IEL Policy Coordinator

Please review the application instructions herein and send applications to jobs@iel.org. Applications without all required materials (resume, cover letter, references and writing sample) will not be considered.

The Institute for Educational Leadership (IEL) is a national expert in community-driven leadership development in the intersecting areas of education, health, and employment. The common thread in our work is supporting community and institutional leaders as they build systems around racial, disability inclusion, and economic equity goals. Our 58-year journey and experiences have resulted in approaches, tools, and practices that reflect the needs of leaders no matter where they sit in communities. The authentic relationships that we build in the process shape the way we engage community leaders, do our work, and provide the foundation for deeper impact as we continue to address systemic challenges in the 400 plus communities that trust us as partners, especially during this unprecedented time in history.

Our Work: IEL’s mission is to strengthen and bring together diverse leaders and constituencies to improve outcomes for children, youth, adults, and families. IEL’s vision is a society that uses all of its resources to effectively provide opportunity for all individuals to learn, lead, and contribute to our democracy.

One of IEL’s primary functions is as a leading voice in federal policy to advocate for equitable policies in education and workforce development, and to cultivate the capacity of the leaders we work with to advocate effectively for themselves and their communities.

Overview: The Policy Coordinator provides support for the staff and initiatives of IEL focused on policy, advocacy, and civic engagement and will be part of the policy team. Specifically, this position will support IEL’s federal and state policy and advocacy efforts, advocacy capacity-building for leaders, and policy-related programs including the Education Policy Fellowship Program (EPFP) and other related policy leadership programs.

Core Responsibilities:

Policy Analysis, Development, and Advocacy (approximately 60%)

  • Provide strategic, programmatic, and logistical support for policy analysis, development, and advocacy as identified by the policy project team
  • Coordinate among IEL staff and network members the identification and communication of barriers, innovative strategies, and results across communities to shape IEL’s policy agenda
  • Write, edit, and produce a variety of materials to advance IEL’s policy agenda, including policy briefs, letters to the Hill, memos, blogs, and products (e.g., conference programs, correspondence, program handbooks, proposals, project reports, project guidelines, policies, proposals, newsletters, etc.)
  • Track, summarize, and communicate progress on key federal and state legislation and funding
  • Plan and coordinate events such as policy briefings and Hill Days, site visits, conferences, retreats, and meetings.

Policy and Advocacy Capacity-Building (approximately 30%)

  • Coordinate the execution and tracking of strategic plans of the Education Policy Fellowship Program and other IEL policy-focused programs
  • Support design and implementation of policy and advocacy capacity-building for IEL staff, partners, and network members
  • Develop and present information for meetings and conferences on behalf of IEL

Professional Development and IEL-Wide Support (approximately 10%)

  • Pursue professional development opportunities to increase one’s knowledge, skills, and capacities related to this role;
  • Serve on IEL-wide ad hoc committees and planning groups;
  • Support other IEL projects and events as relevant and/or needed;
  • Perform other duties as assigned.
Qualifications:
  • Bachelor’s degree and minimum three (3) years of relevant experience in public policy and core responsibilities;
  • Knowledge/experience in K-12 education, higher education, workforce development, and/or disability policy strongly preferred;
  • Track record of reviewing, analyzing, and evaluating legislation and policies;
  • Excellent problem-solving, interpersonal, and communication (both oral and written) skills;
  • Strong project management experience;
  • Experience planning and executing events such as Hill Days, briefings, and convenings;
  • Experience in conference planning and speaker management;
  • Ability to manage multiple tasks simultaneously;
  • Proven capacity to work effectively as a team member;
  • Can-do attitude and commitment to on-time delivery of high-quality work;
  • Experience with various software packages: Microsoft Word, Excel,
  • PowerPoint applications; Adobe Acrobat; Zoom; experience with a legislative tracking platform preferred (e.g., Quorum);
  • A passion for social, economic, racial, gender, and disability justice.

To apply, please submit a cover letter, resume, list of three references (one from a former or current direct supervisor), and a writing sample (no specified length) to jobs@iel.org with “IEL Policy Coordinator” as the subject line.

Location: DC-based position. Please note that due to the current Covid-19 pandemic, this position will start fully remote and return to the office at the appropriate time, following D.C., and CDC guidance. The individual might be asked to support office-related tasks in the interim, as well as to support IEL in-person events.

Salary: Range is between $50,000 and $75,000, commensurate with experience.


IEL is an Equal Opportunity Employer that does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, creed, religion, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran’s status or disabled veterans’ status. IEL is implementing a diversity and supported inclusion strategy and is actively and intentionally encouraging applicants of color and individuals with disabilities to apply.