Director of Public Policy

Great Plains Region

Ducks Unlimited’s Great Plains Region is seeking an accomplished and driven individual to lead public policy efforts across our seven-state region.  The director will serve as a member of the regional management team and provide strategic thinking and targeted implementation to help achieve state policy objectives.  The director will also advise the national public policy steering committee and support federal policy priorities.  The director will provide leadership to help guide the collective policy work of various stakeholders (e.g., DU volunteers, state agencies, conservation organizations) across the Great Plains Region.

Specific Duties:

• Provide leadership for DU’s public policy efforts across the Great Plains Region (GPR).
• Supervise the GPR’s policy staff and manage the policy items in the region’s budget.
• Increase DU’s effectiveness with state policy efforts in the GPR.
• Work directly with key legislative and executive branch leaders.
• Serve as the primary liaison to the Volunteer Regional Policy Coordinator and work together to engage and support State Policy Chairs.
• Collaborate with volunteers and staff in each state to develop key policy objectives, seek organizational approval and develop strategies and tactics for success.
• Advise DU’s national public policy steering committee on federal policies that affect DU’s continental mission.
• Support DU’s federal policy priorities, including coordination with DU’s Government Affairs Office in D.C., fly-ins and federal policy testimony, and relationship building with the federal delegation for GPR’s seven states.
• Secure public and private funding to support priority public policy efforts.
• Coordinate policy development and implementation with other conservation organizations, agency partners and interested stakeholders to maximize efficiency of the partners’ collective efforts.
• Incorporate social, economic and biological information into policy development and advocacy.

Qualifications:

• A minimum of a BS in public policy or another appropriate field.  An advanced degree is desirable.
• At least 10 years of experience in public policy development and execution.
• At least 5 years of experience in supervising a group of staff.
• Strong communications skills.
• Experience in polling, strategic messaging and coalition building.
• Experience in crafting legislation and leading bi-partisan advocacy efforts with broad stakeholder groups.
• Demonstrate a creative approach to conservation policy development.
• Understanding of campaign organization and execution.
• Understanding of not-for-profit fundraising efforts.

This position reports to the Director of Operations for the Great Plains Region.  The director of public policy must work out of the Great Plains Regional Office in Bismarck, North Dakota.

HOW TO APPLY: Complete the electronic application and pre-employment forms at www.ducks.org/jobs; attach resume, letter of interest and daytime contact information (email & phone numbers) for three professional references; and submit. To request application materials, contact Candace Miller at the address below.  Deadline for submission of application is May 31, 2013.

Candace Miller
Ducks Unlimited, Inc.
Great Plains Regional Office
2525 River Road
Bismarck, ND  58503
cmiller@ducks.org
Office  701-355-3511
Fax       701-355-3512