Policy Director

Overview

This is not just another policy role—this is your chance to shape the future of housing in Pennsylvania.

About 10,000 Friends of Pennsylvania

10,000 Friends of Pennsylvania is the Commonwealth’s leading bipartisan advocate for responsible land use policies that create vibrant, sustainable communities for all Pennsylvanians. We collaborate with citizens, organizations, and public officials to develop policies and projects that strengthen our economy while protecting natural resources and building resilient communities. Our core values—collaboration, transparency, bipartisanship, and a commitment to equity and inclusion—unite our team as we work toward our vision for land use, transportation, and housing policies

that strengthen our economy, protect our resources, and build healthy and walkable communities for all across Pennsylvania.

As our new Policy Director, you’ll join our team as our second employee and help shape our growth to four team members by year-end. In this pivotal role, you’ll have extraordinary influence in defining and advancing housing and transportation policies that improve lives across the Commonwealth. You’ll develop innovative solutions, build powerful coalitions, and drive meaningful legislative change that creates more affordable, accessible, and sustainable communities.

You’ll thrive here if you…

• Are passionate about solving Pennsylvania’s housing and transportation challenges
• Enjoy translating complex policy ideas into actionable legislation
• Build relationships across political divides to find common ground
• See yourself as both a strategic thinker and hands-on implementer
• Are energized by the opportunity to shape an organization’s direction
• Stay current on housing and transportation innovations and best practices nationwide

Key areas of expertise include…

• Policy Development: Develop and implement comprehensive and scalable policy strategies aligned with the organization’s mission and goals. Work closely with the CEO to shape the long-term strategic plan for 10,000 Friends.
• Advocacy: Direct and oversee all legislative advocacy activities. Represent the organization at legislative hearings, public meetings, and other policy forums.
• Stakeholder Engagement & Coalition Support: Build and maintain relationships with policymakers, government agencies, community organizations, advocates, housing industry professionals, and other stakeholders.
• Equity and Inclusion: Apply equitable frameworks to ensure policies include historically and currently disparately-impacted perspectives in housing.
• Performance measurement & Impact assessment: Measure success and report the impact of this work to various stakeholders, including funders and partners.
• Research and Analysis: Monitor and analyze in-depth research on housing-related issues, including market trends, affordability gaps, and policy implications. Track and share this research with the 10,000 Friends team as well as within coalitions to inform statewide policies.

Your Impact and Growth

To help you understand the expectations of this role (and prepare for the interview process), we’ve outlined what you can expect to accomplish in your first year as the Policy Director.

Within 3 months, you will…

• Learn about the history of 10,000 Friends’ policy and advocacy initiatives and best practices for communicating about them to relevant bipartisan stakeholders
• Build relationships with partner organizations and community leaders to understand the current policy landscape and changes that need to be prioritized
• Research housing and transportation related issues in Pennsylvania
• Serve as the primary point of contact to key legislative and agency staff, educating them broadly about 10,000 Friends’ activities
• Respond to legislative and partner inquiries, as appropriate, including drafting of testimony, letters, legislative analyses, and advocacy materials

Within 6 months, you will…

• Synthesize research findings and begin to form recommendations for future advocacy
• Communicate about ongoing housing initiatives and help advocates leverage those examples to create policies that effect statewide change
• Collaborate with partner organizations and community leaders to pitch policy initiatives and incorporate their

feedback to ensure bipartisan support

• Support legislative advocacy campaigns to secure annual appropriations funding for community development

programs and expand funding for affordable housing, including housing trust funds and tax credits

• Participate in other cross-sector efforts with national and state partner organizations as needed to support

appropriations funding

• Develop relationships with key legislators, committees, and staff integral to achieving policy objectives
• Participate in multiple state and national conferences and professional development opportunities

Within 12 months, you will…

• Design several policy initiatives that advance resources and programs to increase housing supply, build resilience, and create opportunities for attainable housing choices for all Pennsylvanians
• Develop a process to stay informed about ongoing housing work across the state and sharing that research with the 10,000 Friends team and partner coalitions
• Introduce a new policy agenda and slate of housing bills, building off the foundation created over the previous year
• Grow and retain collaborative relationships with key stakeholders, including legislators, builders, press, and coalition partners
• Serve as a resource for objective, bipartisan information on smart growth and resilient land use, housing, and transportation
• Mentor and support statewide advocates, housing industry professionals, and community leaders
• Identify and explore new policy and advocacy opportunities within the realm of housing, transportation, and resilient land use
• Present on housing and zoning policy at relevant conferences and professional development opportunities

You’ll bring to this role…

• Bachelor’s degree in public policy, urban planning, law, government or related field (or equivalent experience)
• 5+ years in housing policy or advocacy, with at least 1 year of recent Pennsylvania experience
• Deep knowledge of housing, affordability, federal/state programs, zoning, and legislative processes
• Proven ability to analyze, draft, and champion housing legislation
• Experience designing scalable policy solutions
• Strong understanding of Pennsylvania’s government processes
• Outstanding communication skills and ability to represent our mission to diverse audiences

More details about this position:

• Travel: This position can be based in Harrisburg or remote/hybrid in Pennsylvania, with regular travel to Harrisburg, Philadelphia, and other regions of the state for legislative meetings, hearings, and events. Occasional travel throughout Pennsylvania and beyond for conferences and Hill days

Our Commitment to Equity

We welcome applicants with all identities and backgrounds – especially those that are often underrepresented or marginalized within non-profits. Your work and life experiences are important perspectives that will help shape our work for the better, and ensure we recommend and implement effective housing policies for Pennsylvania.

We recognize that systemic privilege, racism and oppression exist in our society and we are committed to advancing equity in the workplace, community and public policy. We see diversity, equity, and inclusion as critical to both our mission and to ensure the well-being of the people and communities we serve. We utilize advocacy and policy platforms to bring awareness of systemic injustice. We advocate for change in society by challenging systems and policies that sustain inequity, oppression and disparity. We work toward structural change that supports a diverse, inclusive workplace, empowered staff and families, and healthy communities.