*POSITION DESCRIPTION*
*DRUG POLICY MANAGER, COLORADO*
The Drug Policy Alliance has an immediate opening for a Drug Policy
Manager, Colorado, reporting to the California State Director in DPA’s
Los Angeles office.
This is a new position, designed to take advantage of current
opportunities to promote drug policy reform in Colorado via ballot
measures, legislative advocacy, and public education. The recent
near-success of Proposition 19 in California has increased public
support for marijuana legalization and created opportunities around the
country, but particularly in some Western states including Colorado, to
advance the cause of marijuana legalization and drug policy reform
generally. Recent developments in Colorado, such as the explosion of the
medical marijuana industry and legislative victories in sentencing
reform, make Colorado an attractive target for DPA’s reform efforts. DPA
seeks a dynamic self-starter to anchor our work in Colorado in
collaboration with local and national allies.
* *
*The Position*
The Drug Policy Manager, Colorado reports to the California State
Director in DPA’s Los Angeles Office and will serve as DPA’s single
staff member in Colorado. Based in Denver, the Drug Policy Manager,
Colorado will work to establish DPA’s presence in Colorado and will
spend approximately 50% of his or her time on a likely 2012 marijuana
ballot measure, and the other 50% on other DPA drug policy priorities,
such as advancing innovative harm reduction programs in the state,
reducing the criminalization of drug use, promoting sentencing reform
and alternatives to incarceration, and seeking ways to shift government
funding from the drug war to other, more health-based priorities. The
Drug Policy Manager, Colorado will work closely with allies and press on
the ground in Colorado to advance DPA’s broader drug policy reform
agenda, including a one- or two-day New Directions conference in Denver
in 2011 or 2012. It is expected that the Drug Policy Manager, Colorado
will work from home or from office space shared with an allied organization.
*Primary Responsibilities*
The Drug Policy Manager, Colorado will oversee DPA’s drug policy reform
agenda in Colorado, and will work with allies in Colorado to advance
DPA’s vision and agenda.
Primary responsibilities include:
* Developing and articulating a vision for Colorado that is
consistent with the organization’s overall mission, philosophy,
and strategic approach;
* Seeking out and identifying opportunities to promote DPA’s core
priorities in Colorado; implement strategies to achieve DPA’s
goals and objectives throughout the state, particularly with
respect to marijuana legalization/Tax and Regulate;
* Laying the groundwork for DPA’s participation in a likely
marijuana ballot initiative in 2012;
* Seeking out and identifying opportunities to “push the envelope”
in discussions of drug policy in Colorado;
* Creating and maintaining solid relationships with diverse
partners, including state agencies, community-based organizations,
academics and researchers, businesspeople, elected officials, and
local DPA members;
* Supervising DPA’s legislative, advocacy and program efforts in
Colorado, both statewide and in local jurisdictions;
* Contributing to DPA fundraising activities, both locally and
nationally; enhancing DPA’s fundraising capacity in Colorado and
neighboring states;
* Serving as DPA’s spokesperson in the media and at community
events, conferences, and other forums;
* Supervising and mentoring student interns and volunteers;
· Contributing to DPA management, oversight, quality control and
internal communications.
*_Professional Qualifications_*
_ _
Specific qualifications include:
* Demonstrated leadership skills, including four years progressively
more responsible experience in political campaigns or ballot
initiatives, public policy, legislative and/or governmental
affairs; criminal justice and/or public health experience preferred;.
* Experience building and leading coalitions in pursuit of an
activist agenda with measurable results;
* Enthusiasm and motivation to lead on cutting-edge issues;
* Entrepreneurial outlook;
* Demonstrated ability to work with diverse partners, including
community-based organizations and community members/constituents;.
* Familiarity with drug policy desirable; commitment to harm
reduction and drug policy reform principles essential;
* Understanding of Colorado marijuana industry, stakeholders and
politics a plus;
* Strong analytic ability and superior communication skills,
including writing and public speaking;
· Availability to work occasional evenings and weekends and to
travel periodically throughout the state, region, and nationally;
· Fluency in Spanish a plus.
*Personal Characteristics*
The ideal candidate will be a creative, entrepreneurial, self-motivated
and collegial advocate who thinks conceptually and strategically, is
detail-oriented and has good logistical skills. DPA is an organization
that encourages initiative, and the successful candidate must be a
self-starter and a risk taker, with a high degree of confidence and
energy. Since this will be DPA’s sole paid staff position in Colorado,
the person hired for this job must be able to work independently and
drive an agenda without local staff support. Excellent interpersonal
skills and a passion for social justice that includes fair and equitable
drug policies are essential for success.
* *
* *
*About The Drug Policy Alliance*
* *
The Drug Policy Alliance (DPA) is the nation’s leading organization of
people who believe the war on drugs is doing more harm than good. In
its vision of the future, individuals will not be punished simply for
what they put into their bodies, only for harm done to others. DPA
fights for drug policies based on science, compassion, health and human
rights and seeks to promote dialogue on cutting-edge drug policy issues
around the country. Its work spans issues from ending marijuana
prohibition and promoting more honest and effective drug education to
reducing the many harms of drug use and drug laws. DPA works to ensure
that our nation’s drug policies no longer arrest, incarcerate,
disenfranchise and otherwise harm millions of nonviolent people,
especially people of color. DPA plays the unique role of “connecting the
dots” between a number of drug policy issues in advancing its overall
drug policy reform agenda.
DPA formed in 2000 when The Lindesmith Center, an activist drug policy
think-tank established by Ethan Nadelmann
<http://www.drugpolicy.org/about/keystaff/ethannadelma/> in 1994, merged
with the Drug Policy Foundation, a membership and grantmaking
organization established in 1987. The objective of the merger was to
create a powerful organization to promote drug policy reform in
mainstream public and political discourse. Today, DPA has seven
offices, 42 staff, an annual operating budget of $9 million, 26,000
dues-paying members, over 100,000 online subscribers, and a growing
track record of success at the local, state, and federal levels. For
more information, please see www.drugpolicy.org
<http://www.drugpolicy.org/>.
DPA’s work encompasses a wide array of policy issues including:
* Sentencing reform and alternatives to incarceration
* Harm reduction (HIV, Hepatitis C and overdose prevention)
* Ending marijuana prohibition, marijuana decriminalization, medical
marijuana
* Drug education, teens and drugs
* Race and the drug war
* Drug treatment
* Civil liberties and rights
* International drug control
* Alternatives to prohibition and pragmatic steps for ending the
drug war
* *
* *
*Compensation*
* *
This position offers a competitive salary, commensurate with experience,
as well as an excellent benefits package, including health, dental,
long-term disability and life insurance; a generous 403(b) plan; and 25
days paid time off.
* *
*Deadline*
Applications will be reviewed immediately and will be accepted until the
position is filled.
* *
* *
*Application Process*
Please submit a cover letter with your resume and salary requirements by
email to hr@drugpolicy.org <mailto:hr@drugpolicy.org>. Reference Drug
Policy Manager, Colorado in the subject line – or by mail to:
Human Resources Manager
RE: Drug Policy Campaign Manager, Colorado
Drug Policy Alliance
70 West 36^th Street, 16^th Floor
New York, New York 10018
All inquiries or referrals will be held in strict confidence.
* *
/Drug Policy Alliance is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Women, people
of color, and people with disabilities are encouraged to apply. We are
particularly interested in hiring those who have been adversely affected
by the war on drugs./
Deadheads United™ 