Director, Policy and Public Affairs

Description

BACKGROUND

The Chicago Public Education Fund (The Fund) supports public schools by investing in the talented educators who lead them. As an independent nonprofit organization, we partner with Chicago Public Schools (CPS), the city of Chicago, the local philanthropic community, principals, and aspiring principals to build and sustain a culture of strong leadership. For more than two decades, our supportive program and policy efforts and our willingness to innovate alongside educators have made a measurable, positive impact on the quality of leadership in schools and helped educators support student learning. In our current campaign, Chicago Leads, we will raise and invest $50M to deepen and strengthen leadership in Chicago’s 636 public schools.

Organizational Values

We are solutions-oriented. We approach our work with a proactive and productive mindset. Challenges are part of the work; we aim for continuous improvement.

We are collaborative. We understand that each team member relies on others to achieve goals. We ask for help when we need it and provide help when asked. The organization, as a whole, is more significant than any one of us alone.

We act with integrity. We say what we will do, and we do what we say. We are honest about what we know and what we are learning; this helps us achieve the best possible outcomes.

We prioritize equity. Our work prioritizes leaders who serve and represent communities most directly impacted by structural racism and systematic exclusion. On our team, we actively recruit and hire for diversity in all areas of identity. Our commitments are lived out loud.

DIRECTOR, POLICY AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS

The Director, Policy is responsible for enhancing The Fund’s impact on educational policy and strategy implementation that promotes adequate resources, local control, and aligned accountability within Chicago’s public schools.

Reporting to the Chief Public Affairs Officer, you will be advancing The Fund’s policy objectives with key stakeholders, including elected officials, Chicago Public Schools leadership and Board, and educators, community leaders, and advocacy groups. This requires orchestrating a comprehensive policy strategy that aligns with The Fund’s priorities, developing a targeted messaging strategy, and building a network of influential messengers to advance our goals. This role demands a strategic thinker with a proven track record in policy development, the ability to engage policymakers in productive conversations, and a demonstrable commitment to education equity.

You will be primarily responsible for three key activities:

1. Stakeholder Collaboration and Advocacy. Within your first 90 days, you will work closely with the Director, Data and Strategy and Chief Public Affairs Officer to complete a comprehensive relationship map to identify and strategize engagement with critical stakeholders, including policymakers, community leaders, and advocacy groups. Over time, your role will involve:
   • Driving policy initiatives that ensure schools are well-resourced, principals have decision-making autonomy, and holistic learning definitions are interpreted and utilized by various stakeholders to foster continuous improvement at the school, community, and district levels.
   • Supporting The Fund’s engagement with Local School Councils (LSCs), identifying opportunities to support LSCs in their critical school governance capacity and engage LSC perspectives on issues that impact school leadership.
   • Building and maintaining relationships with key stakeholders, including Chicago Public Schools (CPS) leaders, CPS Board Members, state legislators, and community groups, to advance The Fund’s policy agenda.
   • Leading and participating in educational policy committees and advocacy groups, ensuring The Fund’s voice significantly influences educational policy in Chicago.
2. Policy Strategy Development and Implementation. In your first 90 days, you will initiate and drive a coherent policy agenda, setting the foundation for workstreams that align with The Fund’s priorities: adequate resources, local control, and aligned accountability. Your role will involve:
   • Conducting a comprehensive inventory of specific policies targeted for change and analyzing the specific levers available to effect these changes.
   • Formulating a clear policy agenda that reflects The Fund’s core priorities, ensuring a strategic approach from the outset.
   • Initiating active workstreams aligned with each priority area, laying the groundwork for sustained advocacy and policy change.
   • Developing a well-organized communications campaign to effectively support and publicize The Fund’s policy work, ensuring key messages resonate with targeted audiences.
   • Overseeing the production of essential policy materials like issue briefs and fact sheets.
   • Leading and directing a subcommittee of The Fund’s board dedicated to policy issues.
3. Team Leadership and Development. Over the course of your first 90 days, you will progressively assume full management of the Policy vertical, which includes full-time team members and overseeing the work of our communications and legislative consultants. People management and organizational leadership at The Fund involve:
   • Implementing strategies for managing team dynamics and individual performance, ensuring that team members are supported, motivated, and aligned with The Fund’s goals.
   • Cultivating an environment where continuous professional development is encouraged, enabling team members to expand their skills by providing them with direct coaching and mentoring.
   • Leading by example to integrate an equity-focused approach in all aspects of policy work, decision-making, and team interactions.
   • Enhancing the team’s understanding of and engagement with broader organizational goals and the specific systems within which we operate.
   • Acting as a steward of The Fund’s culture, embodying and promoting our core values and vision, and fostering a sense of community and shared purpose within the team.

As a senior-level leader, your broader responsibilities will include:

• Contributing strategically to The Fund’s overarching goals and initiatives.
• Participating as a member of The Fund’s Management Team, responsible for guiding the organization’s talent management and operational execution.
• Establishing performance benchmarks and assisting in document preparation.
• Engaging in recruitment efforts and fulfilling various assigned duties.
• Representing The Fund at external events, embodying our core values.

Requirements

As the Director, Policy, your contribution is central to the strategic priorities established for Chicago Leads. You bring to the table a strategic outlook on education policy change and a demonstrated ability to guide and implement impactful strategies. Your background includes a strong record of navigating the complexities of policy development and coalition building. You are a proficient leader skilled in identifying and using a variety of policy change levers to achieve objectives, with a proven track record of building and rallying broad coalitions, from appointed and elected policymakers to community organizations to advocacy partners. You bring an adept ability to align these stakeholders to secure widespread support for policy initiatives.

The ideal candidate will have:

• A minimum of 8 years of experience in public policy related roles, marked by significant accomplishments in developing and implementing policy strategies.
• Experience in directly engaging with policymakers, including forging productive relationships with senior government officials and elected leaders. Experience with policymakers and elected officials in the Chicago educational context is a significant plus.
• Proficiency in crafting and executing messaging strategies that align with and propel organizational objectives forward.
• A talent for collaborating with and rallying advocacy groups and community organizations towards shared policy goals.
• Experience engaging a broad spectrum of stakeholders in policy advocacy campaigns.
• A track record of developing research-driven policy initiatives, influencing policy decisions, and advocating for systemic change.
• A nuanced understanding of the educational policy and landscape in Chicago.
• Ability to navigate complex political contexts collaboratively and build networks of influential messengers.
• Exceptional research, analytical, and problem-solving skills, alongside strong facilitation abilities to drive discussions and solutions.
• Strong communication capabilities, with a track record of effectively engaging a wide array of stakeholders to build consensus and foster partnerships.
• Demonstrated leadership and team management experience, with a focus on identifying growth opportunities, leveraging team strengths for optimal outcomes.
• The capacity to build, mentor, and lead high-performing teams, with a commitment to fostering a culture of continuous improvement and innovation.

COMPENSATION

The salary band for a Director at The Fund starts at $112,000 and there is room to grow to $152,000 over time based on a strong ability to regularly exceed expectations and market adjustments. The Fund offers a robust and highly competitive benefits package, including healthcare coverage, retirement contribution, generous paid time off for all team members, and paid short-term and family leave. Please note that The Fund team is an in-person organization, working in schools and out of our offices in downtown Chicago. We offer one work-from-home day per week. This position will require some evening and weekend hours.

TO APPLY

The position is available immediately, and we are actively seeking candidates. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis through September 27, 2024. Applying early increases your chances of being invited for an interview.

Please visit The Fund Chicago Careers Page and follow the links to navigate to the “Director, Policy and Public Affairs” job description. Once there, use the “Apply” button to submit your application: resume and cover letter. Finalists for any role with The Fund must undergo a background check to be considered for employment.

If you have questions about the job application, please email Andrea at [email protected]. Please note that we are unable to respond to phone inquiries regarding this position.

The Fund employs and values a diverse workforce. We are also an equal opportunity employer with a commitment to engaging the skills and leadership of people of color, low-income persons, LGBTQ+ persons, differently-abled people, and other people from diverse backgrounds. People from these and other historically marginalized backgrounds and communities are strongly encouraged to apply.