Policy Manager

The Community Economic Development Association of Michigan (CEDAM) is seeking a policy manager to advance our member-driven initiatives. This position’s key responsibilities include implementing CEDAM’s policy and government relations agendas, coordinating and growing statewide coalitions, and assessing this work through a lens of diversity, equity, and inclusion.

CEDAM’s policy priorities advance community development and affordable housing policy in Michigan. The person in this position will lead a diverse range of partners from grassroots activists to state agency directors, with support from CEDAM’s policy director and other senior staff.

This full-time position reports to the policy director and falls within pay grade 3. The starting salary for this position will be between $63,000 and $75,000 annually, based on experience.

ABOUT CEDAM

CEDAM is a network of community champions building an equitable Michigan. We are a statewide coalition committed to community economic development. We build members’ capacity, amplify their voices, and leverage resources to achieve lasting and systemic change for Michigan. Through engagement and collaboration, we sustain a thriving and equitable community economic development sector across the state.

CEDAM celebrates diversity of all kinds and is committed to providing a welcoming and non-discriminating environment for all who seek to work with us. Candidates can find additional information at cedamichigan.org/about/careers.

SCOPE OF WORK

Policy 

• Assist the policy director in implementing and executing CEDAM’s government relations and policy agenda.
• Develop and maintain positive relationships with elected officials, administration, and their staff.
• Research and monitor legislation.
• Develop briefings and communications for legislators, administration, and members on key issues.
• Assist in creating constituency-specific materials for members and stakeholders, including training curricula.

Coalition Building

• Initiate and/or strengthen partnerships with CEDAM members and other stakeholder organizations around the state.
• Coordinate and facilitate coalition meetings and communicate effectively with members to promote collaboration, negotiation, and problem-solving.
• Assess coalitions through a diversity, equity, and inclusion lens and identify areas for improvement.
• Assist in trainings/convenings with stakeholder groups around the state.
• Conduct ongoing group outreach and communication with coalition members.

Topical areas of the Policy Manager’s work may include:

• Affordable housing
• Economic Inclusion
• Asset-building
• Predatory lending and consumer protection
• CED organizational capacity-building

Cross-Organization Support

The manager will participate in cross-organization activities as part of the larger CEDAM team. They will:

• Attend bi-weekly all-staff meetings in Lansing
• Represent CEDAM at conferences and events
• Participate, when appropriate, in CEDAM organizational committees
• Collaborate with coworkers via task management software and Slack

THE IDEAL CANDIDATE

Anyone looking to work at CEDAM should share our commitment to lasting and systemic change in Michigan. Specifically, our values and commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion should resonate with you.

To us, experience doesn’t mean more years in the field or bigger programs managed—when you read the scope of work listed above, you are confident you have done about 60 percent or more of the things listed. The ideal candidate doesn’t just have experience engaging with elected officials, they look forward to growing their skills and developing CEDAM members’ skills in this arena.

We’re looking for someone with past success in:

Engaging Government Officials: The manager connects directly with government officials, especially elected officials and their staff, so they should be diplomatic, and adept at maintaining relationships during challenging conversations.

Organizational Skills: Given the varied tasks involved, including managing statewide relationships, coordinating coalition meetings, and supporting strategic planning efforts, strong organizational skills are crucial for prioritizing tasks, meeting deadlines, and maintaining accurate records.

Attention to Detail: Accurate communication, timely responses to inquiries, and understanding of the legislative process require meticulous attention to detail to ensure quality and consistency.

Interpersonal Skills: Collaborating with team members, CEDAM members, and community partners, and representing CEDAM in legislative settings requires strong interpersonal skills, including diplomacy, tact, and the ability to build positive relationships.

WHY CEDAM?

CEDAM takes great pride in its collaborative environment, vibrant atmosphere, and welcoming team members. Our benefits package includes employer-paid health, vision, and dental insurance that starts on day one of employment and a strong retirement match after one year of employment. CEDAM employees also enjoy unlimited paid time off, recognition of all state and federal holidays, flexible work schedules, and a professional development budget.

The CEDAM team is currently working remotely, but an office is available in the REO Town neighborhood in Lansing as needed. New staff members have access to a home office stipend to assist with outfitting their space.

Candidates may be based anywhere in Michigan so long as they’re able to travel to Lansing and other areas of the state. The CEDAM team meets twice monthly in Lansing and staff members are responsible for their travel to these. For travel outside of Lansing, travel is reimbursed at the IRS rate, but applicants do not need to own a car to be considered.

How to Apply

To apply, complete this Google form. In this process, we are seeking someone who pays attention to detail and follows directions. Please read the following application instructions carefully:

• Please write two to three paragraphs explaining why you are interested in this position and how you believe you meet the qualifications.
  • By paragraph, we mean a set of three to seven sentences, the total length should be no more than 21 sentences.
  • You will not receive more or less consideration because of a shorter or longer message.
  • DO NOT send a cover letter.
• Provide your work/skills/training history as an attachment OR as a link to your LinkedIn profile.
  • We do not have a preference for either one.
  • You will not receive special consideration for sending both.
  • We aim to understand where you have worked before and the type of roles you’ve had.

TIMELINE

The deadline to apply is Wednesday, April 24, with preference given to applications submitted by Sunday, April 21. We plan to conduct first-round interviews on Wednesday, April 24 or Friday, April 26. Final interviews will happen on Friday, April 26, or Thursday, May 2.

Our ideal start date for this position is May 13, 2024.