Manager of Advocacy & Leadership

START DATE:

January 2024

APPLICATION DEADLINE:

The priority deadline for applications is November 12. Anything received after that date will be kept on file and considered if the position is not filled.

REPORTS TO:

Director of Advocacy Campaigns

LOCATION:

This position is expected to be in the community 40-80% of the time (2-4 days/week), with occasional visits to the Partnership office in Downtown LA.

ABOUT THE PARTNERSHIP FOR LOS ANGELES SCHOOLS

Launched in 2007, the Partnership for Los Angeles Schools’ mission is to transform schools to revolutionize school systems, empowering all students with a high-quality education. The Partnership is a non-profit, in-district partner to LA Unified, not a charter network. As an independent nonprofit organization, the Partnership serves 13,550 students across 20 LA Unified schools in Boyle Heights, South Los Angeles, and Watts. The Partnership works within the LA Unified School District context, which includes honoring all collective bargaining agreements for its teachers and school staff. To learn more about the Partnership, our mission, and how we approach our goals, please visit our website.

ABOUT THE POSITION

The Partnership is seeking a strategic, collaborative, and people-centered Manager of Advocacy and Leadership. The Manager of Advocacy and Leadership is responsible for building partnerships with parents, students, educators, and leaders from the schools and communities the Partnership serves, leveraging their voices in policy changes for educational justice. The Manager of Advocacy and Leadership will strategize and manage various advocacy-centered programs and stakeholder relationships to effectively inform policy change and facilitate advocacy and engagement opportunities within our educational system. This is a full-time, year-round position.

The Partnership is committed to continuously building an anti-racist culture that promotes diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging in classrooms and our home office. The Manager of Advocacy and Leadership will be someone who is committed to implementing these values in creative ways when executing day-to-day tasks and responsibilities.

POSITION RESPONSIBILITIES

Position responsibilities include but are not limited to:

Advocacy Program Management (45%)

• Develop and implement strategies to actively engage, build relationships, and recruit parents to participate in our parent leadership advocacy network, United Parents for Educational Justice (UPEJ).
• Host and co-facilitate (alongside the Director of Advocacy Campaigns) UPEJ meetings, ensuring communication to families and meeting logistics are prepared.
• Develop and implement the UPEJ curriculum and other training on topics such as the broad education political landscape, district and state policymaking, advocacy campaign strategies and tactics, and key educational issues.
• Build capacity and coach school community representatives and school site leaders to mobilize parents for leadership and advocacy opportunities.
• Design and implement a scope and sequence for our Policy Advisory Board, a program centering the voices of key school and community stakeholders to guide. decision-making on policies and to ground on issues affecting Partnership schools.
• Design and implement a scope and sequence for Student Equity Champions (SEC), a program placing students at the forefront of advocacy efforts; informing and guiding Partnership staff, external partners, and policymakers.
• Manage and facilitate Policy Advisory Board and Student Equity Champions meetings and recruit participants.
• Manage fiscal budget and disbursement of advisory board financials to ensure appropriate governance and program compliance with internal policies and procedures.

Advocacy Day & Community Relationships (35%)

• Recruit students, parents, school staff, and community leaders to participate in the annual Advocacy Day program in Sacramento.
• Ensure success of Advocacy Day logistics including travel, accommodations, meals, and engagement in legislative advocacy meetings with an internal staff committee.
• In collaboration with the Advocacy team, manage the legislative bill selection process and coordinate meetings with key legislators.
• Co-facilitate comprehensive Advocacy Day trainings for participants with the Director of Advocacy Campaigns and consultants.
• Coordinate and execute 25+ meetings with legislators throughout the school year and during Advocacy Days in collaboration with the Director of Advocacy Campaigns.

Local and Statewide Advocacy Support (20%)

• Collaborate in strategic education equity coalition spaces by developing relationships with advocacy partners to drive policy and systems change.
• Participate in coalition initiatives at key community partner meetings and events to support greater equity in our education system.
• Coordinate public affairs with the Policy & Advocacy Team to build influence, maintain strong relations, and strategically engage with external stakeholders.
• Identify opportunities to uplift the voices of our most vulnerable families to inform and influence local and state-level decision-making through public testimonies, media, and other advocacy outlets.
• Gather perspectives, experiences, and feedback from stakeholders across the Partnership network to influence policy initiatives.
• Manage strategic stakeholder engagement in policy and advocacy efforts, including mobilizing families for actions at the neighborhood, district, and state levels.

POSITION FIRST-YEAR PRIORITIES

A successful first year in this role will look like:

• Build relationships with parent leaders, school-site staff, and key Partnership teams (e.g. Family Engagement team, Parent Center Representatives) to strengthen and execute our family and community advocacy strategies.
• Successfully facilitate Parent & Community advocacy programs such as UPEJ, Policy Advisory Board, and Student Equity Champions.
• Collaborate with the Director of Advocacy Campaigns to develop and execute a project plan for Advocacy Day 2025.
• Oversee the development of community advocates by ensuring that the Policy Advisory Board, Student Equity Champions, and UPEJ become go-to spaces, where others in our organization come to seek out perspectives from our community stakeholders.

REQUIREMENTS & QUALIFICATIONS

• Minimum 3-5 years of professional experience in education, community organizing, advocacy and/or social service, preferably in the field of educational justice.
• Availability to work some evenings for programming
• Experience working in a fast-paced, mission-oriented environment
• Experience working in one of the three communities we serve (Boyle Heights, South LA, and Watts) is strongly preferred
• Adaptable to managing multiple shifting priorities and competing demands
• Experience with developing and leading training and professional development for adult learners
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to communicate complex ideas with a wide range of stakeholders (parents, teachers, staff, community leaders, and others)
• The ability to travel between school sites and Partnership home office
• Spanish language fluency (spoken and written), preferred
• Working understanding of K-12 public education sector, preferred
• A deep belief in the power of our communities, as well as the Partnership’s mission, approach, and core values
• A commitment to fostering a diverse, equitable, and inclusive work environment for all team members
• A willingness to learn, grow, and model the Partnership competencies: Anti-racism, root cause analysis, long-term thinking, teaming and collaboration, psychological safety, and learning and growth

COMPENSATION & BENEFITS

The starting salary range for external candidates is $76,606-82,079. The Partnership’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion extends to our compensation practices. Our goal is to ensure that salaries are fair for all staff members who hold many intersectional identities, and we set salaries based on a robust compensation model grounded in consistency and transparency. The exact salary for this position is set through the Partnership’s compensation policy and is dependent on the candidate’s relevant skills, experiences, and organizational tenure. In support of our vision for pay equity, candidate salaries are determined by a formula and we do not negotiate.

The Partnership also offers a robust benefits package including employer-paid health, dental, and vision insurance for employees and their dependents; a 403(b) retirement program with employee match and vesting; parental and sabbatical leaves; a professional development allowance; and generous paid time off. Details can be found here.

APPLICATION GUIDELINES

Please prepare your resume and a cover letter tailored to this position. You will submit your documents and application via this link.

Research shows that women and individuals from systemically marginalized communities are less likely to apply for jobs unless they meet all of the qualifications. While this job description outlines the major responsibilities and requirements to be successful in this role, the Partnership is committed to considering all applicants who are passionate about our mission and can see themselves excelling in this role – including those with diverse and non-traditional work experience.

For technical assistance or support for applying with a disability, please contact the Home Office Talent Team.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

Partnership for Los Angeles Schools is an equal opportunity employer that is committed to – and actively pursues – diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace. The Partnership prohibits discrimination based on race (including traits historically associated with race such as hairstyle), creed, color, religion, registered domestic partner status, national origin, ancestry, sex, gender, gender expression, gender identity, sexual orientation, marital status, citizenship status, age, military and veteran status, medical condition, genetic information, political affiliation, pregnancy or childbirth, physical disability or mental disability, or any other basis protected by federal, state, or local law or ordinance or regulation. The Partnership also prohibits discrimination based on the perception that anyone has any of these characteristics, or is associated with a person who has or is perceived as having any of those characteristics.

This policy applies to all employment practices within our organization, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, training, transfer, wages, benefits, termination, and all other privileges, terms, and conditions of employment.