Careers

Administrative and Advocacy Associate

Communications and Membership Outreach Manager

Director of Financial Services

Public Policy Internship

Administrative and Advocacy Associate

The Consumer Federation of America (CFA), one of the nation’s leading nonprofit consumer advocacy organizations, seeks a full-time Administrative and Advocacy Associate to provide administrative, research, and advocacy assistance to the organization and its staff.

The ideal candidate for this position is someone who has a commitment to the public interest, is flexible, a multitasker, and an excellent communicator.

About CFA:

The Consumer Federation of America (CFA) is an association of non-profit consumer organizations that was established in 1968 to advance the consumer interest through research, advocacy, and education. Today, more than 250 of these groups participate in the federation and govern it through their representatives on the organization’s Board of Directors.

Responsibilities

Advocacy Administrative Support 

  • Track pending consumer legislation.
  • Send letters to Members of Congress, state legislators and officials, and local policymakers.
  • Develop and update Congressional and regulatory contact databases.

Research and Writing

  • Conduct legislative and public policy research for senior advocates working on financial services, product safety, energy, food safety, regulatory reform, and other high-profile consumer issues.
  • Conduct data analysis using R Analytics or SPSS.
  • Generate research and identify useful research from other credible sources to support policy positions and inform advocacy and consumer education efforts.
  • Draft and edit letters, fact sheets, and other written materials for Congress and the media.
  • Assist with writing articles for CFAnews Update.

Conference and Event Support

  • Provide onsite and/or online support to the Director of Meetings & Events for in-person and virtual events.
  • Support conference planning efforts.

Organizational Administrative Support

  • Assist in maintaining and updating website and computer network.
  • Sort mail and monitor phone and electronic communications.
  • Assist with large mailings, and educational and advocacy initiatives.
  • Provide administrative assistance to CFA’s Chief Executive Officer.

Qualifications

  • Bachelor’s degree.
  • Effective communication skills, including written, interpersonal, and verbal.
  • High proficiency with Microsoft Excel and Access.
  • Experience working with nonprofit advocacy-oriented organizations.

Benefits

  • Hybrid position with two days in the office and three days work from home per week.
  • 100% employer-paid health care, dental, vision, and long-term disability insurance.
  • Three weeks paid vacation to start and three personal days.
  • Federal holidays.
  • Generous paid sick leave.
  • 401(k) retirement plan with employer contribution after the first year.
  • Salary range, depending on experience: $47,000 – $55,000

Please send your cover letter and resume to Sara Cooper, scooper@consumerfed.org.

Consumer Federation of America is an Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action Employer and encourages applications from all qualified individuals without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, disability, or veteran status, or to other non-work-related factors.

If you require reasonable accommodation in completing this application, interviewing, or otherwise participating in the employee selection process, please direct your inquiries to: Sara Cooper, 202-939-1014, scooper@consumerfed.org.

Communications and Membership Outreach Manager

The Consumer Federation of America (CFA), one of the nation’s leading nonprofit consumer advocacy organizations, seeks a full-time Communications and Membership Outreach Manager.

About CFA:

The Consumer Federation of America is an association of non-profit consumer organizations that was established in 1968 to advance the consumer interest through research, advocacy, and education. Today, over 200 of these groups participate in the federation and govern it through their representatives on the organization’s Board of Directors.

Communications and Membership Outreach Manager:

CFA’s communications efforts help to convey the vision of the organization across a variety of platforms, including social media, the website, and press outreach. CFA communications work is done in close collaboration with its advocates, its educational arm (America Saves), and its Director of Meetings and Events.

CFA’s members are a diverse group of national, state, and local organizations that serve consumers in various ways. They are the foundation of the organization who provide support for many of our public policy efforts. The Communications and Membership Outreach Manager is responsible for establishing solid relationships with our members, cultivating these relationships, and strategizing ways to help grow our membership. This position plays a pivotal role in strengthening the communications and outreach work led by Consumer Federation of America.

Responsibilities include:

Communications:

  • Reports to and works with Communications Director to implement strategic communications plan which includes:
    • Working with staff to prepare press releases, press statements, and media advisories
    • Leading social media community management (currently on Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook)
    • Participating in the development and implementation of CFA’s strategic communications plan
    • Preparing monthly social media and press analytics report to share with the staff and the board
    • Writing, creating, and publishing monthly newsletter sent out to CFA members and subscribers
    • Collaborating with CFA staff on writing and publishing blog articles on the CFA website explaining and promoting CFA issue areas

Outreach:

  • Manage CFA’s member outreach efforts, including establishing relationships with various member groups, planning member-only calls, webinars, and quarterly meetings, and meeting with the membership committee of the CFA board.
  • Communicate with CFA members and coalition partners through emails, phone calls, preparatory meetings, and written materials
  • Work with CFA members and board membership committee to build CFA’s membership
  • Work with CFA staff to assist in planning conferences and events, as well as provide support for Consumer Advocacy Week and the High Cost Lending Summit
  • Coordinate collection and distribution of staff monthly activity reports

Qualifications:

  • Bachelor’s degree in communications, public relations, digital marketing, or a related field; advanced degree valued
  • Experience with social media community management and analytics
  • Plus if experienced in creating social media graphics or graphic design generally
  • Demonstrated commitment to public interest advocacy
  • At least 3 to 5 years of professional experience
  • Excellent communication, writing, and editing skills
  • Self-motivated, hardworking, and a team player
  • Quick and curious learner
  • Good organizational skills, with the ability to conceptualize, propose and execute projects

Salary and Benefits:

  • 100% employer-paid health care, dental, vision, and long-term disability insurance
  • Three weeks paid vacation to start and three personal days
  • Federal holidays
  • Generous paid sick leave
  • 401(k) retirement plan with employer contribution
  • Hybrid position with two days in the office and three days work from home per week
  • Salary range, depending on experience: $55,000 – $65,000

Please send your cover letter and resume to scooper@consumerfed.org.

Consumer Federation of America is an Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action Employer and encourages applications from all qualified individuals without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, disability, or veteran status, or to other non-work-related factors.

If you require reasonable accommodation in completing this application, interviewing, or otherwise participating in the employee selection process, please direct your inquiries to: Sara Cooper, 202-939-1014, scooper@consumerfed.org.

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Director of Financial Services

The Consumer Federation of America (CFA), one of the nation’s leading nonprofit consumer advocacy organizations, seeks a full-time Financial Services Director to lead CFA’s advocacy research, and educational efforts on issues such as banking, consumer credit, high cost lending, debt collection, and fintech with members of Congress and their staff and with regulators like the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, FDIC, OCC, and Federal Reserve to identify and encourage policies that advance and protect the interests of consumers with low- to moderate-incomes.

About CFA

The Consumer Federation of America is an association of non-profit consumer organizations that was established in 1968 to advance the consumer interest through research, advocacy, and education. Today, around 250 of these groups participate in the federation and govern it through their representatives on the organization’s Board of Directors.

Responsibilities

  • Advocate for financial services consumer protection policies before Congress, state legislatures, and at regulatory agencies.
  • Serve as CFA spokesperson on financial services issues and communicate policy positions to the press, policymakers, and the public.
  • Generate, undertake, and oversee research and identify useful research from other credible sources.
  • Engage in dialogues with businesses and industry groups.
  • Work in coalition with other advocates on financial services consumer protection issues.
  • Work with America Saves staff to develop educational tools for consumers to help navigate an increasingly complex marketplace.
  • Manage current funding relationships and identify new funding sources to support the financial services work and the organization.

Advocacy

  • Communicate and build relationships with Members of Congress and regulators.
  • Produce content for legislative and regulatory efforts, including authoring and collaborating on comments on proposed regulations affecting consumer protections for financial services and other relevant issues.
  • Organize and participate in meetings with stakeholders on financial services issues.
  • Work with other members of the CFA team on overlapping issues.
  • Maintain current coalition partner relationships and develop new coalitions with colleague organizations to promote pro-consumer financial services policies.

Research

  • Develop and implement research projects to expose consumer problems, promote solutions, and provide consumer education on financial services issues.
  • Identify research from credible sources to validate policy positions and inform advocacy and consumer education efforts.

Press

  • Work with Communications Director to implement strategic communications plan regarding financial services, which includes:
    • Preparing press releases and social media outreach promoting issues, exposing problems, and presenting research results.
    • Identifying and cultivating relationships with key reporters covering financial services issues.
    • Participating in the development of overall communication strategies associated with financial services issues.
    • Where appropriate, writing and publishing blog articles on the CFA website explaining and promoting CFA positions on pending financial services policy matters.

Conference and Event Support

  • Develop themes and sessions for CFA conferences and summits, inviting panelists and keynotes, and supporting conference planning efforts.
  • Assist with program creation and execution of two annual conferences alongside CFA staff planning committees and the Director of Meetings and Events.

Qualifications

  • BA and advanced degree required, JD preferred.
  • Ten-plus years’ experience in financial services policy and advocacy.
  • Demonstrated ability to develop and manage comments on proposed regulatory initiatives and regulations, as well as draft legislation and prepare for pending hearings on relevant topics.
  • Effective communication skills, including written, interpersonal, and verbal.
  • Excellent presentation skills.
  • Experience working with nonprofit advocacy-oriented organizations.

Benefits

  • 100% employer-paid health care, dental, vision, and long-term disability insurance.
  • Three weeks paid vacation to start and three personal days.
  • Federal holidays.
  • Generous paid sick leave.
  • 401(k) retirement plan with employer contribution.
  • Hybrid position with two days in the office and three days work from home per week.
  • Salary Range, depending on experience: $100,000 – $130,000.

Please send your cover letter and resume to scooper@consumerfed.org.

Consumer Federation of America is an Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action Employer and encourages applications from all qualified individuals without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, disability, or veteran status, or to other non-work-related factors.

If you require reasonable accommodation in completing this application, interviewing, or otherwise participating in the employee selection process, please direct your inquiries to: Sara Cooper, 202-939-1014, scooper@consumerfed.org.

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Public Policy Internship

The Consumer Federation of America, a Washington, DC-based non-profit that works to advance the rights of consumers through research, advocacy and education, is seeking talented, motivated interns with an interest in food and product safety, consumer protection, and financial services.

Interns work with advocates to advance pro-consumer policy on a variety of issues before Congress, the White House, federal and state regulatory agencies, state legislatures, and the courts. They also assist with research to investigate consumer issues, such as high-cost credit, privacy, the safety of children’s products, and fish, meat and poultry inspection. CFA seeks applicants who are pursuing a graduate or law degree and who possess a high level of oral and written communication skills.

Based at the Consumer Federation of America’s office in Washington, DC, the internship is unpaid, though course credit can be given if the intern makes appropriate arrangements. In-city transportation stipends may be available. Full or part time.

To apply for an internship, submit a cover letter and resume to Sara Cooper. Applications will be considered on a rolling basis. Start and end dates flexible.

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