Position: Director of State Relations
Team: State Team
Purpose: In 2-3 target states, create and implement strategic plans that helps build a sustainable effort and prepares a state for the introduction of universal educational choice.
Focus: Ensuring that the public, policymakers, community influencers and state based advocates understand full and unencumbered educational choice and are better equipped and trained to support the issue and each other.
Supervised by: Senior Director of State Relations
Core Responsibilities:
Partnership Building: Develop a plan of activities to increase the number and quality of educational choice supporters by:

• Identifying, recruiting and engaging a broad and diverse set of local policymakers, community leaders, and cultivating relationships with both existing and new partners;
• Undertaking efforts to build and strengthen local coalitions and infrastructure that can operate and fund itself; and
• Assisting in the development of a strategic action plan and timetable to promote educational choice.

Events/Briefings/Trainings: Coordinate and conduct training and outreach activities for policymakers and their influencers by:

• Hosting or sponsoring fact-finding trips;
• Organizing and/or coordinating training conferences and “how-to” briefings; and
• Co-hosting or sponsoring partnership events.

Grant Development and Management:  Manage a state specific grant budget that funds one or more local or state partners to:

• Educate policymakers and their influencers;
• Enable partner organizations to shore up specific efforts or dimensions of their work that would accelerate the state on the pathway to full and unencumbered choice; and
• Undertake specific training or outreach projects, research or activities that increases the number and quality of state and local partners.

Policy and Government Affairs:  Undertake the following policy and government affairs activities:

• Assist in the bill drafting process and help facilitate conversations that lead to the development of quality educational choice policies that are shared with and agreed to by a majority of trusted local and state partners;
• Lobby and engage lobbyists to pass legislation, and assist in rulemaking and policy implementation; and
• As needed, provide expert testimony, tactical research and communications and policy briefings that increases and/or secures support for quality educational choice policies.

Other Activities:  Work with research, communications and fundraising team members to use existing research and communications products, and also to identify new research, media and funding opportunities. Also, work with state and local groups to establish the Foundation as a viable long-term partner.
Qualifications
Education and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree or higher
• At least 1 year experience building partnerships
• Prior experience in campaigns, advocacy and/or community relations required
• Strong experience working with local and state based organizations
• Prior experiences in government a plus, but not required
• A working understanding of the legislative process a plus, but not required

Essential Characteristics

• Compatibility with EdChoice mission
• Desire to travel extensively but be based in Central Indiana
• Excellent at building and maintaining relationships
• Willingness to reach out to people who do not share EdChoice vision
• An entrepreneurial self-starter who is adaptable, a multi-tasker, and who handles challenges and adversity diplomatically
• Discernment, intuition and good communication a must

Applicants should submit a cover letter and resumé to carey@edchoice.org.