Early Learning Policy Director

The Early Learning Policy Director helps shape and advance Children’s Alliance’s early learning public policy and advocacy strategy. In this mid-level role, the Early Learning Policy Director builds high-impact relationships with coalition partners and government stakeholders; advances Children’s Alliance advocacy priorities: and represents Children’s Alliance publicly as a trusted thought leader.

A core responsibility of this role is convening and coordinating the Early Learning Action Alliance, a statewide early learning advocacy coalition. The Early Learning Policy Director brings partners together around shared goals, facilitates collaborative strategy development, and ensures that diverse voices, especially those most impacted by policy decisions, are meaningfully included. This work requires strong antiracist values, skilled facilitation, and the ability to recognize and navigate power dynamics within coalitions and across systems.

Children’s Alliance seeks an adaptable, collaborative policy professional who thrives in a small, fast-moving organization. The ideal candidate brings strong, informed judgment, practical execution skills, and the ability to manage a defined portfolio of early learning issues while navigating shifting policy and fiscal landscapes. Successful candidates are critical thinkers, problem solvers, and collaborative team players who understand how to work well across functions, manage projects and timelines effectively, and balance multiple priorities with clarity and care.

The position is a member of the policy staff and reports to the Senior Policy Director.

ABOUT CHILDREN’S ALLIANCE

Children’s Alliance strives to place racial justice at the heart of Washington’s laws and budget priorities so that every child can thrive. Children’s Alliance’s work is grounded in the fundamental belief that a spark of genius exists in every child. But for too many of our children, racism and poverty create barriers that prevent them from unlocking their vast potential. Our vision is that all Washington's children will have an abundance of what they need to grow up to be the people they dream of becoming.

KEY RESPONSIBLITIES AND CORE FUNCTIONS

Policy Strategy & Agenda Leadership (50%)

• Support the Senior Policy Director in shaping and advancing Children’s Alliance’s early learning agenda by contributing strategic insight, analysis, and recommendations grounded in racial equity and antiracism.
• Working in close collaboration with the Senior Policy Director, contract lobbyist(s), and broader policy team, lead the day-to-day development and advocacy of policy and fiscal priorities that expand access to high-quality early learning and dismantle barriers to opportunity for children of color and families with low incomes.
• Provide strategic guidance on time-sensitive, politically complex policy and fiscal issues, ensuring alignment with the organization’s antiracist values.
• Advocate for effective policy and budget implementation with a focus on advancing racial equity and antiracism.
• Leverage analysis and insights developed in partnership with the Data Research Manager and building on existing data and evidence to inform policy positions and strengthen advocacy impact.
• Collaborate across the organization’s five advocacy tools—lobbying, communications, mobilization, coalition building, and research/analysis—to shape and implement strategies that advance early learning priorities.
• Develop clear, data-informed policy briefs, fact sheets, and other written analyses that communicate both objectively and persuasively.
• Draft testimony and prepare Children’s Alliance staff, partners, and community members to testify before legislative committees.
• Create talking points, advocacy tools, and other materials to support lobbying, mobilization, and coalition engagement.
• Represent Children’s Alliance as a trusted expert and resource in meetings with lawmakers, agency staff, and external partners, as required.
• Serve as a public spokesperson in select settings, including legislative hearings, coalition meetings, and community forums.

Coalition Leadership (40%)

• Convene, coordinate, and facilitate meetings of the Early Learning Action Alliance (ELAA), supporting collaborative strategy development and shared decision-making.
• Lead ELAA in building and strengthening the scaffolding, structures, and processes necessary for effective collaboration, equitable participation, and transparent communication.
• Work with partners to design, refine, and uphold community agreements that guide coalition collaboration and conflict navigation.
• Ensure that diverse perspectives, especially those most impacted by policy decisions, are meaningfully included in coalition processes.
• Navigate power dynamics within the coalition and across systems with humility, clarity, and an antiracist lens.
• Work closely with the Senior Policy Director and the Early Learning Policy Manager (to be hired) to maintain strong relationships, support coalition operations, and respond to emerging opportunities before, during, and after legislative sessions.
• Manage relationships across organizations and help the coalition respond effectively to relevant developments.
• Project-manage two annual coalition retreats (summer and fall), ensuring they effectively support relationship-building, shared learning, and development of the coalition’s legislative agenda.

Supervision (10%)

• Directly supervise and support the Early Learning Policy Manager (to be hired).
• In collaboration with the Administrative Manager, contribute to staff development efforts, including drafting and refining job descriptions, hiring and supervising early learning staff, and supporting professional development.

REQUIREMENTS

• Flexible hours, including evening and weekend work as needed.
• Frequent off-site meetings and events (several times per month).
• Ability to work without PTO during the months of the legislative session, with the exception of sick leave or religious observance.
• Travel:
  • National travel: 2–3 times/year
  • Olympia presence: 1–2 days/week during legislative session, if remote participation is not feasible
  • Statewide travel: 2–3 times/year

QUALIFICATIONS

• At least 5 years of experience in policy advocacy, government affairs, or a related field, with a focus on early learning and child well-being.
• Demonstrated experience reviewing complex information, weighing multiple perspectives, and making informed recommendations to organizational leadership.
• Proven ability to design, lead, and execute strategic advocacy campaigns using multiple advocacy tools (lobbying, communications, mobilization, coalition engagement, and research/analysis).
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to craft clear, compelling arguments for both technical and non-technical audiences.
• Strong knowledge of Washington state’s early learning landscape, including key stakeholders, policy structures, and campaigns.
• Deep understanding of how racism, white supremacy, and settler colonialism shape state policymaking—and experience applying this analysis to build more equitable policies and practices.
• Significant experience working on issues related to child well-being, particularly for children of color and children from families with low incomes.

Coalition Leadership & Collaboration

• At least three years of experience in coalition work, including convening partners, facilitating collaborative processes, and supporting shared decision-making.
• Experience developing or strengthening coalition structures, processes, and community agreements that support effective collaboration and equitable participation.
• Demonstrated ability to navigate power dynamics within coalitions and across systems with humility, clarity, and an antiracist lens.
• Strong relationship-building skills and the ability to work effectively across organizations, sectors, and levels of influence.
• Experience planning and executing multi-stakeholder events or convenings, including agenda design, speaker coordination, and follow-up.
• Demonstrated ability to design and facilitate convenings that strengthen relationships, deepen shared understanding, and move partners toward collective strategy.

Supervision & Team Support

• At least two years of experience supervising staff, including supporting professional development and managing workplans; experience supervising interns and volunteers is preferred.
• Ability to provide clear guidance, coaching, and constructive feedback while fostering a collaborative and supportive team culture.

Technical Skills

• Proficiency using Microsoft Office and other common PC applications like Asana and LastPass.

Children’s Alliance values diversity and encourages candidates of all backgrounds to apply. If you don’t meet all of the qualifications but are passionate about the work, we encourage you to apply and propose a plan for support where needed.

• The annual salary for this full-time exempt position is $92,000 $120,000. The offered salary will be commensurate with the selected candidate’s experience and qualifications.
• ‍Heavily subsidized health insurance coverage, including vision and dental for employees and dependents.
• Paid time off includes 12 days of vacation time in the first year with incremental increases in subsequent years, 12 days of paid sick leave, and 14 paid holidays.
• Children’s Alliance matches employee’s elective deferral into the 403(b) tax deferred retirement plan on a dollar-for-dollar basis up to 4% of the employee’s compensation.
• Children’s Alliance is committed to employee growth and advancement, including professional development resources and funding.
• Children’s Alliance offers a flexible hybrid work environment; current in office days are Tuesday and Thursday.