AIA Seattle is seeking an Advocacy Manager to support work in design, the professional practice of architecture, and the built environment.
AIA Seattle’s mission is to champion the central role of architects in creating and sustaining a better built environment. AIA Seattle is one of the largest architectural associations in the US, with an inspiring community of more than 2500 members in ten counties, who are passionate and engaged in our communities. AIA Seattle is a member-led organization. AIA Seattle’s interactive relationship between volunteers and staff allows us to harness the wisdom and leadership of our community for greater impact. AIA Seattle advocates for solutions for housing, sustainability, equity, diversity and anti-racism, and to support industry-wide culture change. AIA Seattle works from a stakeholder developed 2025-2030 strategic plan in alignment with our public facing 501c3 entity, Seattle Design Festival.
The ideal candidate will position AIA members as leaders on policy related to the practice of architecture and the built environment. We are looking for an independent, motivated, and passionate leader who will work with senior staff and members to identify and develop consensus on specific policy issues of importance to AIA and organize direct action and communication about those issues. The ideal candidate will be passionate about policy and the built environment, a natural facilitator and consensus-builder who can collaborate with and mobilize our membership, as well as publicly represent the organization.
Goals of Position
- Mobilize, motivate and engage AIA members in advocacy on issues such as climate action, housing, and land use
- Improve our built environment and the profession by impacting policy through member engagement
- Create linkages between advocacy and other AIA Seattle initiatives to inform programs and member engagement
- Cultivate and steward relationships, partnerships and member engagement beyond the City of Seattle
Essential Job Functions
Member mobilization 40%
- Motivate, recruit and engage members in advocacy activities in the ten-county membership area of AIA Seattle
- Collaborate with programs team to inform public and member events and education programs to support advocacy priorities and issues
- Organize and prepare members to influence elected officials and their staff
Communication 30%
- Summarize and synthesize policy information for stakeholders including board, staff, and AIA members
- Develop issue briefs, position statements, talking points, letters, and other communications
- Manage and produce content for written and verbal communications for internal and external use regarding AIA policy positions and advocacy efforts
Relationship development 20%
- Cultivate and steward advocacy partnerships to develop aligned policy initiatives and activities
- Identify sustainable ways to grow impact for 10 county members
- Steward and develop relationships with members, elected officials, and municipal staff
Policy research and development 10%
- Evaluate legislation and policy issues for relevance to strategic plan and priorities of AIA Seattle
- Prioritize issues in current and potential policy to create opportunities for engagement and impact
- Collaborate with AIA Seattle committees and staff to develop advocacy strategies and engagement plans
- Understanding of national policies
- Provide information and resources on current policy topics to support program development and member engagement
Job Skills and Attributes:
- Manages, prioritizes, and plans independently and collaboratively to drive projects to completion from a given objective
- Strong written and verbal communication skills
- A commitment to justice, equity, diversity and inclusion
- Proven ability to engage with and steward forward the work of members; Comfortable “leading from behind” and putting members in front
- Proven ability to analyze and interpret policy
Job Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s degree in public affairs, public policy, government affairs, communications, built environment field or relevant field or equivalent lived experience
- Experience with advocacy organizing, lobbying, coalition engagement and/or grassroots advocacy
- Familiarity with municipal structures and processes in AIA Seattle’s 10 County membership area a plus
- Experience with and knowledge of architecture and built environment fields a plus
