Policy Specialist

The Massachusetts Food System Collaborative (MAFSC) supports collective action toward an equitable, sustainable, resilient, and connected local food system in Massachusetts. The Collaborative was created following the completion of the Massachusetts Local Food Action Plan in December 2015.

Our relationships with organizations, public sector agencies and policymakers, and other food system stakeholders around the state inform the Collaborative’s priorities. We work toward policy change that will contribute to a more equitable, sustainable, and resilient food system by building broad support for advocacy campaigns and providing training and other resources to allow partners to participate effectively. We bring together players throughout the food system in an effort to demonstrate the breadth of the food system, and facilitate opportunities for stakeholders to work collaboratively.

Through these networks, we lead advocacy campaigns around items in the Plan that emphasize cross-sectoral collaboration; support equity, sustainability, and resilience in the food system; and have the potential for significant impact through coordinated grassroots efforts. These efforts work toward systemic solutions to targeted problems, increase communication among key stakeholders, and highlight and promote the sharing of best practices.

The Massachusetts Food System Collaborative is fiscally sponsored by TSNE (www.tsne.org).

The Policy Specialist will research and prepare information that will help inform MAFSC’s policy strategy and expand our capacity to advocate for the local food system in Massachusetts. In this role, the policy specialist will help set MAFSC state legislative priorities and develop municipal support for MAFSC.

Essential Functions

• Research background and support for state-level legislation, including research for existing Collaborative priority legislation, as well as additional proposed policies. 
• Research municipal policy work through interviews and review of available ordinances. 
• Research and report on best practices, emerging policy trends, and conduct policy scans in coordination with MAFSC staff to guide policy development.
• Analyze policy proposals and provide recommendations on strategic opportunities.
• Draft policy briefs and white papers for publication on MAFSC website. 
• Assist with planning lobby days, including inviting speakers and other logistics. 
• Assist with drafting testimony and organizational sign-on letters of support for key policies and programs.
• Develop blogs, press releases, action alerts, and other advocacy communications, as needed. 
• Interact with and interview our external partners and report back on findings. 

Other duties as needed. 

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

• 2+ years of experience in Massachusetts state government, municipal government, food systems, state-level environmental advocacy work, or similar. 
• Research and policy analysis 
• Experience in managing projects that involve various stakeholders.
• Demonstrated ability to interact effectively and work successfully with persons of diverse backgrounds, including people with different racial, ethnic and class backgrounds, people of different genders, and people with disabilities.
• Must be detail-oriented; effectively prioritize, multi-task and problem-solve; pay attention to deadlines and details; have good organizational skills; communicate clearly and confidently; must demonstrate flexibility.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• An understanding of the food system's functions and activities.
• A commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion in program management, coalition development, and communications.
• A commitment to the Massachusetts Local Food Action Plan goals, as well as to the goals of the Collaborative.
• Ability to handle multiple complex projects at once.
• Ability to travel to meetings, as needed.
• Familiarity and comfort with MS-Office, Outlook, Google Office, website management, teleconferencing platforms, and social media platforms.
• Reliable internet access, personal phone and access to transportation required.

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:

• Ability to sit and/or for extended periods of time in front of a computer screen is an essential aspect of the position.
• There may be a need to lift and/or move materials or equipment up to 25 pounds.
• Talk, hear and see in the normal range with or without correction.
• Use hands or fingers, handle, or feel objects, tools or controls.
• Move, Traverse; sit (usually for longer periods of time); reach with hands and arms; occasionally Ascend/Descend; and position self (to), move.
• 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.

Compensation and Benefits

Location: Primarily remote from personal home office, in Massachusetts. Occasional in-state travel to meetings and events.

Schedule: 37.5 hours per week. Occasional evenings or weekend hours may be required.

Compensation: The starting salary for this position is $58,000 - $62,000/yr.

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 Harvard Pilgrim/Point32Health 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/MAFSC 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 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/MAFSC 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/MAFSC 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/MAFSC's EEO statement extends to volunteers, interns, contractors, vendors, and clients.