Senior Director, Policy and Partnerships
Apply NowCompany: StriveTogether, Inc.
Location: Cincinnati, OH 45238
Description:
Senior Director, Policy and Partnerships
About StriveTogether
StriveTogether is a national movement with a clear purpose: helping every child succeed in school and in life from cradle to career, regardless of race, ethnicity, zip code or circumstance. We refuse to settle for a world where a child's potential is dictated by the conditions into which they are born. We work to break down barriers, change systems and improve outcomes for as many families as possible.
The StriveTogether team is passionate, talented and dedicated to achieving our mission. We seek and value all kinds of diversity and work hard to eliminate inequities in ourselves, our organization and our communities. Our goals are bold, so we support each other to try new things, have tough conversations and push for change. As we work, we share learning and progress, use data to make decisions and celebrate our wins.
About you
You are a strategic leader with a proven track record of advancing policy work that produces better and more equitable outcomes. You are a savvy relationship builder and strong communicator. You are comfortable working with a degree of ambiguity and use data to drive your decision-making and solve complex problems. You are detail oriented and willing to really get into the work when necessary - ensuring strong and effective implementation of the strategies you build. You are a team-player and collaborator - looking for areas of alignment and intersection to advance impact.
You are an experienced team leader with a track record of managing teams to achieve outcomes and experience with policy development, advocacy and implementation. You are comfortable in ambiguous environments and are able to move from ambiguity to clarity and solve complex problems with a range of various stakeholders and needs.
About the position
StriveTogether's Senior Director, Policy & Partnerships is a senior leader responsible for managing the internal operations and people management of the Policy and Partnerships department, along with a portfolio of external relationships to advance organizational goals. This involves supporting the Vice President of Policy and Partnerships on building department strategy and operationalizing the vision and strategy to be executed by the team. The Senior Director, Policy and Partnerships will be the primary manager of Director-level staff, supporting them to achieve their goals.
Reporting to the Vice President of Policy and Partnerships, the Senior Director will play a crucial role in shaping a field-driven policy agenda, advancing advocacy efforts, and building and maintaining partnerships that support the organization's mission and strategic objectives. The Senior Director will directly manage all Director-level staff of Policy and Partnerships, with the potential for expanding the Policy and Partnerships team in the coming years.
Responsibilities and duties
Team Leadership & Management (~30%)
Program Alignment and Integration (~20%)
External Stakeholder Engagement and Field-Building (~50%)
Required Qualifications
Preferred Qualifications
Location and Work Requirements
Compensation and Benefits
The anticipated salary range for this role is $116,000 - $174,000. The salary range accounts for Cincinnati-similar geographic regions and may be adjusted based on geographic market.
StriveTogether also provides competitive benefits and professional development opportunities including:
Application and Interview Process
Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis with a target start date in January 2025. The process below is reflective of the typical process but may adjust slightly based on need and timing.
Commitment to Racial Equity, Diversity and Inclusion
StriveTogether seeks to disrupt inequitable practices that impact historically marginalized individuals and communities. We recognize that you may not have an exact match with every qualification for this role, and that's okay - we encourage you to apply. Research indicates that individuals from marginalized groups, particularly women, people of color and members of the LGBTQ+ community, often hesitate to apply unless they meet all criteria. We value diverse experiences and perspectives, and we welcome your application.
Equal Opportunity Employer
StriveTogether provides equal opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, physical or mental disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, domestic partnership status, gender identity or expression or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.
About StriveTogether
StriveTogether is a national movement with a clear purpose: helping every child succeed in school and in life from cradle to career, regardless of race, ethnicity, zip code or circumstance. We refuse to settle for a world where a child's potential is dictated by the conditions into which they are born. We work to break down barriers, change systems and improve outcomes for as many families as possible.
The StriveTogether team is passionate, talented and dedicated to achieving our mission. We seek and value all kinds of diversity and work hard to eliminate inequities in ourselves, our organization and our communities. Our goals are bold, so we support each other to try new things, have tough conversations and push for change. As we work, we share learning and progress, use data to make decisions and celebrate our wins.
About you
You are a strategic leader with a proven track record of advancing policy work that produces better and more equitable outcomes. You are a savvy relationship builder and strong communicator. You are comfortable working with a degree of ambiguity and use data to drive your decision-making and solve complex problems. You are detail oriented and willing to really get into the work when necessary - ensuring strong and effective implementation of the strategies you build. You are a team-player and collaborator - looking for areas of alignment and intersection to advance impact.
You are an experienced team leader with a track record of managing teams to achieve outcomes and experience with policy development, advocacy and implementation. You are comfortable in ambiguous environments and are able to move from ambiguity to clarity and solve complex problems with a range of various stakeholders and needs.
About the position
StriveTogether's Senior Director, Policy & Partnerships is a senior leader responsible for managing the internal operations and people management of the Policy and Partnerships department, along with a portfolio of external relationships to advance organizational goals. This involves supporting the Vice President of Policy and Partnerships on building department strategy and operationalizing the vision and strategy to be executed by the team. The Senior Director, Policy and Partnerships will be the primary manager of Director-level staff, supporting them to achieve their goals.
Reporting to the Vice President of Policy and Partnerships, the Senior Director will play a crucial role in shaping a field-driven policy agenda, advancing advocacy efforts, and building and maintaining partnerships that support the organization's mission and strategic objectives. The Senior Director will directly manage all Director-level staff of Policy and Partnerships, with the potential for expanding the Policy and Partnerships team in the coming years.
Responsibilities and duties
Team Leadership & Management (~30%)
- Partner with the Vice President of Policy and Partnerships to design and execute StriveTogether's strategic policy and advocacy priorities.
- Manage Directors to achieve their goals and foster a team culture that builds fluid collaboration and a focus on achieving long-term organizational goals.
- Conduct regular, team and one-on-one meetings with all direct reports to hold accountability, provide coaching, give feedback, monitor progress to individual and collective goals, hold spaces for learning, discuss professional development opportunities and collaborate on shared bodies of work.
- Regularly convene Policy and Partnerships team to review progress to date, align on current execution of strategies, take action on emerging opportunities and address challenges.
Program Alignment and Integration (~20%)
- Collaborate with other leaders across the organization to ensure alignment and integration of key programs to support the Cradle to Career Network.
- Represent the Vice President when scheduling disallows their presence at Senior Leader/Organization meetings, holding a strong grasp on current and developing activities across the Policy and Partnerships team.
- Identify and offer solutions for breakdowns where Policy and Partnerships team require cross functional alignment to achieve shared performance measures.
External Stakeholder Engagement and Field-Building (~50%)
- Build and maintain strong relationships with key stakeholders, including place-based partnerships, funders, policy makers/implementers and board members.
- Work with VP of Policy and Partnerships and other key StriveTogether leaders to identify and cultivate funding opportunities to advance the Network's policy and advocacy agenda.
- Represent StriveTogether in various forums -- including national place-based partnership, economic mobility, and collective impact tables -- to promote and advance the organization's mission and values.
- Engage in direct and grassroots advocacy to advance StriveTogether's Congressional agendas and national interests.
- Devise plans and assist in execution of emerging strategic initiatives that require timely and complex action.
- Contribute to the growth of emerging geographic and demographic markets, network expansion, and impact by delivering knowledge-based consulting and advisement.
Required Qualifications
- A bachelor's degree is required
- A strong commitment to StriveTogether's mission and values, including deep commitment to racial equity, diversity and inclusion.
- 5+ years of strategic leadership and management expertise with a proven track record of successfully managing and developing high performing teams
- A passion for coaching, mentoring and developing staff and teams.
- An experienced leader who thrives in a fast-paced, complex organization and can forge collaborative relationships across the team.
- Strong interpersonal and communications skills.
Preferred Qualifications
- An advanced degree in a relevant field such as a Master's in Public Policy, Education Policy, or Public Administration
- Prior experience working with a national and growing organization
- Prior change management experience
Location and Work Requirements
- Ability to effectively use remote work technology, including Slack, Zoom and others.
- This role has the opportunity to be fully remote, or based out of StriveTogether's downtown Cincinnati headquarters.
- Cincinnati candidates have a hybrid work schedule, which requires coming into the office 3x per week. The dog-friendly office features paid parking, a rooftop deck and snacks and beverages.
- Fully remote team members have access to DeskPass for community desk and meeting room options.
- This position is remote with approximately 35 % travel required, including quarterly in-person meetings at StriveTogether's headquarters in Cincinnati, OH.
Compensation and Benefits
The anticipated salary range for this role is $116,000 - $174,000. The salary range accounts for Cincinnati-similar geographic regions and may be adjusted based on geographic market.
StriveTogether also provides competitive benefits and professional development opportunities including:
- Fifteen days paid time off with four personal days, eleven holidays and a five-day break at the end of the year. PTO increases to twenty days after five years and staff members are able to apply for sabbatical in their seventh year of employment
- Competitive health and dental with up to $2,500 contribution from company for an HSA for HDHP participants
- Automatic 3% employer contribution to retirement plan and up to another 1% based on a total of 5% employee contribution
- Options for professional development internally and externally including webinars, conferences and trainings
- Paid parental leave
- 100% paid vision, short-term and long-term disability, basic life insurance and access to Employee Assistance Program
- Cell phone, internet and $250 yearly home office stipend
Application and Interview Process
Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis with a target start date in January 2025. The process below is reflective of the typical process but may adjust slightly based on need and timing.
- Phone Screen
- Hiring Manager Interview
- Performance Task
- Panel Interview
- Reference Checks
Commitment to Racial Equity, Diversity and Inclusion
StriveTogether seeks to disrupt inequitable practices that impact historically marginalized individuals and communities. We recognize that you may not have an exact match with every qualification for this role, and that's okay - we encourage you to apply. Research indicates that individuals from marginalized groups, particularly women, people of color and members of the LGBTQ+ community, often hesitate to apply unless they meet all criteria. We value diverse experiences and perspectives, and we welcome your application.
Equal Opportunity Employer
StriveTogether provides equal opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, physical or mental disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, domestic partnership status, gender identity or expression or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.