Strategic Organizing Center

Shareholder Advocacy & Corporate Engagement Specialist
SOC Investment Group

Based in Washington, DC
(hybrid remote)

 

WHO WE ARE:
The SOC Investment Group leads corporate governance initiatives that protect worker retirement fund beneficiaries' economic interests in the financial markets by creating an effective voice for corporate accountability. By joining SOC Investment Group, you will become part of a team with a proven track record in driving positive change. We offer competitive salaries, generous benefits, and opportunities for growth and development.

WHAT WE DO:
The SOC Investment Group’s accountability efforts enhance social and corporate governance performance at publicly traded companies by ensuring independent and accountable directors, reasonable executive compensation, and sound human capital management, and other business policies. Examples of prominent initiatives led by SOC Investment Group include those at McDonald’s, JPMorgan, and Tesla.

The SOC Investment Group works with pension funds sponsored by unions affiliated with the Strategic Organizing Center (SOC), a coalition of unions representing more than two million members, to enhance long-term shareholder returns through active ownership. Members of SOC affiliates participate in Taft-Hartley plans with over $250 billion in assets, which are the deferred wages of workers and their families, also called workers’ capital.

THE OPPORTUNITY:
The SOC Investment Group is seeking a Shareholder Advocacy and Corporate Engagement Specialist. You will collaborate with a team to help organize and support investor engagement with publicly traded corporations. You will research and monitor public companies to help advocate for corporate governance reforms, and work closely with various investor groups and other stakeholders to help promote corporate accountability. As a member of our staff, you will assist in the development and execution of novel shareholder proposals, sign-on letters, and director accountability campaigns. You will also help craft our communications strategy and media messaging to support our work.

THE WORK:

• Conduct extensive corporate research and analysis to inform engagement on a range of issues including, but not limited to, human capital management, corporate governance, human rights, and political spending.
• Lead engagements with companies, investors, and proxy advisors through writing letters, crafting presentations, organizing webinars and forums, preparing reports, and participating in coalition work.
• Develop and maintain effective relationships with pension fund trustees and staff, other institutional shareholders, and the broader investment community.
• Gather and analyze data on industries; investor voting histories and policies; federal, state, and international standards; and other areas as assigned.
• Help with media outreach and development of the SOC Investment Group’s social media profile.
• Represent the SOC Investment Group in external and internal forums.
• Perform other duties as required to support the SOC Investment Group.

An individual should demonstrate the following competencies to perform the essential functions of this position successfully:

• Attention to Detail and Accuracy: Is thorough when performing work and conscientious about attending to detail.
• Project Management: Ability to effectively manage a workload with competing priorities and meet deadlines in a timely and efficient manner.
• Self-Management: Works independently and takes initiative. Able to critically evaluate their own work before submitting projects to their supervisor.
• Adaptability: Ability to navigate ever evolving regulatory requirements and standards and keep up to date with the latest developments.
• Collaborative: Ability to work with members of the IG staff on a variety of tasks, including occasional administrative work; responds positively to instructions and feedback.
• Communications: Ability to communicate our strategies externally with companies and other investors, as well as non-investor stakeholders. Ability to communicate internally with team members regarding questions or concerns that may arise.

WHO WE ARE LOOKING FOR:
The SOC Investment Group is seeking candidates who are passionate about our mission and are highly proactive. Candidates for employment at the SOC, regardless of position, will consistently demonstrate the following:

• Strong commitment to social justice and workers’ rights.
• Commitment to excellence and high standards -- for self and colleagues.
• Continuous learning by engaging in reflection, self-assessment, and individual professional development.
• Use of deep research and investigation to inform decisions and drive continuous improvement.
• Ability to thrive as a member of a collaborative team.
• Self-motivation and initiative with a solutions-oriented disposition.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills
• Ability to effectively handle challenging situations.

QUALIFICATIONS:
While no one candidate will embody all the qualifications below, our ideal candidate would bring:

• A firm understanding and strong commitment to ethics and integrity.
• Ability to conduct thorough research to identify material risks at specific companies or industries.
• An understanding of current trends and best practices in proxy voting and shareholder rights.
• Ability to think critically and analytically and use sound judgment.
• Excellent writing, political, communication, and organizational skills
• Ability to present complex issues to a variety of audiences, both investor and non-investor.
• Good computers skills, including Office 365 spreadsheet and presentation software, database management systems, and on-line information sources, such as EDGAR.
• Interested in learning and developing new skills and a willingness to ask questions.
• Strong relationship building and people skills.
• Knowledge of financial, legal, and investor research platforms, including Refinitiv, Capital IQ, Proxy Insight, ISS Voting Analytics, PACER, and Lexus Nexus.
• Good professional network in the investor or labor union communities.
• Experience with media, including taking interviews, writing op-eds, and working with communications professionals to craft messages for press outreach.

Minimum Required Education and Experience:

• Advanced degree or BA or BS plus equivalent job experience required in economics, business, finance, labor relations, legal or related fields.
• Minimum of five years (5) work experience with labor, financial, public interest, or governmental organizations; advocacy to improve the environmental, social, and corporate governance performance of companies; familiarity with corporate transactions, finance, and executive compensation analysis a plus.

Physical Demands & Working Environment

• The Shareholder Advocacy and Corporate Engagement Specialist is expected to work from the SOC’s DC office.
• Under current policy, SOC employees spend two days per week in-office and may work remotely otherwise.
• Willingness to travel, occasionally work long and irregular hours for conferences and to attend corporate annual meetings, particularly in the Spring.

WHAT WE OFFER:
COMPENSATION & BENEFITS
Compensation:
Salary is calculated based on years of experience, with annual increases according to an established salary scale. The salary range for this position is $78,000 – $91,000. This is a full-time (35-hour work week) exempt position.

Benefits: The SOC offers:

• 100% employer-paid comprehensive health insurance benefits (medical, dental, vision and prescription benefits) for employees, their spouses or domestic partners, and children.
• 12% of salary contribution paid by the SOC to a 401K retirement plan after six months of employment.
• 100% employer paid premiums for life insurance, short- and long-term disability.
• Other benefits include cell phone provision, Commuter Benefits, and Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA),
• 13 days of accrued sick leave, 14 paid holidays, 10 days of paid vacation (vacation time increases with seniority to up to 25 days per year), 2 personal days and 4 days of compensatory time.
• 8 weeks of paid parental leave.
• A commitment to employee growth and advancement, with a $1,000 professional development budget each year for each staff member.

Please Note: SOC staff enjoy a hybrid telework (three days) /in-person (two days) schedule. We have a mandatory vaccine policy and safety protocols in our facilities. The SOC is not currently requiring proof of vaccination however, staff are required to fill out the health screening survey in a timely fashion and accurately when they are on site. The only exemptions to this policy provided by the SOC are for medical and religious reasons. All candidates applying for this role will be expected to adhere to these policies.

Application Requirements:
A résumé is required for all applications and a cover letter is highly suggested. Your cover letter should explain your reason for wanting to work for us, an example of how you demonstrated success in a similar position, and a description of how this position fits into your long-term career plan.

Women and people of color are strongly urged to apply. The Strategic Organizing Center does not discriminate in any of its programs, procedures, or practices on the basis of race, color, religion, caste, creed, sex, age, marital status, national origin, mental or physical disability, political belief or affiliation, pregnancy and pregnancy related condition(s), veteran status, sexual orienta¬tion, gender identity and expression, genetic information, natural and protective hairstyle and any other class of individuals protected from discrimination under state or federal law in employment and application for employment.

How to Apply: Submit résumé and application to https://jsco.re/ektan