Vice President of Policy & Advocacy

START DATE:

Early August

APPLICATION DEADLINE:

The priority deadline for applications is May 17th. Anything received after that date will be kept on file and considered if the position is not filled.

REPORTS TO:

Chief External Officer

SUPERVISES:

The Policy & Advocacy Team comprised of four team members

LOCATION:

The Partnership team works in a hybrid capacity. This position is expected to be in the community 40-80% of the time (2-4 days/week), with occasional visits to the Partnership office in Downtown LA.

ABOUT THE PARTNERSHIP FOR LOS ANGELES SCHOOLS

Launched in 2007, the Partnership for Los Angeles Schools’ mission is to transform schools to revolutionize school systems, empowering all students with a high-quality education. The Partnership is a non-profit, in-district partner to LA Unified, not a charter network. As an independent nonprofit organization, the Partnership serves 13,550 students across 20 LA Unified schools in Boyle Heights, South Los Angeles, and Watts. The Partnership works within the LA Unified School District context, which includes honoring all collective bargaining agreements for its teachers and school staff. To learn more about the Partnership, our mission, and how we approach our goals, please visit our website.

ABOUT THE POSITION

The Vice President (VP) of Policy & Advocacy will serve as a key player within the organizational leadership team and will lead strategies to advance an education equity agenda that addresses the legacy of racial inequities and underinvestment in our highest-needs schools. The VP of Policy & Advocacy will work closely with the Chief External Officer (CXO) to develop the organization’s strategic goals, policy positions, key initiatives, and strategies for advocacy. The VP of Policy & Advocacy will serve as an important representative of the Partnership in a wide range of external settings and will lead relationships with partners, coalition members, policymakers, and other stakeholders. The VP of Policy & Advocacy will set the vision for the Policy & Advocacy team, and create strategic campaigns in alignment with current issues priorities and the Partnership’s strategic plan. They will also be accountable for the overall vision, goals, strategy, performance, and operations of the Partnership’s Policy & Advocacy Team. This is a full-time, year-round position.

The Partnership is committed to continuously building an anti-racist culture that promotes diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging in classrooms and our home office. The VP of Policy & Advocacy will be someone who is committed to implementing these values in creative ways when executing day-to-day tasks and responsibilities.

POSITION RESPONSIBILITIES

Position responsibilities include but are not limited to:

Advocacy Vision, Organizational Strategy & Agenda Execution (40%)

• Lead the Policy & Advocacy Team in creating strategic campaigns in alignment with current issue priorities and the Partnership’s strategic plan
• Provide strategic alignment between the Partnership’s policy and advocacy work to ensure the Policy & Advocacy Team is working towards team and organizational goals
• Lead collaborative efforts with the policy & advocacy team in addressing Parthership’s key issue areas including Equitable Funding, Equitable Staffing, and College Access
• Lead other ongoing campaign development, including developing campaign strategy and tactical scenarios and plans, coordinating campaign activities, and organizing campaign actions
• Provide strategic direction for fostering leadership development and political education opportunities with student and parent leaders across our schools
• Develop processes that allow leaders, staff, allies, and stakeholders to inform and guide Partnership campaign strategies
• Strategically grow the Partnership’s leadership within local communities while simultaneously deepening the organization’s state advocacy strategy and capacity; approximately 60% of advocacy will be focused at LAUSD, 25% at state level, and 15% at local city and county level

Team Management & Organizational Leadership (40%)

• Provide management, coaching, and leadership development and capacity for the four members of the Policy & Advocacy Team and oversee their individual issues areas, campaigns, and goals 
• Model Partnership competencies for direct reports and team members 
• Support learning and development across the organization on systems change and advocacy priorities 
• Build systems to track and scale the impact of Partnership policy and advocacy strategies 
• Collaborate with the Communications Team to develop communications and narrative change strategies for issue campaigns, and to elevate the visibility and impact of policy work 
• Collaborate with the Development Team to elevate the Partnership’s visibility and impact of policy work to funders and grant opportunities
• Work across teams, communities, and advisory boards comprised of students, parents, and educators, to amplify the Partnership’s system-wide change work
• Engage and collaborate with the Partnership network of schools to identify and develop equity champions in our communities 

Relationship Management & Stakeholder Engagement (20%)

• Build and maintain relationships with key players in the Los Angeles education policy world, including Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) leadership, advocacy partners, and school communities
• Provide representation and strategic leadership on behalf of the Partnership in meetings with policymakers, allies, and coalitions, as well as media and advocacy events, community partner support, and engagement and grassroots mobilization efforts
• Create engaging partnerships with grasstop and grassroots leaders, policy organizations, and education coalitions to advance the Partnership’s education equity agenda
• Lead 1-2 campaigns that advance equitable funding and resources for schools. 

POSITION FIRST-YEAR PRIORITIES

A successful first year in this role will include:

• Build strong relationships with and collaborate with Partnership teammates, elected officials, education partners, and school-site stakeholders
• Provide effective management, coaching, and leadership development and capacity for the four members of the Policy & Advocacy Team
• Develop and implement a cross-functional public affairs strategy that creates engaging partnerships with grasstop and grassroots leaders, policy organizations, and education coalitions to advance the Partnership’s education equity agenda
• Provide strategic visioning and alignment between the Partnership’s policy and advocacy work to ensure the Policy & Advocacy Team is working towards team and organizational goals
• Influence and lead in different Revolutionize team spaces

REQUIREMENTS & QUALIFICATIONS

• Minimum 10 years of professional experience in policy, advocacy, and/or community organizing, with specific experience developing and executing an advocacy strategy and driving policy results for historically marginalized communities
• Minimum 5 years of management experience, including managing and leading teams (including teams of managers and directors), complex projects, and cross-functional teams
• Experience interfacing with elected officials and navigating political systems at the local, state, and/or federal levels 
• Proven track record of building productive relationships and alliances with advocacy partners, community members, diverse stakeholders, and LAUSD leaders
• Knowledge of communities the Partnership serves, the Los Angeles K-12 public education sector, and other social issues campaigns, and political work impacting Los Angeles 
• Experience understanding complex systems, and building and running issue campaigns focused on equity
• Educational degree or certification in a subject area related to policy & advocacy is preferred
• Demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion on a systemic level
• Superb oral and written communication skills for multiple audiences, including an ability to proactively communicate critical messages to stakeholders and a diverse range of audiences
• A combination of creative and strategic thinking with a standard for high-quality execution
• Ability to manage multiple projects, prioritize, and work under multiple deadlines
• Strong team player and active collaborator
• The ability to travel between school sites, the home office, and in-state, as needed (approximately 20% of time at school sites and up to two weeks per year in-state)
• Spanish language fluency (spoken and written), preferred
• Working understanding of K-12 public education sector, preferred
• A deep belief in the power of our communities, as well as the Partnership’s mission, approach, and core values
• A commitment to fostering a diverse, equitable, and inclusive work environment for all team members
• A willingness to learn, grow, and model the Partnership competencies: Anti-racism, root cause analysis, long-term thinking, teaming and collaboration, psychological safety, and learning and growth

COMPENSATION & BENEFITS

The starting salary range for external candidates is $148,750-$161,875. The Partnership’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion extends to our compensation practices. Our goal is to ensure that salaries are fair for all staff members who hold many intersectional identities, and we set salaries based on a robust compensation model grounded in consistency and transparency. The exact salary for this position is dependent on the relevant skills and experiences that the candidate brings to the role.

The Partnership also offers a robust benefits package including employer-paid health, dental, and vision insurance for employees and their dependents; a 403(b) retirement program with employee match and vesting; parental and sabbatical leaves; a professional development allowance; and generous paid time off. Details can be found here.

APPLICATION GUIDELINES

Please prepare your resume and a cover letter tailored to this position. You will submit your documents and application via this link.

Research shows that women and individuals from systemically marginalized communities are less likely to apply for jobs unless they meet all of the qualifications. While this job description outlines the major responsibilities and requirements to be successful in this role, the Partnership is committed to considering all applicants who are passionate about our mission and can see themselves excelling in this role – including those with diverse and non-traditional work experience.

For technical assistance or support for applying with a disability, please contact the Home Office Talent Team.

COVID-19 VACCINATION REQUIREMENT

Partnership for LA Schools is a contractor with the Los Angeles Unified School District and has implemented a Mandatory COVID-19 Vaccine Policy. All new employees are required to be fully vaccinated a week before their start date unless they are approved for an accommodation due to a medical reason or because of a sincerely held religious belief. 

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

Partnership for Los Angeles Schools is an equal opportunity employer that is committed to – and actively pursues – diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace. The Partnership prohibits discrimination based on race (including traits historically associated with race such as hairstyle), creed, color, religion, registered domestic partner status, national origin, ancestry, sex, gender, gender expression, gender identity, sexual orientation, marital status, citizenship status, age, military and veteran status, medical condition, genetic information, political affiliation, pregnancy or childbirth, physical disability or mental disability, or any other basis protected by federal, state, or local law or ordinance or regulation. The Partnership also prohibits discrimination based on the perception that anyone has any of these characteristics, or is associated with a person who has or is perceived as having any of those characteristics.

This policy applies to all employment practices within our organization, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, training, transfer, wages, benefits, termination, and all other privileges, terms, and conditions of employment.