Senior Director, Research and Support at Leadership for Educational Equity (Flexible location)

[LEE Talent Acquisition]

Please apply on our website. 

About Leadership for Educational Equity

Leadership for Educational Equity (LEE) is a nonprofit, nonpartisan leadership development organization dedicated to developing its members’ leadership 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 Description

The Research and Support (R&S) team develops and implements programs that inspire, develop and make LEE members more effective policy and advocacy leaders. Working within the Policy and Advocacy department, the R&S team provides LEE staff and members with a multitude of resources to inspire and inform them about issues in education policy, and support them to assume leadership positions in the classroom or as advisors to elected officials, in governmental agencies, or in advocacy organizations. 

The Senior Director, Research and Support (R&S) will manage a team of staff members who design, run, and evaluate the portfolio of tools and resources that develop the policy and advocacy skills and knowledge of LEE members. The Senior Director will oversee and evaluate the R&S team’s tools and resources to ensure that they are high impact and responsive to the needs of our members. The Senior Director will also be responsible for creating and executing on a long term vision and strategy for the R&S team while also personally developing and designing new tools and resources owned by the R&S team. The Senior Director will constantly seek to broaden and deepen the impact that R&S activities can have on members across the LEE organization. In this effort, the Senior Director will work in close partnership with the Policy Advocacy team’s Vice President and its other senior directors and collaborate extensively with our Organizing Leadership, Elected Leadership, and Regional Impact teams. This position reports to the Vice President, Policy and Advocacy.

Position Location: Flexible

Responsibilities include:

• Execute a long term vision and strategic plan for the Research and Support team
  
• Oversee and work to increase the effectiveness of R&S’s existing resources, including the LEE Career Fit Tool, Rapid Response Team, and virtual resources providing issue- and region-based tutorials
  
• Create, develop, and project manage new tools and resources that will be housed within the R&S team
  
• Develop and refine metrics to evaluate the effectiveness of R&S’s activities
  
• Supervise, hire and manage a high-performing team of 4-5 staff to meet ambitious goals for member outcomes
  
• Ensure the incorporation of a diversity, equity and inclusion lens in all of our activities, including supporting members in developing their critical consciousness around oppression and its impact on educational inequity
  
• Serve on the senior leadership team of Policy and Advocacy and advise on strategic decisions, lead staff development, and help to shape and model team culture
  

Requirements, Skills, Knowledge, Abilities & Competencies

Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree in education, policy, or other relevant field highly desired
  
• At least 8 years of experience in policy development within a legislative, executive, or advocacy organization
  
• Minimum of 4 years of demonstrated experience managing teams to meet and exceed goals;  leading and managing a geographically dispersed and/or start-up team is a plus
  
• Demonstrates an in-depth knowledge of education policy and related organizational landscapes (legislative, executive, or advocacy)
  
• Demonstrated familiarity with various pathways to high level policy roles in various education policy organizations and the understanding of necessary competencies/experiences to advance in a policy career
  
• Prior experience with and demonstrated knowledge in creating and developing resources on a variety of platforms for building sophisticated expertise or skill development
  

Skills: 

• Exceptional leadership and team management skills (virtually and in-person)
  
• Exceptional verbal and written communication skills, especially in communicating balanced and objective analysis and perspectives
  
• Demonstrated ability to plan strategically, prioritize time and manage implementation of plans in fast-paced environments
  
• Ability to foster creativity into innovative, actionable ideas to initiate new resources and improve existing activities
  
• Expertise with evaluation methods that measure impact of trainings and activities
  
• Adept at translating qualitative concepts into quantitative analysis and evaluation methods
  
• Experience creating and conducting activities using online and interactive platforms, a plus
  
• Deep passion for educational equity and a belief in LEE’s 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.

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.