Program Manager

Program Manager Position at Local Progress and Local Progress Impact Lab

About Local Progress and Local Progress Impact Lab

Local Progress (501(c)4) and the Local Progress Impact Lab (501(c)3) – collectively known as Local Progress and the Impact Lab – strive to advance a racial and economic justice agenda across all levels of government. Local Progress (LP) is a movement of approximately 1,400 local elected officials dedicated to advancing a racial and economic justice agenda at the local government level. The Local Progress Impact Lab (the Impact Lab) brings together local leaders, partners, and experts to foster the knowledge, skills, and leadership necessary to promote racial and economic justice at the local level.

About the Position

Program Manager

The Program Manager will spearhead our efforts in building a community of school board members committed to advocating for fully funded and equitable public education, seen as the cornerstone of a just, multiracial democracy.

Elected school boards represent the community’s voice in public education, and school board members play a crucial role in ensuring students, their families, and communities thrive. Despite this, public schools face a reactionary backlash in America, from restrictions on teaching accurate history to attacks on identity and privatization efforts. The Program Manager will work with a national policy & program team, demonstrating a high level of independence, to lead our cohort of school board members. This involves fostering member leadership, collaborative policy agenda setting, and implementing campaign strategies that unite school board members in collective action. A commitment to relational organizing, leadership development, and navigating stakeholders and issues in public education organizing is essential.

The Program Manager will report to the Managing Director, Policy & Program.

Location: Remote, U.S.-based position with no in-office requirement.

Travel Requirement: Required to travel to in-person events up to six days a month.

Primary Responsibilities

Organizing and Leadership Development

• Build and maintain authentic relationships with Local Progress school board members across diverse areas and local contexts.
• Lead and expand a cohort of school board members in consultation with the steering committee, in alignment with shared values within the larger Local Progress network.
• Recruit new school board members into the Local Progress network, advancing them into leadership roles.

Policy, Program, and Campaigns

• Conceptualize and facilitate ongoing programs, training, and meetings for the school board cohort.
• Collaborate with school board members and partner organizations to develop and launch an issue agenda aligned with LP’s theory of change.
• Design and execute campaign strategies, fostering collective online and offline actions on state, national, and translocal levels.
• Lead in developing policy and program materials, such as strategy memos and messaging guidance.

Partnerships and Collaborative Projects

• Manage the development of a training curriculum for progressive school board governance with external partners and the Progressive Governance Academy.
• Build and maintain relationships with national and local partners in education and coalition spaces.

Representation and Communication

• Represent Local Progress in various partner and coalition meetings, conferences, and public settings.
• Produce content for funder reports and proposals, participate in calls and meetings, and cultivate relationships with education funders.

Collaboration Across Teams

• Collaborate across LP teams to support organizational activities and infrastructure.

Required Qualifications

• 6-8 years of relevant experience, with at least 3 years dedicated to advancing education justice.
• Experience in relational organizing and mobilizing diverse groups virtually.
• Experience leading issue campaigns, policy development, and base-building organizing independently.
• Track record in advancing inside/outside strategy and movement governance.
• Ability to manage multiple projects, anticipate obstacles, and communicate effectively with a remote team.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, and a commitment to social, racial, and economic justice.

The Ideal Candidate Will Have

• Experience with and knowledge of school board governance and policymaking.
• Previous experience working with elected officials.
• Experience cultivating relationships with funders.
• Strong facilitation skills and experience in designing meeting and training agendas.

Salary and Benefits

Expected salary range: $87,900-$99,900. Union-represented collective bargaining unit with specific terms and conditions of employment subject to the Collective Bargaining Agreement.

Four-day workweek (Monday through Thursday) with generous benefits, including health, dental, and vision insurance, five weeks of vacation per year, 20 sick days per year, paid holidays, and contributions to individuals’ 403(b) plans. Local Progress and the Impact Lab are closed between December 24 and January 1 annually.

Timeline

Applicants screened on a rolling basis. Anticipated start date: April 1, 2024.

How to Apply

Submit an application through the JazzHR portal including a resume, cover letter, and two recent work samples in a single PDF.

Local Progress Values

• Respect
• Honesty
• Groundedness
• Mutual Accountability
• Nuance
• Impact
• Collaboration
• Joy

Local Progress is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer, actively recruiting individuals of color, womxn, individuals with disabilities, and members of the LGBTIQAA+ community.