Director, Nevada Impact

About Leadership for Educational Equity

Leadership for Educational Equity is a nonprofit leadership development organization inspiring and supporting a network of civic leaders to eradicate the injustice of educational inequity.

Through one-on-one coaching, fellowships, workshops, and resources, LEE works to develop and inspire its members individually and collectively, across all disciplines – as policy makers, advocates, elected leaders and community organizers. LEE membership is free and currently open to all Teach For America corps members and alumni. LEE believes that when a diverse group of leaders, grounded in a commitment to equity, are in leadership roles, they will serve as a transformative force for and with students and communities.

LEE is a diverse team of passionate and talented individuals committed to making a difference. We are a high-growth, results-oriented organization that operates in an entrepreneurial environment deeply invested in continuous improvement. LEE is honored to have been selected as a LATINA Style 50 Award recipient and a “When Work Works” award recipient. We are also an Employer of National Service.

If you would like to become part of our team and join the fight for educational equity, or if you would simply like to learn more, please visit educationalequity.org.

Position Summary:

Leadership for Educational Equity (LEE) is seeking a senior leader to serve as Director, Nevada Impact. The Director should bring experience, curiosity and creativity to grow, engage, and organize our base of members in the region.  

Directors bring an entrepreneurial spirit to drive our local impact in regions across the country by: (1) actively building a base of civically engaged members; (2) helping our members develop into and assume entry through senior level roles in policy, in advocacy and as elected official; and (3) developing the organizing skills of our members leading local community organizing efforts. Directors collaborate with our national expert teams at LEE in Elected Leadership, Policy and Advocacy, and Organizing Leadership to bring national gold-standard support in these areas; they partner with our LEE Leadership Development and Design team to develop best-in-class programming in support of the developmental needs and interests of our members; and they work with our partner organization Teach For America to advance the regional vision and maximize our impact on the ground. The Director serves as the face of LEE and the primary point of contact for members in their region.  

LEE is looking for a strategic leader with strong relationship building skills, a history of collective action success, a thorough understanding of and relationships within the political and education policy landscape of Nevada, the skills to continue to support a LEE member led community organizing effort in NV, and the ability to inspire and recruit members to run for office. As LEE’s digital engagement initiatives grow, the Director will be tasked with managing members’ journeys through blended learning - digital and in-person engagement and action. The Director will be charged with building a movement that leverages the collective strengths of our members to achieve educational equity for all children in Nevada. This position will report to a Senior Director of Regional Impact.

Position Location: Las Vegas, NV

Travel Requirements: 10% minimum outside the region (for team events and national programming; this could increase at times based on interest/onboarding needs); frequent travel throughout Nevada

NOTE: All travel is pending due to current restrictions on in-person engagement due to COVID-19.

Responsibilities:

The Director should strategize, plan and execute all the responsibilities outlined below according to a strategic vision and operational plan they created to meet organizational goals. The Director will be asked to regularly track and enter their activity with members, and member growth in LEE’s Salesforce system. 

Connect Members to Resources & Supports (25%)

• Develop deep knowledge of resources and supports offered by all teams at LEE (including, but not limited to virtual forums, career coaching, virtual content, etc.)
• Conduct 1:1 meetings with members regularly to understand their vision for impact, align with their leadership trajectory, and connect them with supports accordingly
• Develop (in conjunction with our National Impact team) and facilitate regional trainings and events that support member learning
• Develop and execute a communications strategy (email and social), that aligns with National strategy and with support of a Manager of Communications on the RI team, to inspire members to connect, to use LEE resources, and/or to attend programming

Elected Leadership (EL) Coaching (25%)

• Develop thorough knowledge of electoral opportunities across the state
• Inspire and agitate members to run for elected leadership positions
• Coach members using LEE’s robust coaching program (including virtual content) and supporting them to file for candidacy
• Track outreach, engagement and recruitment efforts via Salesforce and other tools

Manage and Support Organizing Alliance Leadership Team (25%)

• Recruit Organizing Alliance Leadership Team (OALT) members and engage with them to move them from idea to action - coach, leverage LEE supports, connect across network, and nudge to action
• Lead turnout efforts for and with the OALT; agitate and build the base for collective actions and leverage national platform organizing supports to amplify OALT and member impact

Landscape Knowledge and Partners (15%)

• Deeply understand and navigate the local landscape, political relationships, and power structures in the region to support member action and impact 
• Engage partners toward development of LEE members and impact in the region, including securing organizations to host LEE fellows
• Build and steward relationships with external influencers

Special Projects (10%)

• As assigned by team leadership, in pursuit of organization-wide and team-wide goals

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree 
• Six+ years of relevant work experience 
• Demonstrated track record of building local networks and partnerships with a diverse community of leaders and creating change with these partners 
• Exceptional knowledge of the political community and climate in the primary cities in Nevada and across the state 
• Demonstrated skills and background in community organizing or movement building 
• Baseline level of knowledge and skills in Elected Leadership, Policy and Advocacy, and Community Organizing
• Politics (including candidate and/or public leadership development, campaign plan development, messaging, conducting a field campaign, coalition building and fundraising) 
• Policy (including research and analysis, drafting legislation or policy recommendations, advising elected officials and/or other decision-makers, and working for local, state or federal government) 
• Advocacy/community organizing (including identifying, recruiting, and developing community leaders; developing and implementing civic engagement plans in target communities; issue campaign work; coalition building; and conducting targeted communications through online advocacy platforms)
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills 
• Ability to communicate and collaborate with a geographically dispersed team
• Strong, demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity & inclusion
• Deep passion for educational equity and belief in LEE’s mission and theory of change

Preferred Qualifications:

• Graduate degree in a field related to education and/or policy (e.g., MPP, M.Ed., JD) 
• Understanding of electoral landscape in the region
• Experience coaching others and playing a role in their long-term development
• Experience managing a high-functioning entrepreneurial team which will aid in lateral management across national teams at LEE
• Demonstrated track record of culturally competent coaching across lines of difference 
• Demonstrated track record of building strong relationships and organizing with communities of color

Benefits and Pay

Pay for this position is competitive and based upon relevant experience and cost of labor for your location. Please use the following link to learn more about compensation for this position: https://educationalequity.org/applicant-resources#sec3. In addition, LEE offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes health, dental and vision coverage for spouses, families and domestic partners; employer-paid basic life and AD&D insurance and short and long-term disability insurance; a retirement package with employer match; family and parental leave benefits; generous paid time off and an organization-wide winter break between Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.  

An Equal-Opportunity Employer with a Commitment to Diversity 

Leadership for Educational Equity is proud to be an equal opportunity employer, and as an organization committed to diversity and the perspective of all voices, we consider applicants equally of race, gender, color, sexual orientation, religion, marital status, disability, political affiliation and national origin. We reasonably accommodate staff members and/or applicants with disabilities, provided they are otherwise able to perform the essential functions of the job.

An affirmative action-equal opportunity employer.

The statements in this description represent typical elements, criteria, and general work performed. They are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required for the job.