Director, Political Action Committee

Requisition Number  1427
ED Office

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required; Master’s degree preferred
• Four to six years of Political Action Committee or other relevant fundraising experience.
• Knowledge and expertise in PAC or other fundraising, solicitation or money-raising techniques and familiarity with federal election laws.
• Must have good budgetary and financial management skills.
• Working knowledge of federal policy-making processes, structure, functions and interrelationships among units of government.
• Excellent interpersonal and written skills to persuade psychologists to participate in political giving and to respond to at times conflicting interests within and outside of the organization.
• Refined public speaking, advocacy, and leadership skills to advance and persuade others of positions taken.
• Ability to coordinate many disparate tasks, assign priority and ensure completion of desired outcomes.
• Ability to work independently, set priorities and achieve objectives with minimal supervision.
• Advanced user of MS Word, Outlook and Fundraising Software
• User of MS Excel, Power Point and Electronic Research

Description

• Political Action Committee (PAC) solicitation. (1) Devises, directs and manages the APAPO PAC’s comprehensive fundraising strategy for PAC solicitation, which includes, for example, direct mail, email and personal outreach. Coordinates with the Executive Director (ED) for Practice, Associate Executive Director for Government Relations (GR) for APAPO, the EdAT, and APAPO committees and bodies with PAC involvement. Develops and nurtures relationships with donors to create a culture of PAC giving among psychologists eligible to contribute (the “solicitable” class). Developing and building a strong donor base from the solicitable class is challenging and requires this individual to exercise independent judgment, engage in creative and persistent activity to motivate the donor base, and exercise strong communication and political skills. (2) Consults, coordinates and collaborates with APAPO GR, the EdAT, Communications and other staff and consultants, as necessary, to develop and draft direct mail fundraising solicitations. (3) Trains volunteers and governance members of APAPO committees and bodies with PAC involvement on solicitation techniques. (4) Schedules and executes phone and other direct solicitation campaigns. (5) Seeks, designs and implements strategies and technology to improve fundraising. This individual must continually work to preserve and build the donor base and keep up with evolving strategies and techniques for doing so. (6) Develops follow-up process to ensure contribution commitments are met.
• PAC contribution. (1) Devises, directs and manages the PAC’s political giving strategy for federal candidates. Works closely with Practice GR staff to coordinate political giving with lobbying and grassroots mobilization, as necessary. Consults with Practice GR staff and outside lobbying consultants to identify priority candidates to best allocate resources in light of Practice GR’s legislative strategy. This individual must think and act creatively to ensure that finite PAC dollars are optimally distributed. Advises the EdAT with respect to political giving. Interfaces with other employees of APAPO, the EdAT and APA, as appropriate. (2) Interacts regularly with campaign fundraising professionals. (3) Manages schedule of PAC fundraising events. Represents the PAC at such fundraising events. (4) Develops and cultivates relationships with Members of Congress and their campaign staff. This individual must exercise considerable political acumen in interacting with Members of Congress, other PACs and professional organizations to ensure that psychology’s issues are well-represented.
• APAPO PAC representative. (1) Represents and serves as point person for the PAC before internal contingencies, including APAPO committees and bodies with PAC involvement and the solicitable class. Represents and serves as point person for the PAC before external constituencies, including Members of Congress and campaign staff and the public. (2) Creates and oversees the training of psychologists to participate in political giving, provides written materials and website content about the PAC and produces other materials to encourage support for the PAC. (3) With the guidance of counsel, addresses politically and legally sensitive inquiries and issues related to the PAC and political giving. (4) Speaks before audiences about and to promote the PAC, sometimes introducing and frequently interacting with members of Congress. (5) Writes and disseminates articles on PAC activities. These duties entail significant creative thinking, strong written and oral communication skills, excellent political judgment and an understanding of Congress and the political action process.
• Administration and budget. (1) Manages the PAC budget, carefully monitoring inflow and outflow of resources. (2) Works with the Office of General Counsel and external law firm and compliance professionals to ensure compliance with federal election and related laws. Provides data and records as needed. Assists compliance team in tracking down identifying information for contributors.
• PAC events manager. (1) Independently, plans, designs and executes events featuring Members of Congress. Coordinates with other PACs and organizations in shared events. (2) Selects, secures, interacts and negotiates with potential honorees, campaign finance directors and/or chiefs of staff. (3) Solicits and secures contributions and attendance of supporting individuals. (4) Arranges and handles all details related to events, including food and beverage selection, sound systems, seating arrangements, special dietary needs and photography as appropriate. Prepares and maintains event-specific budgets. (5) Initiates and manages and/or provides consultation to psychologists to host local events for members of Congress.

Qualified candidates should send resumes indicating requisition number, cover letter and salary requirements to: American Psychological Association, Human Resources, 750 First St., NE, Washington, D.C. 20002-4242, or email to Human Resources, or fax to (202) 336-5501.

The American Psychological Association is an Equal Employment Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer, M/F/V/DV.