Vice President, Policy & Advocacy

About LEE

LEE is a diverse, nonpartisan network of equity-minded leaders at all stages of life and career. We provide 1:1 coaching, meaningful member-to-member connections, and skill-building opportunities to support and inspire members to increase equity everywhere. (wearelee.org)

As a civic leadership development organization, LEE equips members with the tools, resources, and industry knowledge they need to take collective action and create change in their communities - whether that's through policymaking, elected leadership, advocacy, or grassroots organizing. LEE membership is currently open to alumni of our partner organizations including Teach For America, Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute (CHCI), School Board Partners, Public Allies, Moms Demand Action, Yes Prep, Govern for America, and more.

We are an outcomes-oriented organization that operates in an entrepreneurial environment deeply invested in continuous improvement. LEE is proud to be certified as a Great Place to Work, and to offer generous compensation, a virtual work setting that includes flexible scheduling, and a values-driven benefits package.

Position Summary:

LEE is seeking a dynamic and visionary Vice President of Policy & Advocacy who will establish and implement a forward-looking vision for preparing LEE members for impactful careers in policy and advocacy. This leader will ensure that LEE members are equipped with the practical experience, skills, and networks necessary to drive change within policy and advocacy spaces across local, state, and national levels.

As the leader of this team, the Vice President will set and drive LEE's organizational strategy for supporting members in exploring, entering, and advancing in policy and advocacy careers. This includes marshalling resources and collaboration across LEE's matrixed structure to ensure alignment and impact. The VP will also directly manage and develop a high-performing team, providing hands-on leadership in program execution, policy skill-building, and strategic career supports. Additionally, they will serve as a key organizational thought leader, leveraging their expertise in policy, advocacy, and political strategy to inform LEE's broader member engagement efforts.

The VP, Policy & Advocacy will report to the Senior Vice President, Member Impact and will serve on LEE's senior leadership team. This role requires deep cross-functional collaboration across teams, with a commitment to collective ownership and accountability, to ensure a cohesive and effective strategy for developing policy and advocacy leaders.

The ideal candidate will be a values-driven executive with a proven ability to lead in high-stakes policy environments, navigate complex political dynamics, and manage teams with high standards and strong support. They should bring both strategic vision and hands-on execution experience, along with a commitment to equity-centered policy leadership.

Position Location: Flexible

Travel Requirements: 25% travel including team meetings, retreats, and national trainings

Responsibilities:

Policy & Advocacy Vision and Strategy (40%)

• Establish a compelling vision and strategy for Policy & Advocacy, with input from senior leaders, that equips LEE members with the network, knowledge, and skills to develop their civic leadership and impact in policy, advocacy, and elected leadership
• Set ambitious, scalable, and cost-effective multi-year Policy & Advocacy goals that advance LEE's mission, vision, and overall strategy
• Execute impactfully against the vision and strategy to deliver measurable results in improving LEE's member impact through career supports, fellowship programming, and blended learning opportunities
• Integrate career and program evaluation data to evaluate the effectiveness of LEE member outcomes across early, mid, and senior level leaders; drive changes to Policy & Advocacy strategy
• Leverage deep expertise of policy and advocacy alongside knowledge of evolving political landscape to ensure member supports are effective

Organizational Partnership (30%)

• As part of the leadership team, collaborate with other LEE VPs to identify opportunities for improvements and innovations in engaging, inspiring, and supporting members
• Partner with member-facing teams and organizational partners to align Policy & Advocacy strategy with member career supports goals across growing entry-, mid-, and senior-level LEE members
• Contribute Policy & Advocacy leadership toward the cross-matrix work of improving member data quality, evolving digital tracking of member journey, and optimizing LEE's platform offerings
• Partner with the Platform team to deepen member insights and enhance data-driven decision-making
• Commit to continuous learning with colleagues and the greater LEE team

Team and Organizational Stewardship (20%)

• Manage a team to deliver high impact results, in coordination with and leveraging all of LEE's assets and teams; balance high standards of accountability and performance with strong support and coaching
• Develop and manage annual budget and strategic goals that are aligned with organizational goals and mission
• Drive a high-performance team culture that prioritizes impact and high-quality execution while valuing diverse perspectives and continuous learning for greater effectiveness
• Coach direct reports on managing and developing their teams, ensuring strong leadership across all levels
• Create new and cultivate existing relationships with external LEE partners to secure additional opportunities for LEE and our members

Special Projects (10%)

• Lead or contribute to team-level, org-wide, or cross-team special projects to accelerate impact
• Provide short-term coverage during a leave, vacancy, or PTO

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree or commensurate years of work experience
  (If you do not hold a Bachelor's degree an additional 4 years of relevant experience is required. If you hold an Associate's degree an additional 2 years of relevant experience is required.)
• Minimum 10+ years of relevant professional experience in policy and/or advocacy leadership in government policy roles, with a track record of decision-making authority in high-stakes policy spaces (i.e., working with elected officials, government agencies, or legislative bodies)
• 5+ years of people management experience, managing programs, a multi-layered team, and budget
• Extensive experience building, managing, and growing highly effective teams
• Strong executive leadership skills with an ability to collaborate across a matrixed organization, influence without direct authority, and foster cross-functional accountability
• Demonstrated success leading through change, with the ability to adapt strategy and execution in response to shifting policy and advocacy landscape
• Excitement about leveraging technology, AI, data analytics, and emerging tools to enhance policy and advocacy strategy and execution
• Proven ability to operate and thrive in a fast-paced entrepreneurial environment
• Ability to work flexible hours with occasional weekends and evenings
• Strong, demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, & inclusion
• Ability to effectively communicate and collaborate within a geographically dispersed team
• Deep passion for educational equity and belief in LEE's mission and theory of change

Preferred Qualifications:

• Advanced degree (e.g., MPP or MPA)
• Proven success in developing and implementing high-impact leadership development programs, ideally in the policy or advocacy field
• Demonstrated success managing large teams through layers to exceed goals
• Experience leading and managing a geographically dispersed and/or start-up team
• Experience engaging with elected officials, advocacy organizations, and policy leaders to drive systemic change
• Demonstrated experience leveraging technology, AI, data analytics, and other emerging tools to drive impact

Physical Requirements & Work Demands:

• This position is primarily a sedentary role working with colleagues based around the country using remote technologies.
• The person in this position may need to occasionally move about inside the office to liaise with staff or access office equipment.
• Frequent travel within the region to meet with members is required.
• The person in this position will need to have the ability to travel to in-person meetings in various U.S. cities.
• Occasional evening and/or weekend work is required.

The statements in this description represent typical elements, criteria, and general work performed. They are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required for the job.

Application Submission:

Thank you for considering LEE as a future employer, we are eager to review your application and learn more about your experiences and interest in LEE's mission.

We encourage you to submit your application at your earliest convenience. Due to the high volume of applications, the hiring team will prioritize review of completed applications which includes resume submission and the completion of three short answer questions. Please note that your application submission will not guarantee a first round interview.

We do not have an application deadline for this position and we will review the completed applications on a rolling basis. For additional information, please visit the Frequently Asked Questions section on LEE's Careers website: https://wearelee.org/who-we-are/careers/.

Benefits and Pay

Compensation for the Vice President role starts at $165,350-$215,000.Pay is competitive and based upon relevant experience and cost of labor for your location. Learn more about compensation here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1n1Y79fAcqIVEaXVykwoxp1vh3NR4VBH0SwiZ4y4jpdA/edit?usp=sharing. In addition, LEE offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes health, dental, and vision coverage for spouses, families, and domestic partners where LEE covers up to 85% of premium costs; 100% employer-paid basic life and AD&D insurance and short and long-term disability insurance; a retirement package with 5% employer match; parental leave benefits; home office setup fund; ongoing virtual work benefits for phone and internet; generous paid time off and an organization-wide winter break between Christmas Day and New Year's Day. For more information, please review LEE's Careers website: https://wearelee.org/who-we-are/careers/#:~:text=Time%20Regular%20Staff-,Care%20For%20Your%20Health,-We%20cover%20up.

Commitment to Equal Opportunity and Diversity

LEE is committed to equal employment opportunity, and as an organization committed to diversity, and the perspective of all voices, we consider applicants equally of ancestry, race, gender, age, color, sexual orientation, military or veteran status, religion, creed, marital status, disability, medical condition, political affiliation, national origin, genetic information, and any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law. We reasonably accommodate staff members and/or applicants with disabilities, provided they are otherwise able to perform the essential functions of the job and accommodation would not pose undue hardship on LEE.

If a reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application process, please contact staffing@educationalequity.org and a member of our team will be in touch with you shortly to address your request.