Stand for Children Job Opportunity

Stand for Children – a bold and independent voice for public education reform – seeks an exceptional Legislative & Political Director to support the Washington state affiliate.

The Organizations

The Stand for Children family consists of two separate organizations—Stand for Children, a grassroots membership lobby for children exempt under section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code, and Stand for Children Leadership Center, a leadership development organization exempt under section 501(c)(3). Stand for Children’s mission is to use the power of grassroots action to help all children get the excellent public education and strong support they need to thrive. To date, Stand for Children’s six state affiliates (OR, MA, TN, WA, CO and AZ) have won more than one hundred victories that have impacted the lives of more than two million children. We organize parents, educators, and other concerned community members into a strong, sustained constituency that:

• Helps elect strong local school board members, state legislators, and statewide elected officials who champion public schools;*
• Advocates for education reforms at the state and local level, including reforms that increase teacher and principal effectiveness, support school autonomy with accountability, and expand instructional time, that improve student achievement and close the achievement gap;
• Lobbies the state legislature for strategic K-12 investments and then ensures local school districts spend those dollars wisely;
• Campaigns for referenda and needed school construction bonds and operating levies.

Stand for Children Leadership Center’s mission is to develop leaders who use the power of grassroots action to help all children get the excellent public education and strong support they need to thrive. Stand Leadership Center engages parents, educators, and other concerned community members by:

• Training them on how to join together to become more effective advocates for children;
• Educating them on issues that impact children and schools;
• Providing them with the tools to develop solutions for children in their local and statewide communities.

The Position

Stand for Children is seeking a Legislative & Political Director in order to increase capacity and enable the Washington state affiliate to achieve the most effective possible education policy reforms. The Legislative & Political Director will contribute to Stand for Children’s mission to improve public education by:

• Leading the creation of Stand for Children’s annual legislative policy agenda;
• Designing and coordinating the execution of statewide lobbying and electoral campaigns;
• Representing Stand for Children as a staff lobbyist during legislative sessions;
• Ensuring effective implementation of Stand’s state level policy wins;
• Coordinating the state legislative candidate endorsement process;
• Writing compelling action alerts that effectively mobilizing members to lobby or campaign at key times.

The Legislative & Political Director will contribute to Stand for Children Leadership Center’s goals by:

• Maintaining strong working relationships with key allies and statewide organizations.

The Legislative & Political Director will also:

• Fundraise for Stand for Children’s Political Action Committee (specific goals to be determined annually);
• Develop and coordinate an Advisory Board of major PAC donors who make PAC funding decisions.

The Legislative & Political Director will be joining a national team of professionals committed to improving children’s lives. Stand for Children’s managers and supervisors are empowering, entrepreneurial leaders who are committed to providing outstanding supervision in order for staff to develop as professionals and grow within the organization.

Qualifications and Qualities Required

• Strong commitment to Stand for Children and Stand for Children Leadership Center’s shared goal of improving public schools;
• Track record of successful lobbying, campaigning, or other political experience;
• Familiarity with education policy and Washington state politics;
• Excellent written and verbal communication and interpersonal skills;
• Strong planning and organizational skills and keen attention to detail;
• Self-started with ability to manage multiple tasks and projects under deadline;
• Ability to communicate effectively and follow-through on commitments to others; an entrepreneurial, learning orientation and an ability to embrace and incorporate direct feedback;
• Tremendous drive to win, willingness to take calculated risks, and persistence and resilience to overcome challenges.
• Teaching experience or direct experience with public schools a strong plus.

Salary Range

Competitive salary (commensurate with experience). Excellent benefits: full health and dental coverage; life insurance, long-term disability and long-term care coverage; 401K with a match plan; flexible spending/benefits plan; holidays and vacation accrual.

To Apply

Stand for Children and Stand for Children Leadership Center are equal opportunity employers and candidates of color are strongly encouraged to apply. To apply for the position, please send a resume and cover letter to jobs@stand.org. Please specify interest in this position by inserting “Washington Legislative & Political Director” in your email subject field. No calls please.

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* These activities are conducted exclusively on behalf of Stand for Children, subject to applicable law.