National Policy Director

Who We Are

American Farmland Trust is the only national organization that takes a holistic approach to agriculture, focusing on the land itself, the agricultural practices used on that land, and the farmers and ranchers who do the work. Since our founding in 1980, AFT has helped permanently protect over 7 million acres of agricultural lands, advanced environmentally-sound farming practices on millions of additional acres, and supported thousands of farm families by improving farm viability and farmland access. Long a pioneering leader, AFT is now riding a new wave of growth, driven by agriculture’s most pressing needs and opportunities. 

Position Summary 

AFT has historically played an outsized role in the development of agricultural policy. At the federal level, AFT led the effort that incorporated a Conservation Title into the 1985 Farm Bill. AFT has also worked actively on other titles of the Farm Bill and on other federal issues, including farm viability, farmland access, and tax policies. At the state level, AFT had a direct role in the creation of 30 farmland protection programs and numerous current use taxation programs—and has successfully championed a wide range of legislation that has advanced conservation practice adoption, farmland retention and access, and farm viability. 

AFT is currently preparing a multiyear strategy aimed at advancing agricultural policy at both the state and federal level, including through the next Farm Bill. To achieve these goals, AFT has been expanding its policy team, which currently includes the Vice President of Policy, Senior Policy Advisor, Senior Policy Manager for Conservation & Energy, and Farm Viability Policy Manager, as well as additional policy staff in several states/regions, and consultant support. We are seeking a National Policy Director to expand synergies between our state and federal policy work, increase the capacity of the national team, and provide additional strategic leadership and management. 

Reporting to the Vice President of Policy, the National Policy Director position offers an exciting opportunity to shape and carry out the policy agenda of a growing, forward-looking agricultural conservation organization. In addition to working with AFT’s federal and regional/state policy teams, this role will work closely with AFT’s program, communications, and research staff.  

This position is not place-based and can be performed remotely. However, if performed remotely, applicants should expect to occasionally travel (15%) for key meetings, stakeholder engagements, board meetings, etc.  

Duties and Responsibilities 

The National Policy Director as both internal and external-facing responsibilities. These responsibilities include: 

Strategic Planning:  

• Lead strategic planning, support, coordination, and integration of policy advocacy efforts between AFT’s state/regional offices and its national policy team.  

• Contribute to the development of advocacy and communications plans, particularly with respect to AFT’s state-level work and Farm Bill advocacy. 

Management & Policy Advancement:  

• Convene meetings between state-level and national staff, identify and provide additional training and resources to meet the needs of policy staff.  

• Manage and contribute to a portion of AFT’s federal policy portfolio.  

• As appropriate, review, contribute to, and approve materials developed by national policy staff. 

• Contribute to the annual budgeting and work-planning processes for the state and national policy teams and related projects. 

• Manage relationships with external consultants. 

• Oversee internal reporting and monitoring activities, including program metrics, executive team bullets, and workplan monitoring. 

• Assume managerial and leadership responsibilities of AFT’s national policy team in the absence of the Vice President of Policy. 

• Support a strong team culture of shared learning, innovation, and problem-solving among AFT staff. 

Communications:  

• Enhance AFT’s recognition as a thought leader by seeking out opportunities to engage the public, stakeholders, and the media on AFT policy priorities and by representing AFT in the media and at events and agency, legislative, and coalition meetings. 

• Research, write, and edit white papers, public comments, and testimony on policy and programs as well as other communications materials such as fact sheets, presentations, blogs, statements, rapid response pieces, etc.   

Fundraising:  

• Work with development staff, Vice President of Policy, and others within AFT to identify potential funding sources.  

• Develop and contribute to grant proposals, grant reports, and meetings with current and prospective funders. 

This is not necessarily an all-inclusive list of job-related responsibilities.