Senior Policy Specialist, NAEYC, Washington, DC
NAEYC -
Washington, DC,
US
Senior Policy Specialist
Date Posted: 2024-04-24
Job description
The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) is seeking a Senior Policy Specialist. NAEYC is a professional membership organization that works to promote high-quality early learning for all young children, birth through age 8, by connecting early childhood practice, policy, and research. NAEYC advances a diverse, dynamic early childhood profession and supports all who care for, educate, and work on behalf of young children.
This position is responsible for providing capacity-building support, resources and policy guidance to key decision-makers and advocacy leaders at the state and federal levels in order to advance the early childhood education profession. It plays a leading role in supporting the Managing Director for Policy and Professional Advancement in implementing NAEYC's federal and state policy agenda and advancing the profession.
Key Responsibilities
Education and Experience
Knowledge and Skills
Position Designation(s): Required Travel: domestic travel is a part of this role. This position is eligible for telework and 100% remote work. Telework and remote work eligibility is subject to NAEYC's Telework and Remote Work Policy.
EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY - NAEYC is dedicated to providing equal opportunities to all individuals regardless of race, color, religion, ethnic or national origin, gender, age, marital status, personal appearance, sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression, family responsibilities, political affiliation, matriculation, genetic information, disability, or protected veterans status, or any other factor that is a prohibited consideration under applicable laws and regulations.
This position is responsible for providing capacity-building support, resources and policy guidance to key decision-makers and advocacy leaders at the state and federal levels in order to advance the early childhood education profession. It plays a leading role in supporting the Managing Director for Policy and Professional Advancement in implementing NAEYC's federal and state policy agenda and advancing the profession.
Key Responsibilities
- Research, track, and identify trends existing, proposed, and new state and federal child care legislation and regulations impacting young children and families through regular tracking and relationships with affiliates.
- Oversee the maintenance of a current database of key state and federal policy trends, including related to workforce, compensation, regulation, licensing, quality standards and higher education.
- Support tracking of NAEYC advocacy and policy work for grant report cycles.
- Oversee Congressional engagement process and follow-up for Public Policy Forum.
- Support and provide input to the development and publication of resources including memos, testimonies, fact sheets, blog posts, webinars, highlighting emerging and existing trends in state and federal child care policymaking
- Serve as a knowledgeable point of contact and technical assistance resource to federal policymakers and state Affiliates in addressing and responding to opportunities or challenges in legislative cycles and administrative rulemaking.
- Oversee the facilitation of multiple peer-learning cohorts of state leaders and advocates from at least 5-10 states, including to advance implementation of the Unifying Framework
- Represent NAEYC in state and federal coalitions connected with state and federal policy work.
- Monitor and respond to state partner requests.
- Represent NAEYC at events and conferences, including designing and delivering presentations on state and federal policy trends.
- Provide additional support to Managing Director for Policy and Professional Advancement as needed.
Education and Experience
- Master's degree preferred or significant equivalent experience.
- Minimum of 5-7 years of related experience in government relations and advocacy, with policy development and/or provision of technical assistance
- Experience in a state-level system, federal agency, and or Capitol preferred, with expertise that is specialized in early childhood education, higher education, and/or workforce development policy
- Direct early childhood education field experience preferred
Knowledge and Skills
- Excellent written and oral communication skills, particularly related to communication of complex policy to lay audiences, including writing for multiple platforms and audiences, and with very strong presentation skills and competencies.
- Demonstrated ability to build trusting relationships with educators, as well as facilitating diverse coalitions.
- Strong project management skills with proven ability to meet deadlines and work effectively in a fast-paced environment
- Demonstrated supervisory skills with ability and commitment to professional development, coaching, engagement and individual accountability
Position Designation(s): Required Travel: domestic travel is a part of this role. This position is eligible for telework and 100% remote work. Telework and remote work eligibility is subject to NAEYC's Telework and Remote Work Policy.
EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY - NAEYC is dedicated to providing equal opportunities to all individuals regardless of race, color, religion, ethnic or national origin, gender, age, marital status, personal appearance, sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression, family responsibilities, political affiliation, matriculation, genetic information, disability, or protected veterans status, or any other factor that is a prohibited consideration under applicable laws and regulations.