Description

VP, Policy and Advocacy

About this role...
As the Vice President of Policy & Advocacy , you will provide strategic direction develop ing and driving a policy agenda and position assessment as a tool for improved outcomes for every student. This position is responsible for developing, implementing and leading NWEA's strategy for public policy at the federal and state . The Vice President will maintain up to date knowledge of policy at the federal level and key trends at the state level positioning NWEA to proactively and reactively respond . In addition, you will work closely with the executive leadership team and the board to formalize a policy agenda, develop positions, and implement strategies to advance this agenda. This is a full-time opportunity with competitive compensation and an outstanding benefits package. Candidates may work remotely from any location in the U.S.
Your next challenge...

• Provide strategic guidance to inform our policy agenda.
• D evelop and direct a policy agenda that includes a focus on disrupting the inequities in education , craft policy positions, and execute strategies to enact the agenda.
• Set direction for, manage and coordinate the work of lobbyists, external consultants , and firms to ensure the fulfillment of policy goals.
• Develop a partnership plan associated with the policy agenda , which includes a focus on leading a national dialogue on equity in assessment and learning , and p roactively initiate and manage senior level relationships in support of agenda, and in coordination with other partnership efforts of the organization.
• Coordinate with the VP of State Partnerships on state lobbying activities.
• Provide legislative scans and trend reports to guide business strategy.
• Act as a spokesperson for NWEA's policy and advocacy work .
• Direct policy and legislative work at the national level for the organization.
• Work collaboratively with key leadership to establish and maintain relationships with state and federal government officials.
• Work with NWEA's Research team ensure the development and implementation of a research strategy for advancing our policy agenda.
• Formulate and m anage the preparation of policy papers for the use of policymakers, stakeholders, media and the public.
• Work with the Communications team to ensure that NWEA's policy and advocacy work is communicated to diverse internal and external stakeholders
• Have oversight of schedules, budgets, and overall project organization to ensure requirements and program deliverables are clearly communicated and executed

Traits for success...

• Strong leadership, political and organizational skills and the proven ability to successfully execute policy, political and business objectives
• Ability to interact at the highest level of professionalism with all grassroots advocates, consultants, corporate and board contacts, White House, state, federal and local officials and the general public.
• Proven ability to speak and write persuasively and with clarity , evidenced by experience in communicating advocacy positions, drafting issue papers, and preparing public statements and testimony
• Strong analytical, critical thinking and interpersonal skills
• Deep knowledge of the federal and state legislative and regulatory process
• Track record of being able to work under quick deadlines and under changing circumstances
• Ability to manage budget and external resources
• Keen understanding of education an d the educational services industry
• Proven track record building coalitions with associations and other policy organizations , companies, and other stakeholders.
• Ability to handle multiple complex projects and issues on the legislative, procurement, legal and compliance fronts
• Ability to travel as required, up to 25% .
• W ashington DC location preferred

Competencies ...

• Customer Focus : build strong customer relationships and deliver customer-centric solutions
• Manages complexity : make sense of complex, high quantity, and sometimes contradictory information to effectively solve problems
• Decision quality : making good and timely decisions that keep the organization moving forward
• Strategic mindset : seeing ahead to future possibilities and translating them into breakthrough strategies .
• Action oriented : take on new opportunities and tough challenges with a sense of urgency, high energy, and enthusiasm
• Drives results : consistently achieve results, even under tough circumstances
• Builds effective teams : build strong-identity teams that apply diverse skills and perspectives to achieve common goals
• Communicates effectively : develop and deliver multi-mode communications that convey a clear understanding of the unique needs of different audiences
• Organizational savvy : Maneuvering comfortably through complex policy, process, and people- related organizational dynamics.
• Instills trust : gain the confidence and trust of others through honesty, integrity, and authenticity
• Manages ambiguity : Operates effectively, even when things are not certain or the way
• forward is not clear

Education and e xperience ...

• Bachelor's degree required; advanced degree highly preferred
• Experience in assessment policy/education policy a definite plu s
• Minimum ten (10) years government relations experience and extensive Capitol Hill, legislative, education and public policy knowledge

About us...

NWEA® is a research-based, not-for-profit organization that supports students and educators worldwide by creating assessment solutions that precisely measure growth and proficiency-and provide timely data to help tailor instruction. For more than 40 years, NWEA has developed innovative pre-K-12 assessments, including our flagship interim assessment, MAP® Growth™; our progress monitoring and skills mastery tool, MAP® Skills™; and our reading fluency and comprehension assessment, MAP® Reading Fluency™. Educators trust our professional learning offerings to accelerate student learning and our research to support assessment validity and data interpretation. More than 11 million students in 146 countries use our solutions to support their learning and growth each year.

What we can offer you....

At NWEA w e not only offer a competitive base salary , we offer a 15% contribution of eligible employees' base salary to a defined contribution 403(b) retirement savings plan; c areer development opportunities; an awesome work culture and environment; we also offer industry leading benefits and perks that are focused on supporting our employees' holistic wellbeing. To learn more about what we can offer more, click here

NWEA strives to make diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) practices the center of our work. Our organization's mission, Partnering to Help All Kids Learn, is the foundation for our DEIA commitment as we work to reflect, value, and support the educators, students, colleagues, and communities we serve. We seek to empower and engage all stakeholders in the research, services, solutions and products we provide, our organizational culture, and the partnerships we establish with schools, districts, states, and countries.

NWEA™ endeavors to make www.nwea.org accessible to all users. If you would like to contact us regarding the accessibility of our website or need assistance completing the application process, please call us at (503) 624-1951 or e-mail us at onlineaccommodations@nwea.org and let us know the nature of your request, your location and your contact information. This is for accommodation requests only and cannot be used to inquire about the status of applications.

NWEA™ is an equal opportunity employer. Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or protected veteran status. For our EEO Policy Statement, please visit our website. If you'd like more information on your EEO rights under the law, please visit the EEOC website