Political Director

Position description

The US Campaign for Palestinian Rights (USCPR) is a national movement of Palestinians and their allies who advocate for Palestinian rights and a transformation of U.S. policy on Palestine.

USCPR is building a powerful new political hub that will organize progressive political power for Palestine nationally, drive federal policy campaigns to end U.S. military funding to Israel, and support state and local advocacy campaigns. Our foundational commitment is to Palestinian communities and frontline activists, and our work is grounded in cross-movement solidarity with a wide range of organizations.

The US Campaign for Palestinian Rights is a 501(c)(3) organization and its sister organization, USCPR Action, is a 501(c)(4). Both organizations are part of a global movement in solidarity with the Palestinian people.

This is a full-time position with a strong preference for candidates based in Washington, D.C. or New York City, though we are open to candidates from other East Coast or Midwest cities who can travel to D.C. efficiently.

POSITION SUMMARY:

USCPR is seeking a Political Director to build our inaugural political program, and lead our federal legislative and electoral work. This is a critical moment in American politics with the movement for Palestinian liberation growing stronger every day. USCPR is looking to harness this momentum to build our political muscle and organize the progressive movement to win on key issues for Palestine.

The Political Director will be the chief strategist and public representative of USCPR and USCPR Action in various settings, from Congress to political coalitions. They will lead the build-out of the 501(c)(4), which includes the development and execution of federal legislative and electoral strategies and campaigns. This also includes ancillary responsibilities like maintaining the compliance infrastructure, and supporting fundraising. They will expand USCPR’s political relationships while deepening existing ones.

The Political Director will be a part of USCPR’s senior leadership team and expected to support staff and the campaigns across the organizations. They will work in close partnership with the Programs department to advise and support state and local grassroots partners involved in advocacy campaigns. Additionally, they will be responsible for building out and supervising other staff for the Political team.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Senior Leadership and Development

• Manage, develop, and support staff and consultants on the Political team.
• Work across departments to advise and support ongoing campaigns with political strategies.
• Serve on the USCPR senior leadership team and help drive the organizational and communications strategy of the political program.
• Lead compliance and reporting activities, in collaboration with the fiscal sponsor, operations staff, and legal team.
• Lead budgeting for the political program, specifically the (c)(4).
• Support on fundraising for the political program as needed.
• Build out future electoral and other political programs for both entities.

Progressive Coalition Building

• Strengthen existing strategic political partnerships and build new relationships with peers at national progressive organizations, from labor unions to think tanks.
• Organize national progressive partners to take collective action on Palestine at critical political moments.
• Lead coalition building efforts in relevant spaces and alongside partner organizations.
• Represent USCPR and USCPR Action, ensuring alignment with organizational priorities, strategic vision, and nuances of the political moment, in relevant coalition spaces with partner organizations.
• Shape and drive narrative strategies on how U.S. military funding to Israel impacts domestic issues, positioning the (c)(4) as a thought leader in the conversation.

Legislative and Electoral Campaigns

• Build and expand USCPR Action’s profile in the national political space.
• Grow Congressional relationships with a focus on committee leaders and senior staff and caucus leaders.
• Identify new opportunities for electoral engagement in state and local settings.
• Support state and local partners with legislative and electoral campaigns related to Palestine.
• Serve as a public spokesperson for USCPR and USCPR Action.

Other duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• 7-10 years of experience in electoral or legislative work, with previous experience as a political director highly desired
• Demonstrated experience in strategic campaign planning, coalition building, stakeholder management, and program building
• Aligned with the values of USCPR and USCPR Action
• Knowledge of Palestine, U.S. politics and the grassroots and grasstops progressive movement
• Experience with senior leadership, board management, and staff supervision
• Strong written and communication skills
• Strong creative problem-solving skills
• Accountability to Palestinian communities and colleagues
• Highly relational and empathetic listener and communicator
• Experience with compliance, legal, and reporting needs for federal and state lobbying activities in particular and 501(c)(4)s with affiliated 501(c)(3) organizations generally.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

This job will require frequent visits to Washington, D.C. and other nearby locations.

WORK ENVIRONMENT:

• This is a hybrid position where staff can work from home if they are not required to be at other in-person events.
• Hours are 9AM to 5PM ET with the expectation that staff will sometimes need to work long and/or irregular hours during legislative or electoral seasons.

SALARY & BENEFITS:

The salary range for this position is $88,000 - $100,000. Benefits include generous paid time off, health and dental insurance, a retirement plan with matching employer contributions, and more.

LOCATION:

Preference is for a candidate based in Washington D.C. or New York City though consideration will be given to qualified candidates in East Coast or Midwest cities who can travel to D.C. efficiently.

Application instructions

Please submit a cover letter and resume. The position will remain open until filled and candidates will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

All applicants must be able to provide documentation that they are legally eligible to work in the United States for an extended period.

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