Deputy Director, Policy and Advocacy

Edtx; Austin (TX); Hybrid; USD 90,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Educate Texas, an initiative of Communities Foundation of Texas, seeks a Deputy Director of Policy and Advocacy to drive evidence-based education and workforce policy priorities in Texas. The role collaborates with EDTX colleagues, co-leads policy councils, and translates research into clear policy recommendations and communications.

Based in Austin, the candidate will monitor legislation, build relationships with policymakers and practitioners, and manage policy projects, events, and budgets

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required; master’s preferred.
• 4+ years of policy, public affairs, or government relations experience.
• Knowledge of educator effectiveness, college/career readiness, AI and workforce policy.
• Experience with policymaking processes in legislative or agency contexts.
• Experience in coalition building, communications, data analysis, or stakeholder engagement.

Responsibilities

• Develop and coordinate policy and advocacy strategies.
• Monitor legislation, agency rules, and research; translate into recommendations and materials.
• Cultivate relationships with policymakers, staff, and practitioners.
• Co-lead policy councils, plan events, and manage research projects.
• Create targeted communications and testify when needed.
• Manage multiple projects and budgets with attention to results.

Skills

Policy analysis

Stakeholder engagement

Communication

Policy advocacy

Project management

Budget management

Education

Bachelor's degree

Master's degree in education policy or related field

Job description

If you are unable to complete this application due to a disability, contact this employer to ask for an accommodation or an alternative application process.

Deputy Director, Policy and Advocacy

Educate Texas Austin, TX, US

About Communities Foundation of Texas

The mission of Communities Foundation of Texas (CFT) is to improve the lives of all people in our community by investing in their health, wealth, living, and learning. CFT works to accomplish this by growing community giving, expanding community impact, and advancing community equity. With a vision of building thriving communities for all, CFT works locally and across the state with many individuals, families, companies, foundations, and nonprofits through a variety of charitable funds and strategic grantmaking initiatives. CFT professionally manages more than 1,300 charitable funds and has awarded more than $2.5 billion in grants since its founding in 1953.

Educate Texas (EDTX), an initiative of Communities Foundation of Texas (CFT), exists to help solve the most significant challenges facing public education. Our vision is for all Texans to have the education they need to earn a thriving, living wage, pursue a purposeful career, and realize their dreams for themselves, their families, and their communities.

EDTX operates as a public-private partnership with CFT, one of the largest community foundations in Texas. This partnership has remained strong for more than 20 years. CFT advances its mission—"Thriving communities for all"—through investments in health, wealth, living, and learning.

Your role

Working closely with the Director of Policy and Advocacy, the Deputy Director of Policy and Advocacy for Educate Texas will manage a portfolio of evidence-based education and workforce policy priorities that advance student outcomes and career success. The role will develop and coordinate policy and advocacy strategies; monitor and analyze legislation, agency rules, and research related to assigned policy areas; and translate findings into policy recommendations, communications, testimony, and related products. The Deputy Director will cultivate relationships with policymakers and their staff, agency leaders and staff, education and workforce practitioners, advocacy partners, business leaders, and other stakeholders. The role will also collaborate across Educate Texas to align policy and programs and elevate promising policy recommendations that strengthen education and workforce outcomes across Texas. In addition, the Deputy Director will co-lead assigned policy councils, plan and manage policy and advocacy learning events, complete assigned research projects, and draft policy recommendations and related communications.

The position is based in Austin, Texas. The successful candidate must reside locally or be willing to relocate and must be willing to travel overnight, in and out of state, up to 20% of the time.

What you’ll do

• Policy Portfolio and Analysis: Monitor and interpret education and workforce policy developments at the state, agency, and institutional levels, and recommend actions that advance Educate Texas priorities. Collect, clean, analyze, synthesize, and manage quantitative and qualitative data. Research proposed legislation, agency rules, and implementation guidance to inform policy priorities and Educate Texas response or position.
• Strategy and Implementation: In collaboration with the Director of Policy and Advocacy and other Educate Texas leaders, develop and manage data-informed policy, advocacy, and implementation strategies. Collaborate with internal teams and external partners to align policy with program activities across assigned topics, such as educator effectiveness, college and career readiness, artificial intelligence, postsecondary success, career pathways, and workforce development.
• Policy Councils and Convenings: Co-lead assigned Educate Texas policy councils, coalitions, and stakeholder groups with EDTX colleagues. Serve as a trusted convener who can bring together stakeholders with different perspectives, build alignment around shared priorities, and sustain engagement over time. Design and facilitate strategic, engaging virtual and in-person meetings, learning opportunities, and convenings that connect stakeholders with practitioners, experts, and policymakers and move the work toward clear outcomes.
• Communications and Product Development: Develop high-quality policy briefs, presentations, written and oral testimony, policy and advocacy messages, stakeholder awareness materials, reports, and other products for diverse audiences. Translate complex policy ideas and research findings into practical, clear, and compelling written and verbal communications. Respond effectively to questions from internal and external partners, and represent Educate Texas with credibility, sound judgment, and diplomacy.
• Advocacy, Outreach, and Partnerships: Build and manage relationships with policymakers, agencies, practitioners, aligned policy and advocacy organizations, and business and community leaders. Create strategic opportunities for stakeholders to engage decision-makers, advocate for evidence-based solutions, and elevate practitioner and community perspectives in policymaking and implementation.
• Project and Event Management: Manage multiple projects concurrently by defining outcomes, work plans, milestones, and measures of progress. Coordinate schedules, logistics, deliverables, and stakeholder communications with strong attention to detail and a stakeholder-centered approach.
• Budget, Development, and Funder Support: Monitor and maintain project budgets associated with policy and advocacy priorities. Support fundraising, proposal development, grant reporting, and funder relationships by producing accurate content and documenting progress and results.
• Culture, Values, and People: Promote organizational culture and values, strengthen the integration of policy, programs, and partnerships, and support the hiring, coaching, and development of team members. Model collaboration, accountability, learning, sound judgment, and service.

Experience you bring

• Bachelor’s degree required; master’s degree in education policy, public affairs, or a related field preferred.
• At least four years of professional experience in policy, public affairs, or government relations, ideally with a focus on education and/or workforce development.
• Knowledge of emerging education and workforce policy issues such as educator effectiveness, college and career readiness, artificial intelligence, postsecondary success, career pathways, and workforce development.
• Experience with the policymaking process through a legislative body, state or federal agency, education organization, advocacy organization, or other relevant policymaking entity.
• Experience in at least one of the following areas: coalition organizing, communications, public-sector data analysis, education or workforce policy implementation, or stakeholder engagement.
• Experience as a legislative staff member, policy researcher, advocate, or nonprofit professional highly preferred.
• Effectively model and demonstrate CFT’s core competencies which include Collaboration, Impact and Problem Solving, Integrity and Accountability, Learning, and Internal and External Service

Success in this role looks like

• Translating complex policy, legislative, regulatory, and research information into clear, practical recommendations and compelling communications for diverse audiences.
• Using data and evidence to shape policy priorities and produce accurate, actionable, and visually effective products.
• Building trusted relationships and convening stakeholders with different perspectives to create alignment, informed decisions, and clear next steps.
• Managing multiple priorities, projects, budgets, and deliverables with sound judgment, accountability, and attention to results.
• Modeling collaboration, integrity, continuous learning, diplomacy, and a commitment to equitable education and workforce outcomes.

Disclaimer: The above sections contain representative examples of job duties that might be performed by employees assigned to this classification. CFT is a dynamic organization, and the environment can be fluid. Roles and responsibilities may be altered to accommodate changing conditions and objectives as well as to tap into the skills and experience of its employees. Accordingly, employees may be asked to perform duties that are outside the specific work that is listed. This is not an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and/or skills required of all employees within this class.

Accommodation: Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the position.