ABOUT JUMPSTART

Jumpstart envisions the day when every child in America enters kindergarten prepared to succeed. A national early education organization with operations in 14 states plus Washington, DC, Jumpstart drives outcomes for young children in three critical ways. Jumpstart provides language, literacy, and social-emotional direct service programming utilizing an evidence-backed curriculum for preschool children from underserved communities, workforce programming to expand the pipeline of qualified, diverse talent pursuing careers in early education, and policy advocacy to support the early childhood field and promote high-quality early learning for all. By leveraging nearly 30 years of experience serving over 140,700 children with the support of more than 60,400 college students and community volunteers, Jumpstart executes these three objectives to improve the quality of the early education workforce and increase opportunity for young children to succeed across America. Learn more at jstart.org and join us in transforming the lives of young children!

POSITION OVERVIEW

The Director of Civic Engagement & Advocacy (DCEA) is responsible for leading Jumpstart’s civic engagement activities for all Jumpstart constituencies, including Jumpstart alumni especially, higher education and early education partners, and donors. The DCEA utilizes Jumpstart’s network within communities to empower the voices of children, families, Corps members, alumni, early educators, future early educators, and others and to facilitate their participation in policy advocacy activities. The DCEA employs an intentional grassroots engagement approach that centers those who are directly impacted by policies and systems.

The DCEA reports to the Vice President of Policy & Government Relations and is a crucial member of the Policy & Government Relations team consisting of staff in California, Massachusetts, New York, and Washington, DC.

If you are excited to rally support for educational equity and transformative change from the local to the state to the national level, then this may be the opportunity for you!

SPECIFIC RESPONSIBILITIES

Engagement Strategy

• Develop and implement Jumpstart’s civic engagement and advocacy strategy—grounded in grassroots engagement and social justice and aligned with Jumpstart’s national strategic plan and policy agenda.
• In partnership with Jumpstart’s Alumni, Program, and Marketing & Communications departments, build out a powerful and energized community of engaged stakeholders who will routinely participate in policy advocacy activities, resulting in early education policy victories at the federal, state, and local levels.
• Become expert in Jumpstart’s policy priorities and engage stakeholders to inform the development of Jumpstart’s policy priorities going forward.
• Utilize thought leadership strategies, including op-eds, as part of the civic engagement and advocacy plan.
• Utilize Jumpstart’s Salesforce system to track and facilitate engagement and reporting of progress and successes.

Activating and Organizing Early Education Stakeholders

• Implement programs that increase the civic participation of Jumpstart stakeholders who support early education with an emphasis on members of communities who are disproportionately impacted by education inequity or systemic barriers to education.
• Provide at least quarterly action alert opportunities for Jumpstart alumni and donors to participate in advocacy.
• Conduct or organize trainings to prepare stakeholders to maximize their participation in advocacy activities.
• Organize and lead Days of Action or Lobby Days to facilitate alumni engagement on Capitol Hill and targeted state houses in California, Georgia, and Massachusetts.
• Create Jumpstart alumni policy fellowship opportunities whereby Jumpstart alums can receive training and participate in policy advocacy activities.
• Facilitate grasstops advocacy by offering opportunities for Jumpstart board members and donors to engage in targeted policy advocacy efforts.

Managing Internal and External Partnerships

• Support and grow authentic and meaningful partnerships with other community-based organizations and leaders in the education, policy, social justice, and civic engagement spaces to learn from and coordinate engagement activities.
• Collaborate with Marketing & Communications department to utilize digital/social media to help achieve engagement goals with a particular emphasis on engaging young people and communities of color.
• Develop trusting relationships with Jumpstart’s Alumni, Marketing & Communications, Development, and Program departments to collaborate effectively with them on the civic engagement and advocacy plan.

QUALIFICATIONS

Required

• At least 5 years of related or applicable organizing experience on political or social issues and a proven ability to motivate, train, and develop other leaders, organizers, and volunteers
• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent relevant professional experience
• Dynamic, collaborative leader with the ability to plan, train, motivate, and support civic engagement
• Highly organized, results-driven, self-starter with a passion for empowering voices too often overlooked in policymaking
• Strong analytical thinking, strategic planning, problem-solving, and organizational skills and project management experience
• Understanding of federal, state, and local political and policymaking processes
• Demonstrated success in leading or contributing to organizing campaigns to achieve policy or political goals, including engagement of Black, Latinx, youth, and other underrepresented communities.
• Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to collaborate with external organizations and internal departments and relate to, spark interest in, and motivate diverse range of volunteers
• Must possess the ability to work with changing priorities and simultaneously handle multiple projects
• Commitment to Jumpstart’s vision, mission, and core values of Learning, Connection, Social justice, Joy and Inclusive Leadership
• On-going commitment and interest in social justice or diversity, equity and inclusion work
• Ability and willingness to travel, locally with occasional national travel
• Effective cross-cultural communication skills (written and public speaking, including strong presentation skills)
• Competency in Microsoft software and communication tools, especially Teams, Office 365, Outlook, Excel, Word, Power Point, and Salesforce
• Experience and comfort working with individuals from diverse backgrounds and communities

Preferred or Ideal

• Understanding of the education landscape, including early education, higher education, and workforce development
• Background or experience in early education policy or programming
• Commitment to serving the community
• Experience in development and fundraising
• Fluency in both English and Spanish
• Alumni of Jumpstart’s program