Do you have the appetite for leadership, policy innovation, and making a tangible impact in public policy? The State Policy Manager role might be a perfect fit for you. This position offers the opportunity to lead a policy portfolio, develop and execute state-level strategies, and manage a team to achieve key objectives. You’ll oversee project plans, direct staff, conduct research, manage media communications, and maintain critical relationships with stakeholders.

With responsibilities spanning policy development, grants management, and staff leadership, this role is ideal for someone ready to make a significant impact on state-level public policy.

The Center for Rural Affairs is seeking a State Policy Manager. This position will be based in Eastern Nebraska.

Who We Are

The Center for Rural Affairs is a dynamic, energetic non-profit organization working to build a better rural future for all. We’ve done this work for 50 years and we do it from rural places with a flexible work environment. Our work creates opportunities for beginning farmers, new business owners, and first-time advocates. The Center’s work is rooted in principles of diversity and inclusion. We believe that a diversity of people and ideas strengthens our work, our workplace, and our communities. We celebrate this diversity and we are committed to advancing practices that create an equitable and inclusive workplace. We take equal opportunity seriously and we welcome applicants from historically underserved audiences. Additional information can be found at www.cfra.org. Check to see if our Mission and Values match yours, and read about our work demonstrating how awesome the Center is! 

What You’ll Do

The State Policy Manager reports to the Policy Director and serves as team lead for a Policy portfolio as well as assisting program leadership in guiding the direction of the program. The State Policy Manager is responsible for the following:

• Lead and manage the Policy program's projects, including strategy adjustments, task prioritization, and directing staff efforts.
• Assist in strategy development and supervise staff focused on Nebraska state policy initiatives.
• Conduct research to support policy development and contribute to media and report creation.
• Build and maintain relationships with external stakeholders, including coalition and grant partners.
• Oversee media communications related to Nebraska state policy in coordination with the communications team.
• Identify grant opportunities, draft proposals, and manage work plans and budgets to ensure successful grant execution.
• Supervise and provide feedback to staff, while supporting their professional development and training.
• Assist with interviewing, onboarding, and managing Policy staff, ensuring smooth team operations and project execution.

Who You Are & Keys to Success (the must-haves)

To be successful in this job, you will excel in five areas:

• Relationship-building: You know how to talk with people to learn what needs they have through conversation and inquiry. People trust you because you’re efficient with their time and have their best interests in mind. You’re able to build sales networks, as well as alliances, and find points of collaboration even when there are competing interests on your time. You develop and maintain strong, collaborative working relationships with a diverse group of stakeholders and can bring in allies and partners from marginalized communities, such as people of color, people with disabilities, low-income families, and immigrants.
• Drive to achieve results: You know how to work to your strengths to achieve your own ambitious goals, and you anticipate hurdles as merely a momentary inconvenience. You possess a competitive drive and are creative when prospecting clients. You set a high bar and meet it because you think three (or 30) steps ahead to come up with pragmatic, yet innovative, solutions. You have financial acumen and an affinity for the details.
• Inclusive leadership and management: You approach leadership in your work with a mindset of “power with” rather than “power over” and regularly include others with lived experience in decision-making. You use resources wisely and can provide clear direction to clients, partners, and contractors to leverage time and resources for impact. You have experience managing multiple projects and keeping tasks from slipping through the cracks. 
• Setting and managing priorities: You have experience managing multiple projects and keeping tasks from slipping through the cracks. You use resources wisely and can provide clear direction to staff, partners, consultants, and volunteers to leverage time and talent for impact.
• Commitment to racial equity and social justice: You recognize the role of race, income, age, immigration status, and other identities in addressing barriers to capital access. You recognize how your own identities show up in the work, and welcome, reflect on, and act on feedback with an eye toward continuous learning about difference to overcome barriers. You recognize that entrepreneurship is a pathway to better financial outcomes. You’re a leader (or willing to become a leader) in incorporating the Center's Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion principles effectively into internal processes, external programming and communications, and work relationships, as well as identifying opportunities to build capacity in centering equity into your work.

If you were here right now, you would be:

• Collaborating with the Policy Director to adjust and refine the strategic direction of ongoing state policy initiatives.
• Engaging with external coalition partners and grant organizations to strengthen partnerships and secure additional funding opportunities.
• Reviewing and editing media communications and reports for Nebraska state policy to ensure accurate and timely distribution.
• Providing direct supervision and feedback to staff on their project progress, while conducting one-on-one meetings to track performance.
• Developing and refining organizational tools and processes to improve team efficiency and project execution across the Policy team.

You have experience with the following:

• Leadership in managing teams and overseeing project execution, including setting priorities and adjusting strategies.
• Experience in state-level policy development, with a focus on research, analysis, and strategy execution.
• Strong background in building and maintaining relationships with external stakeholders such as coalition partners, funders, and media.
• Expertise in managing grant processes, including identifying opportunities, drafting proposals, and ensuring successful deliverables.
• Proficiency in media communications, particularly in creating and overseeing content related to public policy initiatives.
• Experience in staff management, including recruitment, onboarding, training, performance feedback, and professional development.
• Ability to develop and manage work plans and budgets, ensuring alignment with organizational goals and grant requirements.

What Else You Should Know

This is a full-time exempt position based in an office location suitable for the Center’s needs that allows frequent travel to Lincoln. This position will require occasional travel by car to meet with community partners and individuals and include both overnight and out-of-state travel on occasion.

Compensation and benefits:

This position has a salary range of $57,000 - $71,000 with top-notch benefits that have a cash value of $10,000 to $29,500, depending on family status and tenure with the Center. Benefits include a 97% employer-paid family health insurance that includes a contribution to a Health Savings Account, retirement options, a fantastic Employee Assistance Program, 12 paid holidays plus paid time off between Christmas Eve and New Year's Day, Friday Summer Hours, and vacation and sick pay.

The Center for Rural Affairs is an Equal Opportunity Employer and participates in E-Verify, is committed to the full inclusion of all individuals, and takes steps to ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations.