VP of Public Policy and Advocacy

The Vice President of Public Policy will serve as the principal assistant to the President

responsible for the development of Cradle to Career Tennessee’s (or C2C TN) policy agenda,

political strategy, advocacy, and all public policy content used to educate the C2C TN

partnership, the public, and elected and appointed decision-makers. This leadership role

requires supporting C2C TN to execute four key tasks in fulfillment of its mission, including: (1)

policy analysis of issues that impact social and economic mobility; (2) creation and maintenance

of feedback loops with internal and external partners and coalitions; (3) development and

execution of political and legislative strategies; (4) and successful advocacy of policy goals for

C2C TN and partner organizations.

This role will involve representing the organization on public policy matters, with special

emphasis on cradle to career opportunities and addressing the most important factors that

impact social and economic mobility for children and families. This role is intended to serve as

the day-to-day lead for C2C TN before the state government, inclusive of the TN General

Assembly, the Governor’s executive office, and state departments and agencies. This role will

also work with the StriveTogether national policy team and represent C2C TN in any national or

state networking efforts to further the goals of C2C TN as directed by the President.

Supports the president to manage the development of cradle-to-career public policy

priorities, including: (1)kindergarten readiness, (2) third-grade reading, (3)

seventh-grade math, college readiness, (3) college entry, (4) college or technical

education obtainment (5) opportunity youth, and (6) and issues that have a significant

nexus to economic mobility and cradle-to-career outcomes, such as housing, transit,

health, or labor market connectivity.

• Support the president in the management of junior staff and contracted talent in the
• fulfillment of public policy goals, including but not limited to special assistants, interns,
• and research assistants.
• Assist president in the development and execution of legislative and political strategies
• for adoption of public policy priorities.
• Represent the organization at a local, state, and national level, and serve as liaison for
• the organization’s mission, policy and advocacy priorities while developing and
• maintaining relationships across key stakeholder groups.
• Monitor legislative and agency regulatory activity and support the development of
• strategies, with policy content, to advance interventions to influence legislation and
• regulations that are consistent with the organization’s mission.
• Collect and analyze qualitative and quantitative data to help guide leadership in
• understanding and addressing public policy challenges.
• Assist president in the creation and maintenance of feedback loops that offers insight
• from internal and external partners on social problems and solutions confronting our
• community.
• Remain informed and responsive to policy developments that impact outcomes related
• to economic mobility and present opportunities for the organization to take a leadership
• position or support partner organizations.
• Support, facilitate, or organize C2C TN meetings with partner-organizations and
• participate in events that will increase the public knowledge of the legislative process
• and pending initiatives.
• Attend and represent local organizations at state and national association meetings.
• Collaborate with partner organizations around shared policy priorities.
• Other duties as assigned.

Strongly preferred candidates should possess a graduate degree in public policy, public

administration, law, business, political science, economics, or related fields and at least 8 years

of relevant experience, including policy and legislative development.

Minimum requirements: may hold a bachelor’s degree in public policy, law, public

administration, economics, business administration, or adjacent public policy fields that impact

outcomes related to economic mobility, and at least 10 years of relevant experience, including

experience with analysis, strategy and advancing policy and legislative initiatives.