Director, Government Affairs and Policy

Position Title: Director, Government Affairs and Policy

Reports To: SVP, Government Relations and Contracts

Location: Flexible, D.C. Metro preferred 

Per Scholas is seeking a Policy and Government Affairs Director to lead our government policy and communications portfolio. In partnership with the SVP of Government Relations and Contracts, you will serve as a liaison to national advocacy coalitions and will work closely with internal teams and outside advisors to coordinate our legislative and government affairs strategy nationally. This role will help Per Scholas build and grow our strong public sector network and advocacy strategy to advance our mission and accelerate our growth across the U.S. The position requires exceptional communication and project management abilities, along with a high level of professionalism.

WHAT YOU’LL DO: 

• Lead proactive identification and development of updated messaging, emails, talking points, and external facing collateral aligned with key legislative and budget priorities. 
• Develop and execute comprehensive strategic communication and engagement plans targeting government officials and policymakers at the local, state, and/or federal levels.
• Cultivate and maintain strong relationships with key government stakeholders, including elected officials, legislative staff, and agency representatives.
• Represent Per Scholas at relevant government forums, conferences, and meetings.
• Prepare compelling communication materials, including policy briefs, presentations, talking points, and advocacy documents for government audiences and internal stakeholders.
• Track and report on the progress and outcomes of government engagement and advocacy efforts.
• Conduct in-depth research on complex topics, synthesizing key insights into clear, accessible summaries for internal audiences with who may have varying levels of familiarity with government structures and systems.
• Collaborate closely with the government contracts team, regional senior vice presidents, managing directors, development team, and national leadership team providing training, coaching, and talking points to support development of new government partnerships.

WHAT YOU’LL BRING TO US:

Professional Requirements

• A strong commitment to promoting economic mobility and an optimistic outlook on the potential of government policy to drive social change
• Ability to independently conduct thorough research and analysis in a public sector setting
• Understanding of government funding streams and federal and local organizational structures
• Enthusiasm for developing strong networking skills to build and maintain relationships with public sector partners including government agencies, policymakers, and advocacy organizations
• Experience leading or supporting advocacy activities in a government setting
• Ability to navigate complex government structures and effectively engage with stakeholders at various levels
• Demonstrated project management and time management skills
• Strong detail orientation, and appetite for fast-paced execution of complex tasks
• Excellent note-taking skills are critical; must be able to quickly digest and summarize information that may be new or unfamiliar 
• Strong written and oral communication skills required; preferred experience with presentation design and delivery

Personal Characteristics

• You thrive in a creative, inventive, fast-paced startup environment with people who are passionate about their work and mission
• You are energized by learning new things and sharing your expertise with others
• You are open to and accepting of feedback, coaching, and growth
• You are a data-driven, results-oriented, and forward-looking catalyst for social change
• You have a collaborative and flexible work style; you’re excited to work both cross-functionally with other departments and independently
• You are tech-savvy and are interested engaging new solutions to support your work
• You are detail-oriented, with exceptional organizational and time management skills
• You are strong at managing your time and you can balance multiple projects and tasks
• You stand behind our purpose, believing that individuals from any community should have access to well-paying careers, and that talent should be recognized and recruited from many diverse sources

For this role specifically, we are targeting a salary range between $95,000/year to $100,000/year, where the difference in salary is typically determined by several factors, including geography in which the selected candidate resides, and alignment with qualifications and experience.