Senior Health Justice Associate

The Senior Health Justice Associate role offers an exciting opportunity to lead SCOPE’s campaign strategies on oral health equity and other health justice policy issues facing low-income communities of color in Los Angeles and across the state. Responsibilities include leading and facilitating coalition efforts with community residents, partner organizations, and decision-makers to develop and advance policy recommendations.

The role entails crafting policy briefs, fact sheets, communications materials, and other materials to inform staff, policymakers, grassroots members, and the public on relevant issues. This role will also be responsible for training and/or leading staff and interns in policy research, development, advocacy, organizing, and coalition building.

The ideal candidate is a responsible self-starter who can produce and lead high-quality policy analysis to frame policy debates, help develop community-informed policy recommendations, and advance campaigns.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Policy Campaign Strategy, Management, and Coordination (50%)

• Develop vision and strategy for campaign and/or research priorities in conjunction with the Policy Director.
• Lead and facilitate local and statewide coalitions and workgroups related to oral health, other health equity issues, and potentially other priority areas.
• Lead SCOPE’s grassroots committee related to oral health to equip community members with the tools they need to affect change for themselves and their communities.
• Lead local grassroots education efforts to support SCOPE members in garnering community support for priority issues.
• Manage, carry out, and ensure successful implementation of campaign activities, including management of consultants, public convenings, communications campaigns, logistical details, and other elements of policy campaigns.
• Work with Policy Team, Campaign, and Organizing Team members, and coalition partners, to inform power mapping, identification of advocacy targets, and strategies to advance policy goals.
• Actively participate in coalition, networking, and other relevant meeting spaces to advance policy goals and coordinate with other justice campaigns.
• Develop communications materials (e.g., fact sheets, presentations, etc.) to advance policy goals.
• Attend hearings and meetings to provide testimony, share policy positions, and build relationships with policymakers.
• Support fund development and reporting related to SCOPE’s oral health equity work.
• Manage and utilize data management systems to implement and track campaign activities, evaluate success, and make recommendations for change.
• Support the Policy Director in evaluating and tracking progress toward advocacy goals.

Policy Analysis & Research (20%)

• Research and analyze local and state policy, regulation, and issues related to SCOPE’s strategic campaigns, especially oral health and other health issues.
• Conduct data collection to inform policy analysis and recommendations.
• Research, identify, and direct internal and external research projects.
• Working closely with Policy Team members, develop policy briefs, policy options, comment letters, and other materials to educate staff, grassroots members, policymakers, and the public on relevant policy issues.
• Develop and maintain content area expertise related to SCOPE’s strategic campaigns.

Cross-Team Collaboration & Capacity-Building (30%)

• Work with community organizers to develop participatory research, policy analysis trainings, and popular education materials that engage grassroots members and build their skills.
• Collaborate with SCOPE team members around planning and implementing organization-wide events, meetings, and activities.
• Support the development and implementation of grassroots member lobby days and advocacy-related trainings.
• Represent SCOPE at major public events, with press, etc.
• Provide backup support to occasionally step in for the Policy Director on a short-term basis, as necessary.
• Participate in organizational staff meetings.
• Contribute to the development and implementation of organizational priorities, such as communications materials, internal operations, and other internal organizational elements.
• Maintain files and records for grant reporting purposes.

Essential Knowledge and Abilities

• Minimum of 5+ years of relevant policy and/or campaign experience in at least one of the following areas: health, social services, and/or workforce development policy
• Experience leading a team of staff and/or interns
• A demonstrated commitment to social and racial justice and a strong understanding of the intertwined, intersecting policy issues that shape material conditions in low-income communities and communities of color, as well as their structural/root causes
• Excellent research and writing skills with the ability to synthesize complex language and ideas
• Familiarity with the Los Angeles City, County, and California policy landscape and governance processes
• High level of attention to detail
• Able to take initiative and direction
• Proven success working independently and as part of a team
• Strong time and work management skills, including meeting multiple deadlines and prioritizing tasks
• Excellent interpersonal communications skills
• A solutions-oriented approach to problem-solving
• Experience with a justice and equity-driven approach to research and policy development
• Strong public speaking skills
• Actively builds a culture of collaboration, accountability, and integrity
• Willingness to work longer hours and weekends when necessary
• Reliable transportation required to participate in community events