Deputy Director II, External Affairs

ABOUT THE ORGANIZATION AND THE OPPORTUNITY

EdTrust-West seeks its first Deputy Director II of External Affairs in its Oakland office. The Deputy Director will join a staff committed to fulfilling the mission of closing educational opportunity gaps that disproportionately affect students of color and those from low-income backgrounds.

The Deputy Director, External Affairs works closely with the Executive Director to set the vision and strategic direction for EdTrust-West’s advocacy agenda to realize meaningful policy wins at the state and local levels. The Deputy Director will also be a key leader for the organization and will serve as a participating member of the Executive Group (EG) at EdTrust-West. Managing four critical teams and advocacy functions — Communications, Partnerships & Engagement, Greater Los Angeles, and Educator Engagement team — the Deputy Director will drive the above-mentioned functional initiatives from conception to implementation, ensuring coordination and collaboration across teams, managing people and projects, coaching team leaders, and supporting continuous improvement and results. Through strong internal leadership, vision setting, processes, and collaboration, the Deputy Director will lead the development of and hold accountability for the success and impact of program priorities and related campaigns.

EdTrust is committed to advancing policies and practices to dismantle the racial and economic barriers embedded in the U.S. education system. Through our research and advocacy, Ed Trust improves equity in education from preschool through college, engages diverse communities dedicated to equity and justice, and increases political and public will to build an education system where all students will thrive.

This role, available immediately in our Oakland office, is eligible for telework up to 3 days a week per our current policy. The Deputy Director of External Affairs reports to the Executive Director and will supervise a mid-sized, multi-layered team.

ABOUT THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR II, EXTERNAL AFFAIRS ROLE

The responsibilities and objectives for this role include, but are not limited, to the following:

• Serve as a key member of the Executive Group and Management Group, partnering with the Executive Director in organization-wide strategic and operational projects; this includes including collaboration around the annual work plan and budget, monitoring progress towards team and team members’ goals, coordinating team professional development by developing and making known key metrics to assess the mission-impact of our efforts
• Center EdTrust-West’s strategic plan as the north star for the organization’s work and develop systems and methods for measuring and regularly evaluating impact and progress for the outlined advocacy functions
• Collaborate with the Executive Director to set and execute the organization’s annual priorities and goals, especially strategizing and operationalizing the external affairs-focused positioning, programmatic, and campaign aspects of the work
• In partnership with functional team directors and other organizational leaders, guide the vision and strategy for the communications, partnership & engagement, Greater Los Angeles, and educator engagement teams
• Drive alignment across the organization – with special attention to a unified external affairs strategy and messaging to ensure that programmatic, regional, and campaign work is coordinated internally and externally
• Ensure that external affairs engagements cultivate new and sustain existing partnerships and that partner feedback informs the organization’s strategic plan, annual work planning, ongoing advocacy, and messaging externally
• Facilitate and lead cross-functional team meetings that are specific to key external affairs and advocacy initiatives, regularly aligning and troubleshooting with other organizational leaders
• Coach staff – including direct and indirect reports – on an ongoing basis to understand our external affairs function, key strategic and tactics, and effectively develop and execute impactful, coordinated strategies that drive our external affairs agenda forward
• Lead the ongoing evaluation of external affairs efforts to determine that the organization is learning, meeting its goals, objectives, and necessary impacts
• Elevate EdTrust-West policy priorities by serving as a spokesperson and preparing other leaders to represent the organization with partners and for public engagements
• Build and maintain new and existing philanthropic and funder relationships and contribute to grant proposals and reports as needed to sustain and expand external affairs functions and priorities
• Lead a dynamic, multi-layered team by identifying and retaining diverse talent, coaching and developing direct reports, managing and assessing performance, and building in succession plans

IDEAL SKILLS & CHARACTERISTICS

The ideal candidate is a seasoned nonprofit professional or organizational strategist who has experience coaching, strategizing, and uplifting others to drive towards results within an advocacy and policy setting. Ideal skills and characteristics include:

• Dedication in contributing to and maintaining an equitable working environment, which includes a commitment to “Walking the Talk;” this means operating with an understanding that systemic and institutionalized racism significantly affect communities of color and the historical impact of privilege and power on American systems
• Strong relationship-building skills with a range of stakeholders, including partnering with philanthropic organizations to meet fundraising goals
• Knowledge and understanding of education equity issues a plus but not required
• Willingness to provide constructive feedback to others as well as receive and act upon feedback from others
• Eagerness for collaboration with both internal and external partners
• High emotional intelligence, professional maturity, and problem-solving skills
• Prior leadership experience in an advocacy organization
• Ability to exercise sound judgment and decisiveness

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

The ideal candidate will possess the following qualifications and experience:

• Shared belief in EdTrust-West’s mission and a commitment to improving educational equity with a focus on race equity
• At least a bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience in education, communications, public policy/administration, or a related field; advanced degree is a plus
• Extensive and relevant experience (10+ years) leading in public affairs or a related field as a senior nonprofit or organization leader
• Extensive and relevant experience actionizing policy, data, and research, preferably on topics of equity, including providing guidance on the development of policy recommendations, written feedback to proposed legislation, or other tools/ campaign resources for advocates and policymakers
• Deep understanding and expertise in one or more of the following areas (two or more preferred):
  • Strategic communications: Ability to develop and implement comprehensive communication plans that align with organizational goals, engage key audiences, and elevate brand visibility.
  • Media relations: Proven experience building relationships with journalists and media outlets, crafting compelling press materials, and securing media coverage across diverse platforms.
  • Partner mobilization with educational, nonprofit, and regional entities: skilled in cultivating and managing partnerships with schools, districts, community organizations, and nonprofits to drive shared initiatives and amplify impact.
  • Technical assistance approaches and strategies: Knowledge of designing, marketing, and delivering technical assistance, capacity-building strategies, and implementation support tailored to diverse stakeholders.
• In-depth experience managing organizational change, driving positive organizational culture while navigating cross-functional/organizational workflows, and launching and implementing collaborative, successful advocacy campaigns
• Expertise in managing and leading a team
• Strong public speaking skills, with the ability to effectively convey organizational positions with external audiences
• Ability to coach and develop leaders and advocates
• Excellent project management, time management, and budget management skills

COMPENSATION

This position falls in Level H of our salary structure, which has a range between $170,370 and $212,960. Offers are commensurate with skills, experience, and internal equity and typically do not fall at the top of this range.

The Education Trust prioritizes the health and well-being of its employees and, to that end, offers a highly competitive benefits package. Medical, dental and vision insurance are covered at 100% for the employee, with significant coverage also offered for spouses, domestic partners, and dependents. We provide sick leave, vacation leave, and personal leave, and we follow the federal government for most holiday closures. To ensure staff have synchronous opportunities for rest and renewal, the office is closed for a week-long summer break and a week-long winter break. Among other offerings, we provide an Employee Assistance Program at no cost to the employee, and a generous 7% contribution opportunity on a 403(b)-retirement plan.

VACCINATION FOR COVID-19

At The Education Trust, the health and safety of our employees is of the utmost importance. As such, all Education Trust employees are required to be fully vaccinated and remain up to date on their vaccinations for COVID-19. New hires should be fully vaccinated and up to date on their COVID-19 vaccinations prior to their first day of work. Requests for accommodations due to medical or religious reasons will be reviewed by Human Resources.

QUALIFIED CANDIDATES, PLEASE APPLY

The Education Trust is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes candidates from diverse backgrounds.

To apply: Please provide an updated resume and complete the application, including the short answer questions, in ADP. Priority will be given to applications submitted by December 15th.

The Education Trust prioritizes the health and well-being of its employees and, to that end, offers a highly competitive benefits package. Medical, dental and vision insurance are covered at 100% for the employee, with significant coverage also offered for spouses, domestic partners, and dependents. We provide sick leave, vacation leave, and personal leave, and we follow the federal government for most holiday closures. To ensure staff have synchronous opportunities for rest and renewal, the office is closed for a week-long summer break and a week-long winter break. Among other offerings, we provide an Employee Assistance Program at no cost to the employee, and a generous 7% contribution opportunity on a 403(b)-retirement plan.