Teach For America- California (Bay Area, California Capital Valley, Los Angeles, and San Diego) is hiring a Policy Advocate for FY 2019. As the PA, you will play a pivotal role in helping us build a team that is deeply informed on K-12 policy and California legislative affairs. As a member of our team, you will work to ensure political support for policies that decrease or eliminate barriers to growth, support sustainability, and/or impact of our program.
You will work closely with our Senior Managing Director, Government Affairs-California, national government affairs and policy teams and the Executive Directors in all four California regions (Bay Area, California Capital Valley, Los Angeles, and San Diego) to plan for and mobilize the resources necessary to ensure state government representatives and officials, community organizations, and other institutions in the education arena, understand and value Teach For America’s mission and impact in their respective communities. You are collaborative, entrepreneurial, excel at problem-solving, and possess a strong ability to develop systems. You will report to the Senior Managing Director, Government Affairs.
Government Affairs (25%)
- Work closely with regional staff to execute a strategy to ensure that California’s congressional representatives and state government officials understand and value Teach For America’s mission and impact in their respective communities
- Secure bipartisan support to decrease or eliminate barriers to growth, sustainability, and impact of our program, and potentially grow access to state funding
- Cultivate relationships at the state level, including but not limited to the California Department of Education, Governor’s office, Commission on Teacher Credentialing, legislators and committees.
Manage constituent communications to ensure California Executive Directors, staff, alumni, corps members, partners, and community members are well informed and engaged with government affairs (10%)
- Write and distribute, with contributions from teammates, a monthly government affairs update for Executive Directors and regional government affairs staff as well as quarterly all staff updates
- Coordinating support, opposition, and coalition communications for the Legislature, State Board of Education, and Commission on Teacher Credentialing
- Manage and coordinate social media
Public Policy (20%)
- Develop analysis, commentary, and mobilization strategies on relevant policy issues, including state licensure regulations and certification policy
- Build strong relationships with policy and advocacy organizations in the education arena
- Represent Teach For America at state education policy and regulation meetings and conferences
Community Partnerships (25%)
- Build strong relationships with state-level education nonprofits and other institutions, such as teachers’ unions and schools of education, active in the California education landscape.
- Work closely with regional staff to develop relationships with local community organizations with a particular focus on civil rights, social justice, low-income neighborhoods, and communities of color
State Grants and Compliance (10%)
- Develop relationships with senior leaders within the CA Corporation for National and Community Service and AmeriCorps Network.
- Explore additional public funding opportunities
Special Projects and additional duties as determined by the Senior Managing Director, Government Affairs (10%)
- Two or more years of public policy and/or California state legislature or government experience required with expertise in education policy
- Teach For America experience preferred
- Experience with grassroots organizing is a plus
Work Demands
- Ability to travel within the state of California often.
- On average travel outside of California is 2-4 times per year.
- Evening and weekend work is required to support special events and projects
Skills
- Exceptional strategic and critical thinking skills
- Highly motivated and excels in an entrepreneurial environment
- Exceptional oral and written communication skills
- Skill in Microsoft Office Suite
- Ability to partner with external organizations
- Ability to develop and cultivate relationships and networks in order to achieve results
- Foundational understanding of issues of diversity, equity and inclusiveness
- A deep belief in Teach For America’s mission and theory of change