Public Policy Manager
Coalition for Community Schools
The Institute for Educational Leadership
Background: The Coalition for Community Schools is a national alliance of over 160 national, state and local agencies whose mission is to advance opportunities for the success of children, families and communities by promoting the development of more, and more effective, community schools. The Coalition believes that strong communities require strong schools and strong schools require strong communities. We envision a future in which schools are centers of thriving communities where everyone belongs, works together, and succeeds. The Coalition is staffed by the Institute for Educational Leadership.
Overview: Reporting to the Coalition Director, the Public Policy Manager is responsible for building and implementing the Coalition’s policy agenda at the federal, as well as the state and local levels. This person is a member of the core staff and participates in all Coalition planning, development and implementation activities.
Specific Responsibilities
Federal Level
· Work with executive and legislative branch officials and their staff, in education and other related fields/agencies, to make its mission of connecting school and community a major policy priority.
· Develop issue briefs, positions statements, reports, talking points and other documents describing the relationship between federal, state and local policy and community schools.
· Maintain close working relationships with policy and legislative directors in Coalition partner organizations.
· Manage and staff the Coalition’s Standing Policy Committee, and develop processes for involving leaders of the Steering Committee and local community school initiatives in the Coalition’s policy development processes.
· Cover hearings, meetings and policy briefings, and draft testimony, legislation , media releases and regulatory comments as appropriate and needed.
· Analyze and summarize data and quantitative research.
· Conduct policy and advocacy training for Coalition partners and individuals who support community schools across the country.
· Coordinate the Coalition’s Community Schools Education day event and other Capitol Hill briefings.
· Collaborate with peers from locales across the country to share innovative policy approaches and developments.
· Maintain and strengthen the Coalition’s policy web-pages (e.g., resources, news, and guidance).
State and Local Level
· Develop and support a state community school network intended to inform state policy.
· Track and analyze state policy development and prepare newsletter articles and briefing notes on their implications for community schools.
· Conduct briefing sessions for state legislative and executive branch officials.
· Work with local community school initiatives to identify innovative local policies that support community schools to share with other communities and school districts.
Other Responsibilities
· Serve as a member of the Coalition’s leadership team.
· Provide policy support to IEL’s Education Policy Fellowship Program.
· Participate in specific projects of the Institute for Educational Leadership.
· Work with graduate and undergraduate interns as designated.
Qualifications
The Coalition is looking for an extremely bright and dedicated professional with a passion for improving education through the community schools approach.
· 4 or more years of policy experience in education, and/or related arenas (e.g., health, community development, youth development), with a working knowledge of major federal laws.
· A master’s or professional degree is preferred, but not required.
· Experience in working with coalitions and understanding of their dynamics, needs, diversity and common interests.
· Experience developing a policy strategy that has achieved administrative or legislative policy goals.
· Experience executing Hill briefings and other policy/advocacy events.
· Strong relationship building and networking ability.
· Strong working knowledge and understanding of, Federal agencies, the budget process and state policy development.
· Excellent writing and communications skills.
· Strong organization and management skills.
· Demonstrated capacity to work as a team member.
· Proficiency with Microsoft Office, along with social media such as Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest.
Salary and Benefits
· $60,000-$85,000, depending upon experience.
· Excellent Benefit Plan.
Application Deadline: October 17, 2012
Resumes complete with salary history should be submitted to publicpolicymanager@iel.org with Public Policy Manager in the subject line.
The Institute for Educational Leadership is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, sex, age, national origin or disability.
