Director of Policy and Advocacy

Position: Director of Policy and Advocacy

Status: Full-Time, Exempt

Reports to: Executive Director

Supervises: Support Staff as assigned

Organizational Overview

The Korean American Family Service Center, Inc. (KAFSC) is a leading nonprofit organization serving women, children, and families in the New York tri-state area to prevent and end domestic violence, sexual assault, and relationship abuse. Through counseling, education, advocacy, shelter, legal services, economic empowerment, youth programming, and community-based support, KAFSC helps individuals and families build safe and healthy lives based on dignity, respect, and self-determination. All services are culturally responsive, linguistically appropriate, trauma-informed, and free.

Position Summary

KAFSC is seeking a strategic, experienced, and mission-driven Director of Policy and Advocacy to lead the organization’s policy, advocacy, systems-change, and public engagement efforts. This position will play a key leadership role in advancing KAFSC’s mission by identifying policy priorities, analyzing city and state budget developments, strengthening coalition partnerships, and elevating the needs of immigrant survivors of gender-based violence, culturally specific service providers, and underserved communities. The Director of Policy and Advocacy will work closely with the Executive Director and senior leadership team to develop and implement KAFSC’s advocacy and policy agenda, represent the organization in coalitions and public forums, lead policy campaigns, and support government relations. This position will also supervise the Policy and Research Coordinator, providing guidance on research, issue tracking, policy analysis, budget analysis, written materials, and advocacy projects.

Key Responsibilities

Policy and Advocacy Leadership

• Develop and lead KAFSC’s policy and advocacy agenda in alignment with the organization’s mission, strategic priorities, and the needs of immigrant survivors of gender-based violence.
• Monitor, analyze, and respond to city, state, and federal policy developments affecting survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, trafficking, immigrant communities, women, children, and families.
• Identify emerging policy issues, advocacy opportunities, legislative priorities, and systems barriers impacting KAFSC clients and culturally specific service providers.
• Lead the development of policy recommendations, advocacy strategies, campaign priorities, and public positions that advance survivor-centered, trauma-informed, culturally and linguistically responsive systems change.
• Represent KAFSC in coalitions, working groups, public hearings, advocacy meetings, community forums, and government stakeholder spaces.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with elected officials, government agencies, coalition partners, advocacy organizations, community-based organizations, and other key stakeholders.
• Support KAFSC’s role in broader advocacy efforts related to gender-based violence, immigrant rights, language access, housing, economic justice, mental health, public safety, victim services, and nonprofit sustainability.

Budget and Policy Analysis

• Lead analysis of city and state budgets, government funding streams, legislative proposals, and public investments impacting gender-based violence services, culturally specific organizations, immigrant communities, and women’s programs.
• Track relevant funding opportunities, budget priorities, agency allocations, and policy decisions that may affect KAFSC’s programs, clients, and organizational sustainability.
• Develop budget advocacy materials, funding analyses, talking points, testimony, briefing memos, and recommendations for internal and external audiences.
• Work with the Executive Director and senior leadership to connect policy and budget developments to organizational strategy, program planning, grant opportunities, and public messaging.
• Provide clear and timely updates to leadership, staff, board members, and partners on relevant policy and budget developments.

Writing, Communications, and Public Voice

• Lead the development of testimonies, public comments, policy briefs, advocacy letters, position statements, talking points, op-eds, presentations, and other public-facing materials.
• Ensure KAFSC’s policy and advocacy materials are accurate, compelling, survivor-centered, and grounded in the lived experiences of immigrant communities.
• Translate complex policy, budget, and systems issues into accessible and actionable language for diverse audiences, including community members, funders, elected officials, coalition partners, and media.
• Collaborate with communications, development, and program teams to ensure consistency between KAFSC’s advocacy priorities, public messaging, fundraising materials, and program narratives.
• Support the Executive Director in preparing for meetings with elected officials, government agencies, funders, coalition leaders, and other external stakeholders.
• Supervision and Team Development
• Supervise the Policy and Research Coordinator, providing regular guidance, feedback, support, and accountability.
• Assign and oversee research projects, policy tracking, issue briefs, hearing summaries, budget analysis, advocacy materials, and other deliverables.
• Support the Coordinator’s professional development in policy research, writing, analysis, coalition engagement, and nonprofit advocacy.
• Develop internal systems, templates, trackers, and workflows to strengthen KAFSC’s policy and advocacy infrastructure.
• Ensure that research, policy updates, and advocacy materials are organized, timely, accurate, and useful for leadership and staff.

Cross-Departmental and Strategic Support

• Collaborate with program leadership to identify systemic issues, client barriers, service gaps, and policy trends emerging from direct service work.
• Work across departments to ensure advocacy priorities are informed by client needs, community realities, program data, and organizational goals.
• Support grant proposals, reports, strategic planning, public education, and external engagement efforts that require policy analysis or advocacy framing.
• Help strengthen KAFSC’s public role as a trusted voice on culturally specific services, immigrant survivors, gender-based violence, language access, and community-based prevention and intervention.
• Perform other related duties as assigned, consistent with the scope of the position and organizational needs.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 5 years of relevant experience in policy advocacy, legislative analysis, government relations, nonprofit leadership, public administration, social justice advocacy, gender-based violence advocacy, immigrant rights, or a related field.
• Demonstrated experience leading policy or advocacy campaigns, coalition work, legislative engagement, or systems-change initiatives.
• Strong understanding of city and state government, public budget processes, legislative advocacy, and nonprofit funding systems.
• Knowledge of issues affecting immigrant survivors of gender-based violence, domestic violence, sexual assault, trafficking, women, children, families, and marginalized communities.
• Excellent writing, research, analytical, and communication skills.
• Ability to analyze complex policy and budget information and translate it into clear recommendations, advocacy materials, and public messaging.
• Strong supervision, project management, and organizational skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities, deadlines, and stakeholders in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong judgment, discretion, and ability to handle sensitive information with professionalism and care.
• Experience working with elected officials, government agencies, coalitions, community-based organizations, and advocacy partners.
• Commitment to culturally and linguistically responsive, survivor-centered, trauma-informed, and community-based work.
• Proficiency in Google Workspace and Microsoft Office; strong spreadsheet and document management skills preferred.
• Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree in public policy, public administration, social work, law, nonprofit management, political science, gender studies, or a related field preferred. Equivalent professional experience may be considered.
• Korean language skills are a plus but not required.

Preferred Qualities

• Deep commitment to gender justice, immigrant justice, racial equity, and survivor-centered advocacy.
• Strategic thinker who can connect direct service needs to policy and systems-change opportunities.
• Strong relationship-builder who can work effectively with community members, advocates, government partners, funders, staff, and board members.
• Clear and persuasive writer with the ability to produce high-quality materials under tight deadlines.
• Collaborative leader who can support staff development while advancing organizational priorities.
• Proactive, resourceful, and comfortable navigating evolving policy and funding landscapes.

Compensation and Benefits

• Salary Range: $100,000 ~ $120,000
• Benefits include health, dental, and vision insurance, Flex Spending Account, generous days of paid time off, 14 paid holidays, and 3% 401k match for eligible participating employees.

HOW TO APPLY

Interested candidates should submit a cover letter and resume via email to ***email_hidden***.

NO PHONE CALLS PLEASE.

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