About Jumpstart
Jumpstart envisions the day when every child in America enters kindergarten prepared to succeed. A national early education organization with operations in 14 states plus Washington, DC, Jumpstart drives outcomes for young children in three critical ways. Jumpstart provides language, literacy, and social emotional direct service programming utilizing an evidence-backed curriculum for preschool children from underserved communities, workforce programming to expand the pipeline of qualified, diverse talent pursuing careers in early education, and policy advocacy to support the early childhood field and promote high-quality early learning for all. By leveraging nearly 30 years of experience serving over 140,700 children with the support of more than 60,400 college students and community volunteers, Jumpstart executes these three objectives to improve the quality of the early education workforce and increase opportunity for young children to succeed across America. Learn more at www.jstart.org and join us in transforming the lives of young children!
Position Overview
The Director of Federal Policy & Government Relations (Director) spearheads Jumpstarts federal policy advocacy activities in Washington, D.C. primarily through direct lobbying of Congress and executive branch agencies. The Director will advance Jumpstarts advocacy agenda in early education, higher education, and national service through strategic relationship building with key federal officials and partner organizations. The Director will also supervise one FAO Schwarz Fellow who supports both federal and NY state advocacy.
The Director will report to the Vice President of Policy & Government Relations and be a crucial member of the Policy & Government Relations team consisting of staff in California, Massachusetts, and New York.
If you are excited to lead educational equity and transformative change at the national level, then this may be the opportunity for you!
Specific Responsibilities
Relationship Building & Advocacy
- Expand Jumpstarts impact influencing federal policy by leveraging its three decades of experience and extensive network at the intersection between early education and higher education
- Develop, nurture, and expand positive and authentic collaborative relationships with key federal elected and government officials, and other policy and nonprofit leaders in the education, policy, and social justice spaces
- Participate in stakeholder coalitions and workgroups on behalf of Jumpstart in order to have a hand and voice in the shaping of policy and a presence in government and advocacy circles
- Advocate for policies grounded in grassroots engagement and social justice and aligned within Jumpstarts four policy priorities: (1) increasing equitable access to high-quality early education, (2) establishing a stable and well-compensated early education workforce, (3) improving higher education accessibility and affordability and (4) promoting AmeriCorps and the national service
- Utilizing Jumpstarts Salesforce database, track interactions between Jumpstart and elected officials, government staff, and coalition members
Research & Policy Development
- Stay informed of developments in the policy space and research, draft, and revise policy briefing, advocacy, public opinion, and other written communications for both internal and external use
- In partnership with the Director of Civic Engagement & Advocacy, gather and review information and policy solutions from families, early educators, ECE program partners, Corps members, and others directly impacted by policy
- Collaborate with internal and external content experts to shape, update, and communicate Jumpstarts position on public policy issues
Internal Jumpstart Collaboration
- Collaborate with all Jumpstart departments on integrated strategies to advance systems change in support of the early childhood education workforce
- Provide policy content to the Alumni Relations and Marketing & Communications departments for external communications with Jumpstart supporters and alumni and develop ideas and prepare public opinion pieces to support Jumpstarts thought leadership efforts
- Assist the Development departments efforts to obtain public and private funding sources to support Jumpstarts advocacy activities or direct service programming, especially in collaboration with the Director of Government Grants and Partnerships and the National Director of Institutional
PGR Team Collaboration and Management of FAO Schwarz Fellow
- Work as a team player in an integrated department, adjusting as needed to support other team member projects and expecting them to do the same for you in key moments
- While practicing inclusive leadership, provide supervision, management, guidance, and support to one FAO Schwarz Fellow who supports both federal policy and NY state advocacy
