Position Overview:
The Director, Education and Workforce Strategy & Policy will play a pivotal role in integrating our cradle-through-career systems-change and programmatic work to develop and advance UNITE-LA's policy and legislative agenda. This individual will collaborate closely with UNITE-LA staff across policy, systems-change, and program teams to identify, develop, and align cross-departmental policy priorities and support the team to advance these priorities at the local, state, and federal levels. Specifically, this role will develop and implement comprehensive processes and strategies to mobilize learnings from UNITE-LA's systems-change and programmatic work into policy and legislative action. The Director will work to advance UNITE-LA's multiplier effect, ensuring UNITE-LA’s Programs, Policy and System teams are advancing initiatives aligned with regional workforce needs. This position will report to the Senior Vice President of Policy & Public Affairs.
About UNITE-LA:
For more than 25 years, UNITE-LA has established itself as a trusted education and business intermediary, dedicated to improving the economic mobility and well-being of the region’s diverse rising workforce. Leveraging strategic cross-sector partnerships at local, statewide, and national levels, we advance policies, practices and systems that strengthen anti-racism and equitable education and workforce outcomes from cradle through career.
Essential Responsibilities & Duties:
Policy, Strategy & Fund Development
- Lead collaboration across UNITE-LA's internal Policy, Systems, and Programs teams to translate learnings from systems-change and programmatic work into policy recommendations and organizational priorities.
- Lead fund development efforts to generate revenue for cradle through career policy efforts –including stewarding/cultivating relationships with funders, designing and developing proposals and reports, overseeing grant implementation
- Oversee budget development and management
- Provide legislative, policy and budget expertise and guidance to inform bill sponsorship opportunities aligned to UNITE-LA‘s mission and vision.
- Craft policy language, negotiate technical amendments, and advance priority policy proposals through policy, budget, and appropriation committees.
- Develop and drive UNITE-LA's legislative strategy and assess opportunities and potential challenges based on the political and fiscal climate.
- Identify, analyze and monitor bills and budget proposals that intersect with UNITE-LA's strategic priorities.
- Identify opportunities to elevate UNITE-LA as a leader in cradle-through-career policy and systems change with policymakers and key legislative staff.
- Develop and leverage data and reports to support policy positions, provide evidence for advocacy efforts, and guide decision-making.
- Collaborate with the communications team to develop op-eds, press releases, and media outreach strategies that elevate UNITE-LA's visibility.
Legislative Engagement, External Relations, and Partnership Development
- Identify and cultivate strong champions at the local, state, and federal levels.
- Serve as a trusted content area expert for legislative and budget staff.
- Support the Policy, Systems, and Programs teams in advancing legislation, including driving legislative and budget vehicles.
- Develop, deepen relationships and solidify partnership opportunities with cross-sector partnerships, including local institutions of higher education, school districts, early care and education providers, business, workforce and advocacy organizations.
Organizational & Operations Design
- Develop and implement processes to ensure cross-departmental collaboration, information sharing, and alignment of policy goals.
- Provide vision and strategic direction to the team to ensure cross-departmental communication and collaboration through clear processes, strategies, and expectations.
- Coordinate closely with Systems and Programs teams to ensure strategic alignment between UNITE-LA’s systems-change implementation strategic priorities, programmatic efforts, and policy priorities.
- Offer strategic guidance on messaging and communication tactics to ensure alignment with our mission and values and advance legislative and policy priorities.
- Monitor and analyze partner development strategies and outcomes to measure effectiveness and make data-driven recommendations for continuous improvement.
Skills for Success:
- Policy Analysis and Advocacy: Demonstrated ability to quickly analyze complex policy, and a demonstrated track record of experience creating and passing policy.
- Ability to Navigate Legislative Systems and Processes: Strong understanding of California state budget and legislative systems and processes, and an understanding of how to move policy in a dynamic political environment.
- Partnership and Collaboration: Excellent interpersonal skills, ability to build relationships with internal and external stakeholders, work effectively with diverse groups of people and have professional crucial conversations.
- Multitasking: Ability to handle multiple streams of communication simultaneously with diverse individuals. Dividing focus between multiple activities or tasks without compromising the quality work produced.
- Excellent Written and Verbal Communication: Articulates thoughts and ideas clearly and effectively for the appropriate audiences. Communicates with partners, participants, and colleagues in a productive and professional manner.
- Initiative & Attention to Detail: Proactively seeks opportunities to best serve participants and the organization. Ensures meticulous follow-through with employers and partners.
- Time Management & Organizational Skills: Ability to prioritize time effectively and efficiently. Maintains accurate and complete records and meets deadlines.
- Flexibility & Adaptability: Reprioritizes work based on feedback and changing demands; proactively seeks opportunities to be supportive of change, new ideas and different perspectives; ability to work under tight deadlines, pivot when there are changing external factors, work with a variety of work styles and individuals, and maintain a positive, solutions-oriented approach.
- Inclusion & Collaboration: Consistently seeks and engages diverse perspectives of various identities and experiences respectfully and effectively. Demonstrates self-awareness in behaviors and actions in engaging and collaborating with all stakeholders.
- Resourcefulness: Proven ability to effectively identify and utilize community resources and services to address partners needs and achieve positive outcomes.
Preferred Skills and Competencies:
- Issue area expertise is strongly preferred in the areas of Early Care & Education, TK-12, and Higher Education policy and systems.
- At least 10 years of legislative and/or advocacy and policy development experience with a focus on education policy, and legislative and budget processes.
- Experience managing teams or direct supports and project management.
- Experience working with diverse groups of partners and stakeholders of various levels.
- Experience with planning, managing and facilitating high caliber meetings and events.
- Experience developing workplans to track programs’ progress.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, Salesforce, SharePoint, Asana, Google Drive applications, Canva, Adobe PDF, and social media platforms.
- Experience working effectively in a team environment.
Compensation and Position Details:
This is a full-time, exempt position with a starting annual salary of $92,400 - $110,000, and the full range for this position is $92,400 - $120,750. If you are offered a position at UNITE-LA, your final title and compensation will be based on factors such as relevant skills, experience and/or education. In addition to those factors, we believe in the importance of pay equity and consider the internal equity of our current team members as a part of any final offer. Our competitive benefits package includes paid sick leave, vacation, and work-life harmony time, in addition to a robust paid holiday schedule; 401(k) participation with employer contribution; competitive health, vision and dental insurance, flexible spending accounts, and more. UNITE-LA promotes a culture of work-life harmony with flexible schedules and offers employee growth development plans to support career pathway development. This position will be based out of UNITE-LA's Los Angeles office. While UNITE-LA maintains a primarily remote working environment, we expect in-person attendance for both internal and external meetings as scheduled. This position will also require occasional travel, both in greater Los Angeles and across California.
To Apply:
Interested candidates should submit their resume and a cover letter summarizing your qualifications for the position to [email protected] using the email subject line "[LAST NAME] – Director, Education and Workforce Strategy & Policy." Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until filled, with a priority deadline of Nov. 22, 2024.
UNITE-LA is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to developing and sustaining a diverse workforce, because we believe that it makes our organization stronger. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, or age. We will consider for employment all qualified applicants, including those with criminal histories, in a manner consistent with applicable state and local laws, including the City of Los Angeles’ Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance.