The Director of State Government Relations will manage the state and local legislative portfolio for Save the Children Action Network (SCAN)’s early childhood education (ECE) campaign. Working in partnership with in-state teams, the Director will develop and implement strategies to advance initiatives within target states/municipalities.
Essential Duties, Responsibilities and Impact
Manage ECE Issue Portfolio (35%)
Manage the ECE issue portfolio in SCAN target states/municipalities, identifying legislation to advance ECE priorities. Develop legislative and funding strategies in coordination with the Senior Director of Government Relations, lobbyists, and in-state teams. Collaborate with existing ECE coalitions and feed into their strategies when aligned with SCAN’s priorities.
Develop and Manage External Relationships (30%)
Oversee the development and management of bipartisan and bicameral relationships in state and local officials with a focus on key committees of jurisdiction and members in leadership. This includes relationships with governors, mayors and county executives’ offices and relevant agencies along with the ECE advocacy community.
Develop Advocacy and Educational Initiatives (15%)
Spearhead and develop initiatives with strategic partners, when appropriate, to educate state and local targets on SCAN’s ECE legislative priorities. Share SCAN’s policy positions and Save the Children’s reports, hold briefings, and more to position SCAN as a strong advocate and thought leader in the ECE space on the state and local level.
Internal Coordination with SCAN and USP (15%)
Work closely with the Director of Federal Government Relations for ECE to ensure federal and state strategy are coordinated and appropriately aligned. Work with the mobilization team to identify where there is a need to generate grassroots and grasstops support for influencing state and local policy. Work with the communications team to determine how best to influence key state and local decision-makers through earned and social media and other tactics. Work with the political team to identify possible state and local targets to either support or oppose based on their ECE record. Communicate SCAN’s ECE state initiatives to USP and work together when priorities are aligned.
Monitoring, Accountability, and Administrative (5%)
Monitor achievement of predetermined objectives, grant responsibilities, including contributing to reporting, expenditure and administration.
Required Background and Experience, Skills and Behaviors
Bachelor’s degree required; Master’s degree in a relevant field a plus.
Minimum 10 years’ professional experience, with at least four years of demonstrated leadership in advocating at the state and local levels.
Strong familiarity with the state legislative process, including both authorizations and appropriations processes and a demonstrated track record of legislative successes (bills passed, budgets increased, etc.).
Strong management skills and ability to drive forward multiple initiatives simultaneously
Established networks and contacts within governmental and nongovernmental ECE policy circles.
Experience working in a campaign or initiative a plus.
Ability to travel at least one-third of the time.
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