Director, Federal External Affairs

Remote; Washington, D.C. area strongly preferred.

About TICAS

The Institute for College Access & Success (TICAS) is a national nonprofit with offices in Oakland, California and Washington, D.C. We seek to support state and federal policymakers research, policy analysis, and advocacy about building a better, more affordable, and higher quality higher education system. Our staff combines expertise in research and data, laws and regulations, change management, and the policymaking process. For more information, please visit the website: www.ticas.org

Position Summary

The Director of Federal External Affairs leads TICAS’s federal efforts to build a broad coalition of support for its federal policy agenda, including civil rights groups, unions, legal aid groups, student advocates, borrower advocates, and veterans advocates. The Director will contribute to TICAS policy development and meet regularly with federal policymakers, agency staff and other external stakeholders to provide information and policy recommendations to improve college affordability and accountability.

Essential Job Functions

Federal Advocacy and Strategy

• Proactively identify potential coalition members and policymakers with whom TICAS can work closely to advance its federal policy priorities in the near-term and long-term. Manage and strengthen these relationships on behalf of TICAS and flag issues and opportunities for senior leadership.
• Maintain strong relationships with relevant executive and legislative policymakers and staff, identify issues they are facing, and articulate implications for advancing TICAS’ mission.
• Work with communications team to develop outreach strategies to communicate priorities and positions effectively through written and digital formats as well as via public forums.
• Maintain strong relationships with other higher education policy advocates, including associations.
• Ensure a TICAS presence at federal-affairs related events, including legislative briefings and higher education related events.
• Represent TICAS at external events, conferences, and other professional meetings.
• Identify potential allies and effective arguments/counterarguments for policy changes.
• Craft and deploy a legislative and executive engagement strategy to achieve goals above.
• Support the development of organizational policy strategy, direction, and decision-making in collaboration with executive leadership.

Policy Development

• Identify policy opportunities and gaps where TICAS ought to be more deeply engaged and help TICAS leadership identify the best possible approach.
• Support TICAS’s Executive team and federal team to update, refine, and strengthen TICAS’s overall policy vision and priorities.
• Work with other federal team members and the research team to support federal policymakers’ data or technical assistance asks and creation of resulting memos or products.

Fundraising and Development

• Contribute to grant application and report writing as needed.
• Ensure accurate and complete metrics related to TICAS’ work.

Education and Qualifications Required

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in higher education, public policy, or related field.
• Minimum of 8 years of experience in higher education policy, research, or advocacy work.
• Minimum of 2 years of staff experience on Capitol Hill, with a preference for individuals who staffed either the Senate HELP or House Education and Workforce Committee.
• Strong working knowledge of organizations, allies, and coalitions in the higher education sector.

TICAS strongly encourages applicants from diverse and historically underrepresented backgrounds to apply.  TICAS is committed to sustaining a diverse community with a work environment that is welcoming, respectful, and encouraging to all. TICAS fosters a culture of inclusion that celebrates and cultivates diversity along multiple dimensions, including race, ethnicity, sex, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, national origin, socioeconomic status, religion, culture, and experience. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Statement

TICAS provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws.