Manager, Government Partnerships & Policy

About REDF

At REDF, we’re building an economy that works. For everyone.

We discover and back social entrepreneurs across the United States that employ people striving to overcome employment barriers like homelessness or incarceration.

These mission-driven businesses, called employment social enterprises, exist because they see untapped talent in their communities for the strengths they hold, not the barriers they’ve faced.

That’s why REDF invests in their businesses, so we can help push their impact further, faster. We pair our grantmaking with capacity-building support, create space for employment social enterprise leaders to learn together, and sponsor state and federal policies that help shift perspectives. Because we believe that our economy works best when it works for everyone.

Since 1997, REDF has invested in 280 social enterprises in 38 states and DC, helping over 100,000 people create a future where they can flourish.

About the Government Partnerships & Policy Team

The Government Partnerships & Policy team informs and influences federal, state, and local policymakers to promote the growth of employment social enterprise and increase economic opportunity for social enterprise employees through funding, intermediation, and public policy. The Government Partnerships & Policy team is charged with managing existing programs like LA:RISE, the nation’s first public-private partnership connecting workforce and employment social enterprise while also creating new and innovative public-private partnerships that help grow the social enterprise sector.

The Role:

The Government Partnerships & Policy manager will support REDF’s expansion of our government partnerships and policy strategic plan. This Manager will oversee and administer a range of local, state, and federal-government funded programs along with supporting our policy/advocacy program. The primary focus of the position is REDF’s efforts to expand employment social enterprise access to SNAP Employment and Training funding, including managing contracts with USDA and LA County. The role also requires the Manager to support existing and new government contracts/programs, including existing programs like Skill Up Los Angeles (LA County CFET program). The manager will support REDF’s policy and advocacy work by helping to track policy initiatives and support the development of policies that may impact REDF and the employment social enterprise field in both the short- and long-term to internal and external stakeholders.

This position is an exciting opportunity for individuals with government relations and policy background looking to support the growing social impact sector.

The Responsibilities:

Government Partnerships

• Manage and administer REDF’s SNAP Employment and Training strategy including USDA and LA County CFET contracts to meet program outcomes and ensure compliance with contractual and government regulations.
• Contribute to and at times lead internal strategy projects related to planning, historical trends and other issues. Collaborate with other REDF staff in finance, compliance, data, communications and marketing, and other program teams as necessary to accomplish REDF’s strategy and/or meet contractual goals.
• Support the Director with tracking programmatic progress, using REDF’s CRM; create and manage monthly, quarterly and annual reporting for government entities and REDF.
• Lead and manage communication strategies and relationships with diverse internal staff and external public sector audiences.
• Build and maintain strong rapport with government partners including government staff, elected officials and community groups driving long-term relationships meeting contractual and programmatic goals while positioning REDF and employment social enterprises to receive public sector funding.
• Develop new partnerships and programming by analysis and identification of public sector trends and government funding opportunities focused on workforce and economic development, social services, and justice/probation.

Public Policy

• Support organizing and providing assistance to employment social enterprise policy coalitions and attend relevant policy workgroups as needed.
• Contribute to writing, editing, and proofreading advocacy materials, i.e. policy recommendations.
• Collaborate with the Director and Head of Policy to define and execute policy strategy, particularly advocacy efforts and outreach promoting REDF policy recommendations.
• Assist with policy research and legislative analysis with an outcome of developing informed policy recommendations.
• Analyze the impact of federal and state public sector trends and initiatives that support implementation of REDF’s policy strategy and advocacy program.

The Qualifications:

• Strong collaborator; comfortable working with others that possess a wide diversity of backgrounds, skills, and experience; naturally finds ways to upskill others.
• Expertise and understanding of government contracting, compliance, and reporting requirements specifically subject matter knowledge of SNAP Employment & Training, workforce and economic development, and/or justice/probation public funding.
• Bachelor's degree or equivalent and 4-6 years of proven experience in public sector and policy relating to workforce development or employment of individuals facing barriers to work.
• Supportive of REDF’s commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion.
• Continuously uses feedback and embodies a growth mindset to improve work product and personal development; confident in giving and receiving feedback to other team members.
• Strategic and thoughtful in use of communications as a tool to share knowledge, get buy-in, consult with others, collaborate, and drive effective decision-making.
• Able to make important decisions under conditions of ambiguity and imperfect information; able to identify and evaluate complicated trade-offs.
• Able to travel up to 30% for work purposes.
• Possess a “generalist” toolkit and approach; expertise leading and tackling multiple facets of government contracts and projects including program management, compliance, programmatic and fiscal reporting, marketing and outreach, providing technical assistance, etc.
• Demonstrated ability to work autonomously; able to identify solutions around barriers for both self and more junior staff.

The Culture

Every team member at REDF has an impact, with the ability to influence and iterate on our strategy. We balance autonomy with collaboration, leading with learning, and innovation with expertise. We listen, ask questions, and challenge the status quo and each other to uncover solutions that move us all to a better tomorrow.

REDF is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. Our different experiences, backgrounds, and stories are our strength. We know that an equitable, inclusive, and diverse workplace makes us more effective, innovative and agile. We welcome and will consider qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender perception or identity, national origin, age, marital status, protected veteran status, disability status or arrest and conviction history. EEO is the Law. REDF welcomes all.

The Perks

• A generous dollar-for-dollar retirement plan match up to 4% of your base compensation
• Opportunity to learn continuously by building your skills and broadening your perspectives at conferences, workshops, and more
• 13 paid holidays and ample vacation time
• Competitive, comprehensive benefits package

Position Location and Pay Range:

Los Angeles preferred but open to remote in Southern California. The salary range for this position is $95,220 - $119,600 and reflects Los Angeles based positions. The range will be adjusted according to candidate's location.

COVID Vaccine Requirement

Despite California’s movement towards herd immunity, low case rates, etc., the COVID-19 pandemic still exists at large. We have a responsibility to provide working conditions that mitigate any direct threat to the health and safety of our employees and others affiliated with REDF and the broader community. REDF employees are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. If you are not able to receive the vaccine for medical or religious reasons, you may seek approval for accommodation through the Director of HR by emailing [email protected] (please include “Accommodation Request, Government Partnerships & Policy Manager” in the subject line). Our COVID-19 Vaccine Policy will adapt as we continue to review our obligations under Federal, state, and local laws.

Join Us!

Please submit your resume and cover letter via REDF’s applicant portal. A personalized cover letter is required; applications without one will not be considered.