Assistant Director of Policy & Advocacy - Organic Seed Alliance (Job)
Description:
Location: Remote or Hybrid (preferable in DC-area)
Reporting To: Director of Programs
Direct Reports: Program interns and fellows as needed
About the Role: The Assistant Director of Policy and Advocacy plays a critical leadership role in advancing Organic Seed Alliance’s mission through our national policy and advocacy program. This includes supporting OSA’s State of Organic Seed project, leading development of policy comments and policy organizing, coalition engagement, and renewal of our policy platform for seed. This position also has general program development/implementation and grant writing/fundraising responsibilities. This position requires strong written and oral communications skills, policy analysis, and broad knowledge of sustainable agriculture and seeds. Experience in grant writing and fundraising is preferred but not required. The successful candidate will be a strong communicator skilled in policy analysis and aligned with OSA’s mission. This person will support advancing organic seed policy rooted in participatory methods, i.e. facilitating the inclusion of individuals and groups in the design of policy Organic Seed Alliance puts the power of seed into the hands of growers 1 recommendations to achieve accountability, transparency, and engagement to influence specific needs.
Responsibilities:
● Support the growth and development of the Policy and Advocacy program, including resource mobilization.
● Work with the Executive Director to ensure annual programming is consistent with the organization’s strategic framework and mission.
● Recruit and supervise Policy and Advocacy Program Intern(s), including performance management.
● Support the State of Organic Seed project with Program Assistant Director and Research Assistant Director, and lead implementation of State of Organic Seed project recommendations as related to policy.
● Lead research related to policy and advocacy, such as publishing OSA’s policy platform for seed, reports, op-eds, and toolkits, and white papers.
● Lead the writing of OSA’s policy comments as well as policy organizing, e.g. National Organic Standards Board and other Federal comment periods as related to OSA’s mission and vision.
● Foster collaborative partnerships in support of the Policy and Advocacy program.
● Participate in coalitions and partnerships with other policy advocacy organizations, e.g. National Organic Coalition, National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition, International Federation for Organic Agricultural Movements, and others.
● Partner with the Leadership Team to align program work with organizational goals and funding strategies.
● Other duties as assigned include staff and Leadership Team meetings, staff retreats, organizational development work
Skills/Eligibility:
Qualifications:
● A minimum of 5 years relevant experience
● Knowledge and experience in policy advocacy
● Strong written and oral communication skills
● Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to work with a wide range of individuals and organizations
● Experience in food systems and/or organic agriculture a plus
How to Apply:
To apply, please send a cover letter and CV or resume to Cathleen McCluskey at cathleen@seedalliance.org by Friday, March 13, 2026, 11:59 pm Pacific.