Senior Director, Policy & Program

• Assessment & Accountability
• College & Career Pathways
• Education Funding
• Innovative Options 

• You are passionate about the PIE Network’s mission and have a strong understanding of the field.
• You are a service-oriented leader who loves helping others. You are comfortable not being on the front lines or getting public recognition. You thrive on giving support and acting as a catalyst. 
  • You approach everything with a positive, proactive, problem-solving outlook.
  • You enjoy learning, seeking new ideas, and applying those ideas and tools to improve your work or the team’s work.
  • You show great discretion and ethics in handling sensitive information and contribute thoughtfully and with sound judgment to a range of evolving opportunities and challenges.
  • You know that “good enough” isn’t enough, and you do whatever it takes to get a job done well, making event guests feel welcome and ensuring their needs are met.
• You have a strong ability to develop and manage relationships among diverse stakeholders, including the PIE Network team, members, leaders, funders, vendors, and others with whom you regularly work.
  • You thrive working in a community of diverse professionals and hosting inclusive and impactful events, and are experienced at working across lines of difference to move work forward.
  • You are excited about opportunities to travel up to 10 times per year across the U.S. to support Network events.
  • You are a passionate champion of improving education for every student, in every community, and are comfortable with the dissent that sometimes accompanies efforts to help deliver on that promise.
• You have excellent project management skills to manage cross-functional projects from idea to execution. You know when to ask for clarity or help on a key project.
  • You have experience in managing people and projects effectively and communicating clearly and regularly with contractors, supervisors, and colleagues about all aspects of project management and achieving your goals.
  • You are a doer who is action-oriented and enjoys working as part of a small, “all-hands-on-deck” team.
• You have sharp analytical skills and the ability to simplify complexity.
  • You’re a strategic thinker who anticipates needs, challenges, and opportunities and initiates problem-solving. People often tell you you’re a great listener, and you somehow knew what they needed before they did. 
  • You’re able to adapt to a constantly shifting environment and identify themes that enable you to respond strategically and advance your and our members’ work.
  • You are an excellent and clear communicator, verbally and in writing.
  • You pay keen attention to detail and are extremely organized. You are a self-starter with excellent time-management skills and a strong ability to prioritize.

• Connect education policy and advocacy leaders through shared learning opportunities, convenings, role-alike affinity groups, and skill-building trainings.
• Support advocates with relevant and timely content to inform their work, elevating best practices from around the country, synthesizing data and materials, and offering 1:1 rapid response support when requested. 
• Analyze emerging research and policy developments related to the PIE Network’s policy pillars, particularly related to the policy topics outlined above.
• Build trusting and productive relationships with Network leaders and partners.
• Track local, state, and federal legislation and policy developments to anticipate PIE Network members’ and partners’ opportunities and threats. 
• Support the development of smaller “hubs” – communities of practice and leaders’ councils within the Network to preserve and strengthen member connections and learning as the Network expands. 
• Plan and facilitate adult learning opportunities both virtually and in-person on topics related to the Senior Director’s portfolio.
• Communicate effectively, via writing and speaking, with Network staff, members, advisors, and partners. 
• Partner with members to develop generative resources, including case studies, field guides, and resources that elevate advocacy best practices and successful strategy outcomes. 
• Represent the Network externally as needed. 

• At least five years of direct leadership and management experience in advocacy, policy, and politics. Experience working on related initiatives at the state or federal level preferred. 
• Insatiable curiosity about “what works, where, and why” to advance changes in public policy and advocacy. 
• Judgment, wisdom, and discretion in managing relationships within a diverse network. 
• Commitment to the cross-ideological pursuit of solutions and creating inclusive, impactful, and interactive spaces for Network members to connect; a pragmatist who stays focused on crossing the finish line. Responsiveness and adaptability to a Network culture with changing priorities and political challenges. 
• A self-starter who is comfortable working on virtual platforms, given that the PIE Network works remotely and supports advocates across the country. 
• Experience using artificial intelligence (AI) to support your work, including automating tasks, enhancing efficiency, etc.
• Ability to travel to host Network events and engage in events hosted by key partners (roughly 25-30% of the year). 
• College degree; master’s degree a plus.