Public Affairs Links - College Summit

Director of Public Policy	College Summit
Salary	Details on request
Location	Washington, DC
Details	A national non-profit founded in 1993, College Summit partners with public schools and states to raise their focus from high school graduation to college success. The organization helps schools increase college enrollment rates by training principals, teachers, and the most influential students in the school to put every student on the path to higher education. College Summit is the country’s largest high school college-going culture provider, currently equipping 170 low-income high schools in 12 states and the District of Columbia serving more than 35,000 students. The College Summit intervention helps high schools close the achievement gap in college-going by more than half. In addition to our direct capacity-building work with schools and students, College Summit contributes significantly to federal and state policy developments. President Obama selected College Summit as one of 10 organizations nationwide to share his Nobel Peace Prize fund. College Summit was named the 2008 United States Social Entrepreneur of the Year at the World Economic Forum, in Davos. The organization has been recognized by The Manhattan Institute, the Aspen Institute’s Public Education Fellowship, the Kennedy School of Government’s Civic Entrepreneurship Fellowship, and has been featured in media and publications including the Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Education Week, Fast Company Magazine, In Style Magazine, and PBS’s NewsHour and NOW programs. College Summit team members share a passionate desire to open the doors of opportunity. For more information, visit www.collegesummit.org Position Overview College Summit is seeking a proven, passionate, and entrepreneurial public policy leader to help drive the organization’s policy initiatives. The Director of Public Policy serves as the lead spokesperson for College Summit with Members of Congress, the Administration, the Department of Education, and state leaders. In partnership with College Summit’s Founder and CEO, and staff as appropriate, the Director of Public Policy analyzes and recommends policy positions on legislation. The Director of Public Policy will help identify and advocate for policies that advance the organization’s mission; develop and maintain strong contacts with elected officials and staff; build alliances with colleague organizations and allies, equip leaders of our regional offices to further our policy agenda at the state level, and communicate the urgency of high school reform and raising educational attainment. The Director will oversee the training and deployment of College Summit Student Advocates, program participants who can effectively convey the high-stakes nature of our work and policy proposals; and, in concert with our Advancement team, cultivate policy support from leading CEOs who are committed to America tapping all of its available talent. Position Responsibilities Policy Development • Engage externally with policy leaders, key education reform leaders, school district leaders, practitioners and students, to understand the field and the emerging policy directions at the state and federal levels, and to generate strategic policy opportunities • Develop policy agenda to drive organizational goals, and oversee the development of memos and policy briefs to express College Summit’s point of view on relevant education topics for policy audiences • Identify and pursue federal funding opportunities via Congressional appropriation and federal grant programs • Achieve adoption of key policy strategies at the federal and state levels Government Relations and Policy Advocacy • Cultivate strong bipartisan relationships with Congress, the Administration, the Department of Education, leading national education policy organizations and foundations, and select state leaders • Raise the visibility of College Summit among influential federal and state policy makers • Equip program participants (“Student Advocates”) to advocate on behalf of our organization and policy proposals, and organize their annual Capitol Hill outreach • Effectively engage our network of CEO allies to support our policy agenda • Direct the development and production of College Summit’s annual white paper promoting elements of the organization’s policy agenda Policy Integration • Working collaboratively and strategically with our development staff, effectively engage the philanthropic community to support our policy and overall social change agenda • Equip College Summit’s senior staff, Board, and local site leaders to work collaboratively and strategically to support our federal and state policy agenda. Qualifications • At least five years of experience in leadership roles working in federal and/or state policy • Proven track record of advancing a policy agenda directly with the federal government and through strategic collaborations • Relevant experience in K-12 and/or higher education policy at the national and/or state level • Mature individual with ability to drive agenda forward by building strong partnerships with diverse groups of constituents Skills and Competencies • Values – Represents College Summit Values: the Heart of a Great Teacher; the Mind of an Innovator, and the Sprit of an Inspired Student • Engaging intelligence – Energizes others with friendliness, and an active, curious mind • Proven experience—Proven Capitol Hill experience and understanding how to navigate through political challenges • Writing and verbal skills—Can make a vision come-to-life through writing and conversation • Creative listening—Able to understand the needs of partners, and to find the win-win deal for them and College Summit • Adaptive – Thrives in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial environment • Collaboration – Knows how to engage with colleagues inside and outside the organization with a culture of collaboration, planning and constant improvement • Impeccable follow-through—Models the highest standard for detail and follow-through Salary is commensurate with experience. In order to attract highly qualified candidates, College Summit offers a competitive benefits package, including health, 401(k), disability and life insurance, vacation, and professional development benefits. College Summit values the diversity of our colleagues, partners, volunteers, and students; please read our diversity statement at http://www.collegesummit.org/aboutus/our_diversity_statement. As an Equal Opportunity Employer College Summit encourages candidates of all backgrounds to apply for this position.
Closing Date	12th August 2011
Contact	All interested applicants should forward their resume and cover letter via www.collegesummit.org/careers. When applying please state that you saw the role advertised through Public Affairs Links.
Website	www.collegesummit.org



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