Policy Manager

FOCUS AREA: Early Childhood and Elementary Education

Reporting to the Director of Early Childhood and Primary Education, the ECE Policy Manager provides policy research support to the Prichard Committee's Center for Best Practices & Innovation, with a focus on early childhood and elementary education strategies.

The Policy Manager will provide policy and policy to practice research support for work across multiple focus areas

to improve education outcomes in early childhood and elementary education, including (but not limited to):

Integrated System of Early Childhood
Elementary Reading & Math Proficiency
Equitable access to high-quality early childhood education programs
Support for transition to elementary school
Reducing chronic absenteeism in early grades
Community School Supports for early childhood

Key Strengths for Success in this Position

Strong understanding of legislative processes and legal frameworks in education
Strong commitment to the organization's mission and values, with a focus on education and community engagement.
Dedicated “research and policy wonk,” with the ability to dive deep on one topic, yet be conversant and knowledgeable across several topic areas.
Self-starter with the ability to design and implement policy research analyses.
Ability to make policy and policy to practice research accessible for a wide variety of audiences, and skilled at producing research summaries for a variety of audiences.
Superior writing skills.
Effective listening and ability to adapt quickly when requirements change, exhibit a willingness to “go above and beyond” in service to others, and equally effective working independently or in a team.
Skilled at identifying the appropriate ways to present given complex material based on the intended message, context, and audience

Responsibilities

Contribute to public policy agenda for early childhood and elementary education aspects
Collaborate with the Policy Team on cross-cutting issues related to early childhood and elementary education
Legislative analysis and response during legislative sessions
Monitor and analyze proposed legislation related to education across the continuum from early childhood through elementary grades
Collaborate with a team of policy researchers and policy to practice experts to develop comprehensive reports and briefs.
Create public-facing literature reviews, annotated bibliographies, policy briefs and position papers, etc. Identify, analyze, synthesize, and establish relationships among policy research topics.
Develop various policy research and analysis tools such as survey questionnaires, interview guides, focus group protocols.
Use data collection tools to conduct surveys, document and policy reviews, focus groups, expert panels, and interviews, and use various research methods to gather and analyze data to assess policy and practice effectiveness and potential impacts.
Identify emerging policy and policy to practice trends and anticipate potential challenges or opportunities.
Explain public policy issues for a variety of audiences, develop expertise in a particular policy area, and plan and oversee policy research and analysis within a defined policy area.
Stay updated on the latest research methodologies and policy analysis techniques.
Collaborate with communication teams to effectively disseminate research findings to the target audience.
Provide expertise and guidance to other team members on policy-related matters.

Supervision

Reports to the Director of Early Childhood and Primary Education.
Serves on a variety of internal cross functional teams to support alignment and coherence across all of the Prichard Committee’s strategic priority areas.

Experience Required

Commitment to the mission of the Prichard Committee: Building a Path to a Larger Life – with Education at the Core.
A minimum of a bachelor’s degree in a relevant field, master’s degree preferred.
**Preferred: Strong background in legislative process and/or affairs with experience in education policy preferred
Minimum of 2 years experience and demonstrated proficiency in public policy research and analysis, along with a strong client-service ethic.
Proficiency conducting searches and analysis of published policy literature.
Experience conducting policy scans and writing policy briefs.
Experience with applied policy research.
Outstanding time management and judgment, demonstrated proficiency managing competing project priorities and adhering to timelines
Entrepreneurial spirit; track record of building new initiatives from conception to execution.
Creative thinking and resourcefulness in problem-solving

Other Requirements:

Kentucky resident
Valid driver’s license
Successfully complete pre-employment background check
Extensive in-state travel to meetings, partner program sites and schools
Ability to work in a high energy, fast paced environment
Ability to travel independently by car and plane regionally and nationally

Benefits

The position is full-time and exempt, with full benefits. Salary Range for this position is $68,000 - $78,000.

This position is created by grant funding, in cases that there may be a substantial reduction in that funding or the funding ceases, the position may be terminated by the Prichard Committee.

The position will work remotely from home with up to four (4) in-person CBPI team meetings each month at the Prichard Committee Central Office located at 2285 Executive Drive Lexington, Kentucky. NOTE: On site, in-person meetings may be more frequent during onboarding for the first 30-60 days.

The Prichard Committee offers the following benefits: Health Insurance (EDHDP or PPO): Prichard pays 100% of employee only cost); Health Savings Account or Flexible Spending Account; Dental Insurance; Life Insurance; Long Term Disability; 403b Retirement Plan (capped at 5% of employee salary). Employees start at 3 weeks of vacation (calendar year), 12 sick days per year and various holidays throughout the year.

Prichard Committee is an Equal Opportunity Employer that recruits and hires qualified candidates without regard to race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, age, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, disability, or veteran status.

Resume and cover letter expressing interest in the position should be sent to:

Melody Brooks

Finance & Human Resource Director

Melody.brooks@prichardcommittee.org

Prichard Committee

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Early Childhood Policy Manager