Policy Advocate or Senior Policy Advocate, K-12 Education

Policy Advocate or Senior Policy Advocate, K-12 Education
Location: CA-Based, Sacramento Preferred (Hybrid w/ Limited Travel)
Status: Exempt, Full-Time
Salary:
Policy Advocate $71,500-$85,000;
Senior Policy Advocate $85,000-$103,000
Reports To: Deputy Managing Attorney

About Public Advocates
For more than 50 years Public Advocates (PA) has been on the frontlines of social justice movements in California. As a bold and highly regarded nonprofit law firm and advocacy organization that challenges the systemic causes of poverty and racial discrimination, we pride ourselves on our ability to skillfully deploy a multi-pronged approach to create systemic change and make rights real. Using litigation and enforcement, policy advocacy, community partnership and communication strategies, PA achieves tangible legal and policy victories in education, housing and transit justice in ways that help build power with low-income communities of color. PA was recently ranked as one of the top two most effective legislative advocacy groups out of over 100 ranked by CalMatters. To learn more about Public Advocates, please visit publicadvocates.org.

Position Summary
The Policy Advocate/Senior Policy Advocate (depending on experience) will work with PA’s dedicated K-12 Education Equity Team, community partners, and statewide coalitions to collaboratively develop and implement the team’s statewide legislative, administrative and budget policy advocacy to advance a racially and economically just public education system. The Policy Advocate/ Senior Policy Advocate will help to advance PA’s K-12 education priorities in the legislature, Governor’s office, CA Department of Education, State Board of Education, Department of Finance and other relevant administrative bodies. Current work focuses on holding the state public education system accountable to low-income students and families of color through strong implementation of key equity reforms, such as the Local Control Funding Formula. This position will also support building capacity of our grassroots partners in the statewide alliance, the CA Partnership for the Future of Learning, to engage in state policymaking, which includes supporting the need for quality and diverse educators, and may also help our K-12 Team to develop and implement a policy agenda for supporting emerging multilingual learners. This position has traditionally been based in our Sacramento office but we are flexible for the right candidate (Based anywhere in California), who has demonstrated willingness and ability to travel to Sacramento two or more times a month, especially during the legislative session.

Responsibilities

Legislative, Administrative & Budget Policy Advocacy: 60%

• Analyze, monitor and advocate orally and in writing for and against budget, legislative and administrative policy proposals
• Build and maintain strong relationships with state policy makers and staff, including within the CA Department of Education and State Board of Education
• Assist team to develop policy positions, including a possible policy agenda to support emerging multilingual learners
• Draft written analyses and advocacy letters and respond to technical requests for information from policy makers and community partners
• Represent PA in relevant policy making interest group spaces, forums, conferences, and in media outreach (in consultation with the team and communications staff)
• Review policy research and reports, partnering with researchers to inform advocacy efforts

Community Partnership & Coalition Building: 20%

• Leverage policy expertise to inform and engage community partners, students and families regarding state-level policy developments, including in coalition spaces, such as the statewide grassroots alliance, the CA Partnership for the Future of Learning
• Develop and strengthen relationships with advocacy, community, research and base-building organizations engaged in policy advocacy
• Collaborate with Managing Attorney, Deputy Managing Attorney to ensure team’s policy priorities are developed and pursued in authentic collaboration with community partners
• Assist team to develop and deliver trainings and analysis to increase community partners’ understanding of policies, policy making process and advocacy opportunities
• Collaborate with team and community partners in planning, strategizing and developing state policy campaigns

Strategy, Project Management & Support for K12 State Advocacy Team Planning: 10%

• Take initiative to move workstreams for coalition partners and specific campaigns, such as recent work to secure a more equitable school facilities bond
• In partnership with team leadership serve as thought-partner on PA’s education program and state advocacy work, incorporating policy advocacy, community collaboration, media outreach, and enforcement to achieve organizational objectives
• Support team members on policy strategy and other projects

Strategic Communication: 5%

• Partner with Communications Team to develop strategic communications towards execution of policy campaigns; including reporter outreach, community education, and social media
• Represent PA and coalitions to the press, social media and public
• Contribute towards narrative strategy in support of a racially just, public education system
• Share best practices learned by representing PA at relevant conferences and outreach events
• Draft blog posts, explainers, opinion pieces, letters to the editor and other persuasive writing

Team Operations: 5%

• Support Education Team leadership to develop and maintain funding related to priority work
• Support team operations and planning by contributing to team meetings and retreats
• Supervise, as necessary, policy interns or junior staff (for Senior Policy Advocate)

Skills & Qualifications

• 2+ years (Policy Advocate level); 4-5+ years (Senior Policy Advocate level) of relevant policy, legislative, campaign experience or equivalent legal or nonprofit advocacy experience, ideally working on racial/social justice issues
• Excellent written and oral communication skills, including the ability to analyze and explain clearly, concisely and persuasively technical policy issues to diverse audiences
• Social justice and racial equity lens; experience working with BIPOC communities and/or low-income communities; strong commitment to building community power
• Passion for public education with a growth mindset around becoming an expert in multiple aspects of the K-12 education landscape
• Strategic thinking and political judgment, with capacity and interest to engage in a multi-pronged advocacy approach that connects state policy and local organizing

Nice to Have Qualifications, Although Not Required

• Familiarity within K-12 education policy, including equitable school funding, data and accountability, support for emerging multilingual learner and BIPOC students
• Relationship building, collaboration and facilitation experience with statewide coalitions, grassroots or community-based organizations
• Work in K-12 public schools, especially as an educator
• A Masters of Public Policy or other relevant graduate degree in education, social policy, or legal studies
• Experience working with funders such as stewardship of grants, or grant program reporting

Qualities uplifted by all Public Advocates staff include integrity, high professional standards, commitment to progressive social change, racial and economic justice, and working successfully with diverse colleagues, clients and community partners. This includes active participation in promoting healthy workplace culture through our organizational diversity and inclusion initiative – an ongoing process of communication, trust-building and learning about our individual and organizational areas for growth. We strive to build a culture of cooperation and mutual support and value flexibility, resilience, optimism, curiosity and a sense of humor.

Compensation & Work Setting
The position is a full-time (37.5 hours/week), exempt position. The starting salary range for the Policy Advocate role is $71,500-$85,000 and for the Senior Policy Advocate role is $85,000-$103,000 and will be dependent on relevant experience and internal equity considerations.

Benefits include full health, dental and vision insurance for the employee and all eligible family members; generous vacation, 13 paid holidays, 2 floating holidays and additional paid time off between Christmas Eve and New Year’s Day; $750 annual professional development budget; $1,000 wellness budget; 403(b) retirement plan; $75 monthly internet/cellular service stipend; paid parental leave; flexible spending accounts for health and dependent care; and paid sabbatical after 7 years. We will also provide a laptop and peripherals to set up your home office.

Public Advocates has adopted a flexible “hybrid” work model based on community COVID-19 levels in SF and Sacramento and requires staff to commute to the office 1-2 days a week, depending on those levels. We have also adopted a COVID-19 vaccination policy that requires all employees either establish that they have been fully vaccinated or obtain an approved exemption as an accommodation.

Application Instructions
Please submit the following 3 items combined into one document: 1) Cover letter responding to the question prompts below, 2) Resume and 3) Writing Sample Excerpt (no more than 5 pp.) that illustrates your policy advocacy, analytical reasoning and communication skills. In the file name and email subject header, please write the name of the position you are applying for and your last name: e.g. “Sr Policy Advocate_Ramirez.”

We invite you to utilize your cover letter as an opportunity to discuss the following:

• Tell a story that illuminates your interest in PA’s mission and theory or change; and
• Share how your background and experience aligns to the key responsibilities of this position

Please email your application materials to k12advocate@publicadvocates.org by the Application Priority Deadline of Monday, September 9, 2024.

Additional questions about the role or interview process can be directed to Vanessa Ramirez, Recruitment Consultant supporting this search at vramirez@publicadvocates.org.

Public Advocates reflects the rich diversity of California. Sixty percent of our employees and two-thirds of our Board members are people of color. Four of seven members of our senior leadership team — including our President & CEO — are people of color, and three are women.

Public Advocates seeks to fill this position with someone who shares our values, including our organizational commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion. We encourage all interested individuals to apply — especially those who identify as Black, Indigenous and people of color; women; people from low-income backgrounds; people with disabilities; people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender or anyone belonging to any other federal or state protected category. Read our Diversity Vision Statement here.

*Applicants requiring an accommodation to complete the application and/or interview process should send an email to spaik@publicadvocates.org for assistance.