New Deal Federal Policy Fellow

A Way Home America (AWHA) (awayhomeamerica.org) is a national organization ending homelessness for Black, Indigenous, youth of color, and LGBTQ+ youth, on a path to ending it for all. Our work is driven by the following values. We are homeless youth providers, advocates, researchers, government agencies, philanthropists and young people uniting behind a common goal: Prevent and end homelessness among all youth and young adults. Ensure that homelessness among youth and young adults is rare, and if it occurs, experiences of homelessness are brief and one-time.

A Way Home America is a fiscally sponsored organization of TSNE (tsne.org).

The New Deal Federal Policy Fellow provides critical support to AWHA’s federal policy and advocacy work. The Fellow reports to and works in tandem with the AWHA Public Policy Director, YPT and Policy Analyst. This is a 38 week fellowship starting when hired.

Essential Functions

Public Policy Fellow Responsibilities

• In collaboration with the AWHA Public Policy Director, AWHA Policy Analyst, and AHWA Youth Policy Team (YPT), the Fellow will be assigned specific AWHA policy agenda recommendation(s) and/or specific advocacy effort(s) that they will manage and track the portfolio throughout the duration of their fellowship. This will involve creating, managing, and/or updating relative tracking spreadsheets or other relative documents on a google drive and other virtual options;
• Engage with Congress and/or Federal Government agencies on the fellow’s policy and/or advocacy portfolio they are managing. This will involve identifying and developing partnership opportunities, promoting administrative changes appropriations advocacy, and driving consistent AWHA advocacy across AWHA’s Congressional policy agenda;
• Engage in research, writing, and other activities to provide analysis and critical thinking on developments affecting the fellow’s policy and/or advocacy portfolio, as assigned by AWHA’s Public Policy Director and/or Policy Analyst;
• Assist the AWHA Public Policy Director in facilitating AWHA Policy Squad meetings and AWHA Youth Policy Team meetings, including preparing materials, note taking, and relative meeting follow up through research and networking related to their policy and/or advocacy portfolio, or as assigned by AWHA’s Public Policy The fellow will also staff any meetings related to their policy and/or advocacy portfolio;
• Support AWHA’s federal engagement, ensuring meaningful opportunities for youth and young adult collaboration and strategy input across the fellow’s policy and/or advocacy portfolio;
• Assist the AWHA Public Policy Director in the preparation of AWHA’s New Deal Days on Capitol Hill. This will also include attending the preparation days and the event day; and
• Assist the AWHA Public Policy Director and AWHA Policy Analyst in the co-facilitation of policy-centered calls/meetings, as assigned. The fellow will also attend all relative policy-centered calls/meetings.

Additional Responsibilities

• Serve as a resource to organizations and others on issues, activities, and developments in and pertaining to the fellow’s agreed upon policy priority;
• Support and manage relationships with key policy stakeholders related to the fellow’s policy and/or advocacy portfolio;
• Partner with and support other AWHA staff and organizational needs, as needed;
• Assist the AWHA Public Policy Director and AWHA Policy Analyst with daily operations related to the fellow’s policy and/or advocacy portfolio and be available to travel to occasional in-person needs in Washington, C. relative to the fellow’s policy and/or advocacy portfolio, as needed and assigned by the AWHA Public Policy Director; and
• Other duties as assigned.

We will consider exceptional candidates who demonstrate a strong combination of the specific qualifications and skills described below.

• Lived experience in youth serving systems, optional, and/or no less than 1 year experience at a national or statewide advocacy agency in the housing justice or related fields or no less than 2 years experience in a congressional or federal agency office are encouraged to apply;
• Comfort in communicating with high level legislative and executive branch policy-makers and staff;
• Outstanding research, writing, analysis skills, and the ability to use data in shaping policy messages in an approachable and clear manner;
• Strong organizational, leadership, communication, and project management skills as well as excellent judgment in developing and implementing priorities;
• Exceptional technical writing and grammatical skills;
• Diligent work ethic and personal drive while working independently;
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite and G Suite;
• Willingness and ability to travel to in-person needs in Washington, C and other in-person convenings, as needed;
• Has a demonstrated commitment to youth collaboration, LGBTQ+ and racial equity, and preventing and ending youth homelessness;
• Effective and productive in a remote work environment;
• Computer skills: Microsoft Office software, and Google Suite;
• Experience in building relationships with diverse populations;
• Align with A Way Home America’s core values:
  • Recognize and Center Intersectionality
  • Name and Challenge White Supremacy
  • Engage in Principled Struggle
  • Practice Targeted Universalism
  • Generate Transformative Visions Toward Liberation
  • Create a Culture of Accountability
  • Shifting and Sharing Power with Youth and Young Adults with Lived Expertise
• Demonstrates understanding and the ability to work alongside youth and young adults;
• Passionate about the mission to prevent and end youth homeless and impact change in existing systems;
• Able to give and receive feedback with love, rigor, and respect, honoring individual differences and promoting a healthy life/work balance;
• Has integrity and self-accountability;
• Holds all accountable for anti-black racism and colorism; and
• Will be adaptable to the workload and self-sufficient.

Additional Qualifications

• Ability to travel for events and meetings;
• Ability to work occasional nights and weekends;
• Excellent time management skills and the ability to prioritize work;
• Attention to detail and problem solving skills;
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to multitask
• Lived experience in homelessness, child welfare, juvenile justice, a plus
• Bi-lingual ability, a plus (Spanish preferred)
• Applicants located within a half-day’s drive or train ride will be prioritized due to the nature of the New Deal Federal Policy Fellow work

Physical Demands/Work Environment

The physical demands described here are representative of those for this position. Reasonable accommodations will be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the functions. Work is performed in an office environment and in close proximity to other workers.

While performing the duties of this position, the employee is required to:

• Handle, or feel objects, tools or controls;
• Reach; traverse; sit (usually for longer periods of time); occasionally ascend/descend; and position self (to) move;
• Occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds;
• The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate;
• Job is not subject to significant occupational or environmental hazards;
• Likelihood of personal injury would be relatively slight;
• Environmental and work hazards are not present to a measurable degree.

To Apply

For a complete application, the following items must be submitted:

1. Resume;
2. Cover Letter which includes:
   • Policy writing sample
   • Three professional references will be requested from final candidates.

Compensation and Benefits

Location:Work is primarily performed remotely from personal home office located in the Eastern Time Zone and may require travel. (Applicants located within a half-day’s drive or train ride will be prioritized due to the nature of the New Deal Federal Policy Fellow work.)

Schedule:  Flexible, between 9:00a and 4:30p EST, up to 20 hours a week. This role requires the ability to work occasional nights and weekends.

Compensation: The pay for this position is $21.00/hr.

Benefits: This position is eligible for a full benefits package including:

• Generous Paid-Time-Off (PTO): twelve paid holidays, three weeks of vacation, one week of personal holiday, and ability to accrue up to 487.5 hours of health leave time for benefited staff.
• 80% Employer-paid, offering some $0 deductible Health Insurance through Harvard Pilgrim along with several low-deductible plans;
• Low-cost Guardian Dental and Vision.
• Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA) for Health and Dependent Care.
• Employer-paid Life, Long- and Short-Term Disability Insurance.
• Employer-paid Pension and Employee-paid 403b plan through TIAA.
• ...and more!

TSNE/AWHA strives to achieve excellence through a diverse, equitable, and inclusive work environment that embraces all of our individual and collective differences. Black, Indigenous, People of Color, Middle Eastern and North African, Bilingual and/or Bicultural candidates, and LGBTQ2SIA+ candidates are strongly encouraged to apply. We value and honor the unique talents, learning styles, and lived experiences of each individual that enrich and strengthen our workplace culture, and we are proud to be an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer.

All employment conditions are based on an individual’s performance and job qualifications. TSNE/AWHA prohibits discrimination and harassment of any kind based on race, creed, color, religion, native language, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, national origin, physical or mental disability, age, genetic information, veteran status, marital status, parental status, pregnancy, race-based hairstyles, or any other protected characteristic stated by federal and state law. Regardless of any class’ protection under the law or lack thereof, TSNE/AWHA celebrates diversity and values the strengths that come with having a diverse team of employees. It is represented in our workplace culture, and it is who we are.

TSNE/AWHA's EEO statement extends to volunteers, interns, contractors, vendors, and clients.