Senior Director, Policy and Community Impact

[Ashley Ellington]

Senior Director, Policy and Community Impact

Position Grade:  Senior Director 1

Position Location: Flexible Location

About Leadership for Educational Equity

Leadership for Educational Equity (LEE) is a nonprofit, nonpartisan leadership development organization dedicated to developing its members’ potential to ensure every child has the opportunity to receive an outstanding education. Our kids and communities need more leaders who believe that educational inequity is a solvable problem. We believe that when our members are organized and reach positions of leadership, they’ll serve as a transformative force for students, communities and the broader movement for educational equity. LEE is a diverse team of passionate and talented individuals committed to making a difference. We are a high-growth, results-oriented organization that operates in an entrepreneurial environment deeply invested in continuous improvement.  If you would like to become part of our team and join the fight for educational equity, or if you would simply like to learn more about what we do, please visit educationalequity.org.

Position Summary:

The Senior Director for Policy and Community Impact will provide teamwide management support to the Vice President, Policy and Advocacy by leading the staff on the Policy and Community Impact sub-team, including creating and executing on a long-term vision and strategy for this crosscutting team. The Policy and Community Impact team supports senior leaders across all of LEE’s civic leadership pathways (i.e., advocacy, elected, organizing, and policy leadership) to advance policies that lead to better educational outcomes for every child. Specifically, the Senior Director will lead a team of 4-5 staff to design and execute senior leader coaching programs, fellowships, political and strategic supports, and policy knowledge and skill building resources, via in-person programs, blended learning opportunities, online communities of practice, and other blended resources. The Senior Director will lead the Policy and Community Impact team in designing programs and supports that bring together senior leaders across LEE’s leadership pipelines, for the purposes of elevating successful policy actions, debating pathways to impact, sharing evidence of effectiveness, and charting a course for our members to achieve collective impact. The Senior Director will be accountable to the other Vice Presidents on the National Impact team, including being responsible for creating a more coordinated, collaborative strategy for these interdependent pathways and for the senior leaders they support. 

The Senior Director will oversee and evaluate the Policy and Community Impact team’s tools and resources to ensure they are high impact and responsive to the needs of our members. The Senior Director will leverage deep expertise in advocacy, electoral, organizing or policy development in the education sector and previous team management experience to broaden and deepen the impact team activities can have on members across the LEE organization. In this effort, the Senior Director will work in close partnership with the Policy & Advocacy Leadership team and collaborate extensively with the Senior Vice President, National Impact, National Impact Vice Presidents  and the Vice President of Regional Impact. This position reports to the Vice President, Policy and Advocacy.

Position Location: Flexible

Travel Requirements: Up to 50%

Responsibilities:

• Set a strong, ambitious vision and strategy for the Policy and Community Impact Team that will oversee LEE's work with senior leaders across the policy, advocacy, organizing, and elected leader pipelines.
• Provide leadership support, guidance, and oversight for senior leader coaching programs, fellowships, political and strategic supports, and policy knowledge and skill building resources.
• In partnership with the Vice Presidents on the National Impact team, create a more coordinated, collaborative strategy for these interdependent pathways and for the senior leaders they support.
• Manage a high-performing team of 4 staff to meet ambitious goals for member outcomes.
• Develop, refine, and report on metrics to evaluate the effectiveness of team activities.
• Ensure the incorporation of a diversity, equity and inclusion lens in all team activities, including supporting members in developing their critical consciousness around oppression and its impact on educational inequity.
• Serve on the Policy and Advocacy leadership team and provide advice on strategic decisions, lead staff development, and help to shape and model team culture.

 

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree in education, policy, or other relevant field highly desired
• Minimum 7 years of professional work experience in leadership development and/or policy development within a legislative, executive or advocacy organization
• Minimum of 4 years of demonstrated experience managing staff and/or teams to meet and exceed goals; leading and managing a geographically dispersed and/or start-up team a plus
• In-depth knowledge of education policy and related organizational landscapes (e.g., legislative, executive, advocacy, organizing), including an understanding of how they intersect
• Demonstrated familiarity with various pathways to high level roles in education policy organizations, knowledge and expertise in the competencies/experiences needed for advancement in a policy and advocacy career, and prior experience navigating the political landscape within the education sector
• Prior experience with and demonstrated knowledge in creating and developing resources on a variety of platforms for building sophisticated expertise or skill development
• Experience applying a diversity, equity, and inclusion lens to work with policy, advocacy, organizing, or elected leaders.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Excels at building relationships and networks; influences others to achieve outcomes
• Ability to work strategically and collaboratively across departments and in a geographically dispersed environment
• Strong, demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity & inclusion
• Deep passion for educational equity and belief in LEE’s mission and theory of change

Benefits and Salary

Salary for this position is competitive and depends on prior experience. In addition, a comprehensive benefits package is included. LEE offers a comprehensive benefits plan that includes health, dental and vision coverage for spouses, families and domestic partners; life insurance; a retirement package with employer match; family and parent benefits; generous paid time off and an organization-wide winter break between Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.  

An Equal-Opportunity Employer with a Commitment to Diversity

Leadership for Educational Equity is proud to be an equal opportunity employer, and as an organization committed to diversity and the perspective of all voices, we consider applicants equally of race, gender, color, sexual orientation, religion, marital status, disability, political affiliation and national origin. We reasonably accommodate staff members and/or applicants with disabilities, provided they are otherwise able to perform the essential functions of the job.

An affirmative action-equal opportunity employer.

The statements in this description represent typical elements, criteria, and general work performed. They are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required for the job.