforts and initiatives.Provide overviews of citizen and elected official efforts and advise staff on recommended actions and advocacy in reaction to these efforts.
• Create policy position papers, outreach materials, written testimony, and media advocacy materials to inform partners, elected officials, and the public.Work with partner agencies to create joint materials and statements.
• Build and participate in coalitions by working closely with other housing, healthcare, social service, energy/green, and community organizing partners on priority policy efforts to expand housing choices, anti-displacement efforts, service funding, zoning, and regulatory efforts.Support work that strategically align with Enterprise’s mission and vet requests for Enterprise’s policy position, make recommendations to market leadership and effectively communicate position decisions.
• Collaborate with a national team of State and Local Policy Directors to advocate for Enterprise national policy goals with congressional and senate leadership from Colorado.
• Work with advocacy partners to ensure that resident voices are included in Enterprise Denver policy efforts.
• Work with Enterprise Marketing team to utilize social media, press releases, op-eds and other earned media to advance advocacy and programmatic efforts.

Qualifications

• Undergraduate degree in public policy, economics, urban planning, real estate or related field and at least (5) years of experience in relevant public policy, community development, government, or nonprofit advocacy efforts; graduate degree may substitute for up to two (2) years of experience.
• Demonstrated experience in state and local policy processes and advocacy, working knowledge of how policy is crafted and passed in local, regional, and state policy arenas.
• Demonstrated professionalism, diplomacy, composure, flexibility and ability to adapt to a variety of situations.
• Issue expertise in one or more of the following desired:affordable housing program and real estate development, health systems and housing, poverty reduction, economic mobility.
• Strong desire for familiarity with affordable housing industry throughout Colorado.
• Superior ability to understand and strive to meet the needs of internal and external stakeholders and develop professional relationships with partners.
• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to work as part of a team, and commitment to collaborative processes internally and externally.
• Superior written and oral communication skills.
• Strong presentation, negotiation and interpersonal skills, able to represent Enterprise in a variety of settings.
• Excellent computer skills, including Word, Excel, Outlook and PowerPoint.
• Sound judgement and ability to identify and analyze typical work situations and develop solutions.
• Candidate must be able to work in a fast-paced environment and manage simultaneous projects.
• Ability to operate independently under minimal supervision and successfully navigate new situations and environments.
• Proven experience creating strategic communications materials related to advocacy issues.
• Ability to travel upon occasion and attend evening meetings.

Additional Information