Associate/Senior Associate, Communications

The Data Quality Campaign (DQC) is a national nonprofit policy and advocacy organization that envisions a world where data policy is used to drive systemic change, economic mobility, and student success. DQC is leading the effort to bring every part of the education and workforce community together to empower educators, families, and policymakers with quality information to make decisions that ensure individuals excel. To realize this vision, DQC works toward three goals:

1. 1. Increase public understanding of the value of data in supporting the student journey through the P–20W pipeline (early education, K–12, postsecondary, and workforce).
   2. Build the capacity of policy and education leaders to develop trust with communities to ensure data is used effectively.
   3. Ensure that state leaders use the policy levers available to them across P–20W to make data work for students and communities.

If you want to work with one of the country’s leading education and workforce advocacy organizations that shares your passion for helping students achieve their best throughout education and into career, DQC is the place for you. We believe deeply in using data as the vehicle for improving education and workforce outcomes and we need passionate individuals to champion our mission. Join our team today!

Position Summary

This position is grounded in DQC’s values of listening, learning, and applying insights to our work while staying closely connected to what is happening across states, districts, higher education, and employers. DQC Associates and Senior Associates are self-starting, thoughtful contributors who are passionate about education and workforce policy and eager to engage deeply in complex topics.

They work with colleagues across the organization to achieve its goals. The Associate/Senior Associate, Communications will:

• Contribute to the development and execution of communications strategies that highlight stories of effective data use and empower the field to use data to support student success.
• Support the dissemination of DQC resources.
• Cultivate and maintain DQC partner relationships.
• Act as a thoughtful, contributing member of our team who learns andgrows professionally over time.

While both levels contribute meaningfully to DQC’s work, Senior Associates take on greater ownership of projects, operate with more independence, and play a stronger role in shaping strategy and external engagement. We encourage people who see themselves at either the Associate or Senior Associate to apply and we will structure the interview process to be in line with the roles and responsibilities at each level.

Who You Are

• • Passionate: you are excited about the policy landscape that informs people’s pathways from education into career and communicating clearly about what it takes to make those policies happen.
  • Communicator: you develop and convey ideas and positions to diverse groups (e.g., state leaders, advocates, partners, the federal government) and internally with peers.
  • Collaborator: you work with DQC staff at all levels to design and execute high-quality work that contributes to how DQC communicates about our expanding knowledge of best practice policies that make data work for people.
  • Innovator: you help DQC think of new ways to approach and execute our work.
  • Relationship Builder: you seek out and nurture relationships with colleagues and key partners.
  • Convener: you know the power of bringing people together effectively and consistently to ensure diverse perspectives and experiences are sought out and represented.
  • Adapter: you demonstrate flexibility and can take projects from ambiguous ideas to impactful results.
  • Problem Solver: you use your knowledge of effective communications to make recommendations about how to navigate complex policy debates and elevate stories about where best practices are happening.

What You’ll Do

• Frame and communicatekey issues related to data use policy and practice at district, state, federal, andnational levels.
• Seek strategic opportunities for collaboration and partnership with other organizations.
• Stay current on relevant policy news and identify timely opportunities to join the conversation.
• Track progress toward communications goals in partnership with the Director, Communications.
• Maintain and update the organization's website, including:
  • Publishing new content, refreshing existing pages, and ensuring accuracy.
  • Supporting basic SEO practices and monitor site analytics to inform content strategy.
  • Coordinating with program staff to translate policy work into accessible web content.
• Manage DQC’s email communications, including:
  • Maintaining the organization's email list and segmentation using Mailchimp.
  • Drafting, designing, and sending regular email updates, newsletters, and event announcements.
  • Tracking open rates, click-through rates, and other metrics to continuously improve performance.
• Develop and execute DQC’s social media strategy, including:
  • Maintaining a content calendar and posting across LinkedIn and Bluesky.
  • Writing engaging, platform-appropriate posts that amplify our policy priorities and organizational news.
  • Monitoring conversations, engaging with followers, and tracking performance metrics.
• Contribute to DQC’s overall communications efforts in the following ways:
  • Assisting in drafting blog posts, press releases, and other external communications as needed.
  • Maintaining an organized library of brand assets, photos, and approved messaging.
  • Supporting external communications needs for events, webinars, etc.
  • Helping implement media outreach strategies for various projects.
  • Conceiving and executing ways to graphically represent DQC’s content—with a focus on content appropriate for web and social media platforms.
  • Identifying opportunities to employ AI in smart, complementary ways to achieve DQC’s communications goals.

Requirements & Qualifications

Education and experience:

• DQC values both education and work experiences that demonstrate the ability to perform the essential duties and responsibilities of this position.
• Successful DQC Associates have a minimum of 5 years of experience (reflecting a combination of education and professional experience). For example, the successful candidate might have a Bachelor’s degree and one year of professional experience.
• Successful DQC Senior Associates have a minimum of 8 years of experience (reflecting a combination of education and professional experience). For example, the successful candidate might have a Bachelor’s degree and four years of professional experience or a Master’s degree and two years of professional experience. For a Senior Associate, at least one year of professional work experience must be directly related to this role.
• In your cover letter, explain how your combination of education and work experience (including internships) demonstrates your ability to communicate clearly, directly, and inclusively to build trust in data.

Knowledge, skills, and abilities:

• Excellent oral communications, writing, and editing skills with strong attention to detail.
• Demonstrated ability to convey ideas and positions to diverse groups—externally to technical and nontechnical audiences at various levels (e.g., partners, states, federal government) and internally withpeers—both orally and in writing.
• Proven record of successfully supporting external communications—with an emphasis on digital and social media.
• Knowledge of Photoshop, Canva, or other platforms and the ability to create shareable graphics, or strong desire to learn.
• Knowledge of Wordpress, or strong desire to learn.
• Knowledge of video editing platforms to create short, impactful videos for use on social media and DQC’s website, or strong desire to learn.
• A reputation forbeing entrepreneurial, partnership‐oriented, energetic, positive, and focused.
• Ability to work both independently and as a member of a team.
• Capacity to work under pressure in a rapidly changing environment.
• Ability to travel occasionally for the organization.

• We offer a competitive and comprehensive benefits package, including health, vision, and dental insurance; leave; 401k/matching; and professional development that recognizes the importance of work-life balance and is grounded in diversity, equity, and inclusion.
• DQC’s staff is headquartered in Washington, DC. Applicants must live in DC or be willing to relocate. We provide a hybrid work environment, which means that DC-based employees should plan to be in the office a minimum number of days per week; however, the expectation is that staff should not be working in the office 100% of the time. We are flexible on working hours and genuinely care about the quality of your work more than the time of day you do it. We ask staff to be available for team meetings and collaboration via technology platforms.