Religion & Faith Program Director

We strongly encourage people of color, transgender and non-binary people to apply. HRC is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes everyone, including non-LGBTQ people, to join our team.

Position Summary:

The Religion & Faith Program Director provides leadership and strategic direction to the Religion and Faith program. The director will work in concert with HRC’s senior leadership to develop strategies and implement programs to engage religious communities in HRC’s work to support federal and state level policy objectives, encourage support for LGBTQ people within communities of faith, and advance other priorities as identified by senior leadership. In addition, the director will work with HRC colleagues to develop resources specific to supporting LGBTQ youth and combatting anti-transgender and anti-HIV stigma within faith communities. They will also provide support to faith communities that are becoming more inclusive of LGBTQ people and serve as a spokesperson on issues at the nexus of religion and LGBTQ equality - including how current trends and policy debates impact religious institutions, religious schools, people of faith, and LGBTQ community members.

Position Responsibilities:

• Develop and implement a 3-year strategic plan - including relevant metrics for tracking performance - that advances organizational priorities through faith community engagement.
• Focus the program’s educational, research, organizing, and training efforts on traditionally conservative and moderate faith perspectives, with strategies specific to racially diverse experiences.
• Help federal government affairs staff and state-based organizing staff build relationships with faith leaders and organizations nationally and in key states.
• Successfully navigate varying political environments and consistently make sound assessments to determine meaningful next steps.
• Lead efforts to build organizational capacity from within the faith community for HRC's voter engagement and other campaign work.
• Establish and maintain strategic partnerships with national, regional, state, and local religious, inter-religious, and faith-related organizations and networks.
• Build a network of faith leaders that can be quickly mobilized to speak from a theological perspective on LGBTQ issues, especially to public officials and the media.
• Manage full-time employees including, when applicable, recruiting, interviewing, hiring, training, conducting performance reviews, coaching, motivating and disciplining.
• Create and manage the Religion and Faith program’s budget.
• Assist the development department in raising funds for the program.
• Represent the program and HRC in the media and in a variety of conference, training and religious settings.
• Other duties as assigned.

Position Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent work experience required, Master’s degree preferred, especially in religion, public policy, research, communications or related fields.
• At least 10 years of significant programmatic experience in non-profit, advocacy or related organizations
• Ability to prioritize and balance multiple projects and demands simultaneously.
• Experience successfully leading grassroots organizing efforts.
• Existing knowledge or curiosity/openness to learn about the legislative process and how federal, state, and local laws and legislation impact religious institutions and LGBTQ people.
• At least three to five years of strong management of personnel and projects.
• Previous experience with budget development.
• Adept at building buy-in for projects with numerous internal and external stakeholders.
• Excellent communication skills, strong writing, and a keen understanding of messaging to varying audiences, including the broader public, the LGBTQ community and traditionally religious audiences.
• Strong working knowledge of a wide range of religion and faith perspectives and their role in shaping the experience of LGBTQ people, public policy, and public opinion. 
• Respected and connected voice among religion and faith organizers, researchers and thought leaders, with significant experience in LGBTQ equality and the ability to strategically guide HRC’s work in this area on both a daily and long term basis. 
• Ability to mobilize clergy and lay leaders at the grassroots level.  
• Flexibility with work schedule; this position requires evening and weekend work.
• Ability to travel at least monthly.
• Strong commitment to the organization’s mission and goals, especially to improving the lived experiences of LGBTQ people in several areas of focus, including transgender equity, racial justice, and HIV and AIDS advocacy.
• Spanish language skills a plus.

All positions at the Human Rights Campaign may require travel on a regular basis or periodically.  Where the need arises for business travel, appropriate compensation as outlined by the Fair Labor Standards Act will apply.

No phone calls or emails, please. Due to the volume of applications we receive, we are unable to respond to queries about application status.