Associate Director, Local Practice

Organization Overview

Results for America (RFA) is the leading, national nonprofit organization helping policymakers at all levels of government harness the power of evidence and data to solve the world’s greatest challenges. Our mission is to make investing in what works the “new normal,” so that, one day, all government leaders use rigorous evidence and quality data to inform important policy and funding decisions. We believe that data-driven and evidence-based policy decisions could significantly increase the impact of the over $1 trillion that governments spend annually to advance economic mobility and racial equity.

Founded in 2012, RFA spent its first three years partnering with policy innovators to build the credibility of evidence-based policymaking, securing early and important wins in education, expanding its work to multiple levels of government and driving awareness and demand through carefully orchestrated education and communication campaigns. During its second phase (2015-2018), RFA worked to demonstrate the power of evidence-based policymaking in ways that resonate with an even broader universe of elected officials and policymakers. Now in its third phase of work, RFA intends to demonstrate that governments at all levels can make faster, more lasting progress in accelerating economic mobility for residents when they use evidence and data in decision-making. By creating specific issue-area wins, RFA will further cement support for evidence-based policymaking among all policymakers as the “new normal.”

Department Overview 

RFA has organized a “practice” at every level of government: federal, state, and local. As part of its Local Practice, RFA has committed to supporting local governments to make the most of the historic opportunity presented by the recovery investments from the American Rescue Plan (ARP) and Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). Through this work, RFA will encourage these governments to leverage recovery dollars to make investments in evidence-based approaches and deliver measurable, equitable access to opportunities and positive outcomes for their residents. 

Position Overview 

The Associate Director, Local Practice will be a dedicated member of RFA’s Local Practice team. This staff member will support the delivery and execution of the Local Infrastructure Hub (the Hub), through project and partner management, in order to support local governments in navigating the historic opportunity provided by IIJA. 

Results for America is seeking a team member who works well in a collaborative, cross-cutting team environment, proactively seeks out new challenges, and is passionate about strengthening governments’ ability to promote equitable outcomes for all residents. 

Position Reporting Relationship 

The Associate Director, Local Practice will report to the Director, Local Practice.

Position Responsibilities 

The responsibilities of the Associate Director, Local Practice are grounded in four core areas: project and partner management, content delivery oversight, internal coordination, and impact tracking. Specific responsibilities include but are not limited to the following: 

Project & Partner Management (40%)

• Lead project manager, operations, and execution support to ensure the successful, timely, and impactful delivery of programming through the Hub;
• Work closely with RFA’s Federal Practice team and Hub partners to develop and maintain a content calendar of relevant and high-impact BIL Notice of Funding Opportunities (NOFOs) to be highlighted in the Hub;
• Manage the approval process for webinar content, speaker invites and prep, and public goods for RFA and external partners;
• Steward internal partnerships and external stakeholders, including by keeping all parties informed and up to date about progress, challenges, and status; and
• Lead the preparation and facilitation of regular internal and external meetings to ensure coordination across RFA and Hub partners. 

Content Delivery Oversight (40%)

• Manage a team to plan, prepare, and execution of approximately 20 - 25 high-production webinars and associated public goods per year;
• Work closely with RFA’s internal team and Hub partners to ensure the webinars and public goods produced are high-quality, relevant, and useful for the intended audience; and
• Oversee and coordinate speaker identification, invites, confirmation, and prep; coordinate with partners as needed.

Internal Coordination (10%)

• In partnership with the VP, Federal Practice, and Director, Local Practice, ensure RFA’s Federal and Local Practice teams are working in seamless alignment toward RFA’s shared goals for recovery dollar investments; 
• Lead work alongside a set of consultants to coordinate across all lines of work to develop monthly briefings for funders about the success of and progress of the work; and
• Work closely with the Strategic Communications team to ensure the webinars and public goods produced in the Hub have adequate demand and uptake.

Impact Tracking (10%) 

• In partnership with the Impact Team, establish and implement program impact metrics and mechanisms for tracking, including those that may require partnering reporting;
• Support the Federal Practice team to identify and coordinate reports back to Congress, the U.S. Treasury, and the White House on the impact of these federal recovery dollars; 
• Support updates on activities and impact across RFA and to external stakeholders; and
• Support the development and ongoing tracking of the Local Practice team’s learning community's impact metrics and reporting.

All RFA employees are expected to participate in the organization’s diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts. 

Experience and Competencies 

The ideal candidate will have the following qualifications, along with a strong commitment to RFA’s mission and vision, including its diversity, equality, and inclusion values.

Experience:

• Bachelor's degree and at least 10+ years of relevant experience, including demonstrated project management experience required; 
• Demonstrated experience navigating complex stakeholder relationships and establishing buy-in as part of previous roles; 
• Experience working in government, political campaigns, research or policy organizations/think tanks, advocacy, and/or other mission-driven nonprofits strongly preferred; and
• Experience planning and managing virtual events preferred.

Competencies:

• Excellent project management skills, including the capacity to manage and coordinate simultaneous projects and successfully prioritize multiple tasks;
• Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal skills; 
• Outstanding interpersonal skills and ability to build relationships with policymakers, nonprofit partner organizations, and other stakeholders;
• Advanced skills in Google Suite, Excel, and Word; 
• Strong Powerpoint skills, including the ability to produce audience-specific presentation materials with excellence and ease; 
• Familiarity with program management software, such as Asana, preferred; 
• Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail, with the ability to establish and implement processes to achieve goals;
• Flexibility and adaptability to shifting circumstances; and
• Good humor and collegiality are a must.