Position Available: “Program Associate” for the Jewish
Council for Public Affairs (JCPA)
The Jewish Council for Public Affairs (JCPA) is the umbrella body for public policy and
community relations in the Jewish community representing 14 national agencies and 125
local community relations councils throughout the United States. Our mission is to
safeguard the rights of Jews here, in Israel, and around the world; and to protect,
preserve, and promote a just American society, one that is democratic and pluralistic.
In order to accomplish these goals, the JCPA works on a wide range of domestic and
international issues to build consensus on public policy issues and coordinate advocacy
and activism. Our work falls under three taskforces:
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Equal Opportunity and Social Justice (EOSJ), Jurisdiction over: poverty, healthcare,
housing, hunger, education, immigration, disability, energy policy, environment
issues, global warming, human trafficking, reproductive choice, women’s rights, fair
wages.
Jewish Security and the Bill of Rights (JSBOR): Jurisdiction over: civil rights, civil
liberties, separation of church and state, anti-torture activism, Holocaust issues, hate
crimes, discrimination.
Israel, World Jewry, and International Human Rights (IWJIHR): Jurisdiction over:
Israel and the Middle East, Iran’s nuclear program, ending the genocide in Darfur,
international anti-Semitism, international poverty.
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The JCPA’s Washington office leads JCPA’s federal advocacy efforts across all issue
sets, national communications strategy, and our Confronting Poverty program. Position:
The Program Associate is responsible for supporting the Washington programmatic
including Confronting Poverty national events, online organizing, , consulting with local
affiliates and providing resources to increase field participation in the campaign. The
position is located in the Washington DC office of the JCPA reports directly to the Vice
President and Washington Director and work in close collaboration with the Program
Manager, Confronting Poverty. Specific responsibilities include:
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Organizing national events and Washington based programming;
Support JCPA local member agencies and top lay leaders when in Washington;
Supporting Confronting Poverty’s 4 issue clusters (working groups of local
member agencies dedicated to addressing a specific aspect of poverty) on hunger,
healthcare, affordable housing and educational disparities;
Online organizing, managing the JCPA’s ENGAGE program which provides eorganizing services and guidance to member agencies;
Tracking anti-poverty participation among JCPA local and national member
agencies and compiling data into usable formats;
Support community consulting efforts for JCPA advocacy initiatives and
Confronting Poverty Campaign;
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Providing fundraising support for the Poverty Campaign and Federal Advocacy
programs by researching potential funding streams, assisting with grant-writing and
data collection
Aiding the Washington Director and Program Manger, Confronting Poverty in
preparing information such as memos, background information, as well as
presentations for meetings and other relations with the Jewish Community
Relations field;
Staff and develop JCPA’s election engagement programming;
Assisting local Jewish Community Relations Councils in developing and
implementing local programming and advocacy;
Write newsletters for JCPA’s member agencies about work of Washington Office
and Confronting Poverty;
Working with all JCPA staff in the planning semi-annual JCPA meetings and the
annual Plenum conference;
Develop and coordinating JCPA Washington’s internship program;
Working with the Washington Director in the general operation of the Washington
office of the JCPA;
Assuming other duties and responsibilities as determined.
Required Skills and Abilities: Applicants will need to demonstrate excellent oral and
written communication skills, proven research ability, and basic web skills (more
advanced web skills preferred, including knowledge of HTML and online Adobe
Photoshop, but applicant can be trained).
We are looking for a pro-active, motivated, deadline-driven candidate who is flexible,
creative, and has a good sense of humor. One to two years prior experience with related
community organizing or public policy experience required.
BA/BS degree required. Interested candidates should send a cover letter and resume to
search@thejcpa.org.
The Jewish Council for Public Affairs is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity
Employer. Qualified persons are encouraged to apply regardless of their religious
affiliation, national origin, marital status, race, age, sex, sexual orientation or nature of
disability.