Director of Policy and Advocacy

Director of Policy and Business Engagement Job Description

Organizational Overview
Early Matters San Antonio (EMSA) ensures access to high-quality early learning and development for every family by catalyzing the power of people, partnerships, and investment, to make San Antonio the best place in the country for economic mobility, powered by children and families.

Operating as a collective impact organization, Early Matters San Antonio convenes partners from across the early childhood ecosystem to dramatically increase access and quality for our earliest learners. Inclusive of providers, parents, funders, higher education institutions, nonprofits, school systems, government, and community leaders, the Early Matter Partners align on a common agenda and goals, key indicators, and a coordinated and strategic approach to system improvement laid out in the community-developed strategic plan.

Early Matters San Antonio is a part of the Texas A&M San Antonio. Texas A&M San Antonio’s Institute for

School and Community Partnerships. It is a model institute partnering with the Texas A&M University at San

Antonio and area partners. The Institute’s mission is to transform students through innovative practices, research, and policy. The Institute serves as the employer for the Early Matters San Antonio team members.

Position Overview

The Director of Policy and Advocacy plays a crucial role in shaping and guiding the organization's interactions with government bodies, regulatory agencies, and the broader public policy landscape. Responsible for developing and executing strategic policy work that aligns with the organization's goals and forwards and contributes to the creation of favorable policy environments. With the intent of strengthening the policy work, this role will also take the lead on engaging with business leaders to build awareness and advocacy in empowering the workforce of today and building the workforce of tomorrow. Expertise will be instrumental in navigating complex regulatory challenges, advocating for policy changes, and building relationships with key stakeholders. The Director of Policy and Advocacy will be part of a small team responsible for driving Early Matters San Antonio work forward, leading projects that EMSA has responsibility to execute as well as leading the Policy Workgroup in advancing the Impact Plan. Each of these will involve significant coordination, communication, and partner engagement across the community.

Responsibilities

1. Policy Development and Advocacy:

• Lead the development of the organization's policy agenda in collaboration with the board of directors, the Policy Workgroup, and leadership, ensuring alignment with the Impact Plan.
• Monitor and analyze legislative and regulatory developments at local, regional, and national levels to identify opportunities and risks for the organization and the Impact Plan.
• Advocate for policy changes that advance EMSA's interests through engagement with government officials, industry associations, and advocacy groups.

2. Business Leader Engagement:

• Develop and execute a strategy to engage business leaders at all levels in support of early childhood, moving them to awareness, understanding, engagement, advocacy, and partnership.
• Identify and leverage key messages that help business leaders understand the alignment between early childhood and both their current day and their future workforce.

3. Stakeholder Engagement:

• Cultivate and maintain relationships with government officials, policymakers, regulatory agencies, and relevant early childhood stakeholders.
• Represent the organization in meetings, hearings, and early childhood forums, articulating EMSA’s positions on critical policy matters.
• Manage and facilitate the coordination of business engagement and policy activities, including support of multiple workgroups, coordinate development of work plans and milestones, ensure and track progress against them, and provide status reports to partners.

4. Strategic Planning:

• Contribute to the development of the organization's long-term strategic plans by offering insights into the evolving policy landscape.
• Identify emerging trends and issues from the business and policy sectors that could impact the goals of the Impact Plan and develop strategies to address or take advantage of the opportunities.

5. Communication and Education:

• Develop and execute communication plans to educate EMSA partners, business and civic leaders, and the public about the organization's policy positions.
• Prepare written materials, including policy briefs, whitepapers, and talking points, to effectively convey complex policy matters.
• Serve as a strong, neutral, and skilled facilitator who can guide the team, partners, and stakeholders towards consensus and defined, shared results.
• Ensure cohesiveness through regular two-way communication with Early Matters partners.

Qualifications

This is an outstanding opportunity to play a critical role in improving access to high quality early learning and development across San Antonio. In addition to a commitment the purpose of Early Matters San Antonio, the ideal candidate must have:

• Bachelor's degree in Public Policy, Government Relations, Law, Political Science, or a related field. A master's degree is preferred.
• Deep understanding of the legislative and regulatory processes, as well as experience navigating complex policy landscapes.
• Strong community engagement and facilitation skills.
• 3-7 years of policy experience.
• Experience in bridge-building with different groups and stakeholders.
• Strong planning and organizational skills.
• Demonstrated effectiveness in written and oral communication; ability to communicate complex issues to a variety of audiences.
• Familiarity with San Antonio and understanding of the local community.
• Strong analytical skills to assess the impact of policy changes on the organization and develop strategic responses.
• Demonstrated ability to build and maintain relationships with government officials, industry peers, and advocacy groups.
• Ethical and transparent approach to policy advocacy and engagement.

Preferred Skills

• Familiarity with collective impact work.
• Familiarity with social investments.
• Skills in facilitation and experience in conflict resolution.
• Experience in a start-up or entrepreneurial environment.

Reporting

The Early Matters Director of Policy and Advocacy will report to the Early Matters San Antonio Executive Director.

Compensation

Compensation for the role is competitive and commensurate with experience. In addition, the Early Matters Director of Policy and Advocacy will be provided with a comprehensive benefits package. All grant funded positions are term limited and contingent upon grant funding. This position is hybrid, with the majority being work-from-home.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $60,000.00 - $70,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• Dental insurance
• Flexible schedule
• Health insurance
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Vision insurance

Work Location: In person