Policy is crucial to scaling the solutions that improve outcomes for children — and that means kids in every state need relentless people who are passionate about making these policies reality. Here are some opportunities for people pursuing an early childhood policy career.
There are currently no open positions at the Alliance.
Our allies in both state and national organizations often share their early childhood policy openings with us, and we routinely post them here and on LinkedIn. Take a look at the the latest ones here, and follow us on LinkedIn so you don’t miss the perfect fit.
Reporting to the Executive Director, the Director of Policy and Advocacy will play a pivotal role in the Forum for the Future coalition’s work over the next 3 to 7 years. The coalition is made up of over 50 members and is working toward a state-of the-art Mississippi childcare system by 2030. The Director will help transform coalition recommendations into tangible policy proposals. They will also ensure that our work is rooted in the experiences of children, families, and early care and education providers in Mississippi, and will support and engage Mississippians in grassroots advocacy efforts in support of young children. Grassroots Community Advocacy Efforts will be 40% of the role's responsibility; Public Affairs and Policy will be 40% of the role's responsibility; and various other duties will fill the other 20%.
The Mississippi Early Learning Alliance (MELA) seeks an energetic and experienced Communications and Operations Director to join their leadership team. This position is perfect for a creative and strategic professional with the skills to develop communications strategies and tactics that are research-based, outcomes-oriented and responsive to both audience values and organizational partner needs. As a skilled storyteller, the Communications Director will create messaging and materials to inform, educate, and inspire key audiences including but not limited early care and education professionals, policymakers, and parents of young children. In collaboration with the MELA team, the Communications director should be able to craft targeted pitches for the press and potential funders, as well as explain MELA’s progress to existing funders and Board of Directors. In addition to communications, the Director will oversee the development and implementation of more sophisticated policies and procedures, both in the finances and general operations realms.
Child Care Aware of Washington invites applications for the new role of Political Director for the Child Care for Washington campaign. The Political Director will lead a burgeoning multi-year advocacy campaign to increase access to high-quality child care in Washington by addressing workforce recruitment and retention. With an annual budget of $1.5 million, and at least four years of funding committed to the role, the Political Director will lead a layered strategy that leverages existing legislative and administrative opportunities to increase investments in workforce compensation. Simultaneously, the Political Director will also build the grassroots and grasstops political will – and unity around specific policy solutions – to ultimately position child care as a public good. Familiarity with policies and politics related to child care and/or early learning systems is preferred, but experience building stakeholder unity and proven success navigating complicated political landscapes is higher priority.
The Political Director must be exceptionally outcome driven and skilled at identifying and implementing various lobbying, communications, mobilization, and/or political campaign strategies – and they must have the relational skills to authentically elicit and incorporate the expertise of those around them. The Political Director will work collaboratively with Child Care Aware of Washington colleagues, and they will provide supervision and professional development training and coaching to build the capacity of their team. They will also manage a large team of contractors with specific functions within the campaign.
This campaign is a startup that demands fresh and innovative approaches, and it also builds on decades of leadership – especially by child care providers and women of color. The Political Director will be responsible for stewarding Child Care Aware of Washington’s commitment to racial justice in policy, partnership, and advocacy settings and they will be accountable for prioritizing racial equity in practice and in outcome. The Political Director will inherit and build trusting relationships that serve as the backbone of this work – including leadership of the Early Educator Design Team.
New America’s Early and Elementary Education Policy program seeks a senior policy analyst who will work to help ensure that all children have access to a system of high-quality early learning opportunities from birth through third grade that prepare them to thrive in school and in life. The successful candidate will play a central role in advancing priorities and key projects for the Early and Elementary Education Policy program. The senior policy analyst will lead research projects to identify policy solutions and effectively communicate those solutions to policymakers, educators, the media, and other key audiences. The senior policy analyst should bring to the role a mix of analytical, communication, and project management skills. They must be a strong researcher and writer who is able to synthesize complex bodies of knowledge for policymakers and the public. The ideal candidate is intellectually curious, entrepreneurial, committed to creating more equitable early childhood outcomes, and able to help form new ideas in early education policy.
The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) is seeking a Managing Director, Policy and Professional Advancement. Reporting to the Chief Executive Officer, the Managing Director, Policy and Professional Advancement leads a portfolio and a team responsible for implementation of efforts to advance the early childhood workforce, and NAEYC's presence and influence in early childhood public policy at the federal, state and local levels. This leadership position sets the direction for individuals and teams responsible for federal strategy and engagement, state partnerships, policy and public affairs, and policy-related technical assistance and advocacy support for members and Affiliates. These strategic initiatives are required to advance NAEYC's vision and goals for the early childhood profession, post-secondary education, and high-quality, developmentally appropriate early childhood education.
NAEYC is a professional membership organization with 80+ employees across the United States; maintains a fast-paced, innovative environment deeply focused on vision, mission, values and beliefs; and works to promote high-quality early learning for each and every child, birth through age 8, by connecting early childhood practice, policy, and research. NAEYC advances a diverse, dynamic early childhood profession and supports all who care for, educate, and work on behalf of young children.
BUILD is seeking a Research Associate to support aspects of its evaluation and documentation processes including co-design and method development, conducting evaluation activities, and producing reports and other deliverables. Under the supervision of the BUILD research and evaluation director and with a diverse group of professionals, you will work as part of an expanding team to identify what works and what doesn't work in advancing policies, practices, programs, and leadership to benefit young children and families.
Forward Arkansas is currently seeking a full-time senior manager to lead Forward’s policy and engagement efforts. The Senior Manager, Policy and Engagement will be responsible, in collaboration with other Forward team members for informing Forward’s near and long-term policy priorities, establishing Forward as a valued partner and strategic leader among key partners and building broad stakeholder support for strategic priorities. The role requires strong public presence, critical thinking, analytical, management, and leadership skills, a roll-up-your-sleeves mentality, and a passion for transforming education in Arkansas.
The research specialist will support existing and future research and evaluation efforts, and in this role will (1) contribute to the design and analysis of research and evaluation projects; (2) lead complex statistical analyses of research and evaluation projects, (3) identify, gather, and analyze external data sources to support Institute initiatives, (4) contribute to written and oral presentations for diverse audiences; and (5) contribute to writings and publications, including peer-reviewed manuscripts, reports, briefs, and contract/grant proposals.
The senior research specialist will support existing and future evaluation efforts, and in this role will (1) contribute to the design and implementation of evaluation projects; (2) coordinate and manage efforts related to internal and external evaluation projects; (3) support data collection, analysis, and reporting for multiple evaluation projects; (4) prepare written and oral presentations for diverse audiences; and (5) contribute to writings and publications, including peer-reviewed manuscripts, reports, briefs, and contract/grant proposals.
The research scientist will lead existing and future research and evaluation efforts, and in this role will (1) design, implement, and lead research and evaluation projects and may serve as principal investigator and/or project director; (2) collect and analyze data for multiple projects and purposes; (3) draw and communicate practice and policy inferences from analyses; (4) prepare written and oral presentations for diverse audiences; (5) write manuscripts for publication, research, and policy briefs, and (6) write and submit grants to procure funding.
ICF's Child Welfare and Education Line of Business is currently seeking a Child Welfare and Education Research Analyst to work remotely in support of our team. As an Analyst, you will apply your academic knowledge and work experience and gain exposure to major research and evaluation projects related to child welfare, technical assistance, implementation, and K-20 education. Analysts are involved in development of data collection instruments, survey administration, interviews and focus groups, data synthesis and analysis, writing reports, literature reviews, data visualization, and other tasks as required. This position will contribute to research and evaluation work in addition to continuous quality improvement (CQI) efforts for large technical assistance and information dissemination projects for the Department of Education and for the Department of Health and Human Service’s Administration for Children and Families as well as to smaller projects for a variety of federal, state, and local agencies and foundations.
ICF seeks a Grants Specialist/Data Analyst to provide ongoing, prompt and accurate fiscal assistance to Head Start (HS) and Early Head Start (EHS) grantees and supports Federal staff with high quality grants management services. This includes preparing and tracking grants through review and funding processes, monitoring receipt and accuracy of grant documents, monitoring, evaluating, and resolving grant issues, and preparing grant closeouts. The Grants Specialist will be a critical thinker with outstanding attention to details and an eye towards process improvement.
This position will be located at the Region Office Dallas, TX. with the possibility of up to 25% travel.
ICF’s Early Education Services Line of Business seeks a ACF Region VII CCDF Systems Consultant to mobilize and/or deliver training and technical assistance to Child Care Development Fund (CCDF) grantees (states and territories) to assist with the implementing the CCDF and improving the accessibility of high-quality childcare and the development of comprehensive early childhood systems. Includes working with Federal and state-level partners, such as the Office of Child Care, Head Start, the Maternal and Child Health Bureau’s Early Childhood Comprehensive Systems Initiatives, child welfare, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, State Departments of Education, and state Early Learning Advisory Councils. Training/TA services may be delivered onsite or through virtual platforms.
This position is based within ACF Federal Region VII and requires up to 30% travel to provide technical assistance in states and territories identified in assigned region and national meetings. The ideal candidate will have both a background in and experience with ECE systems at the state or national level, including extensive experience supporting the implementation of the Child Care and Development Block Grant in States and Territories.
ICF partners with JBS International and the Children’s Bureau (CB) to support child welfare monitoring and improvement through the federal Child and Family Services Reviews (CFSR). CFSRs are designed to determine states’ compliance with Titles IV-B and IV-E of the Social Security Act, and to evaluate child welfare system performance and require states to make improvement in outcomes for children and families. We seek a Senior Child Welfare Specialist to work remotely with federal staff to support all aspects of these monitoring strategies. This position will be assigned to the federal Health and Human Services Region 8 office and will work collaboratively with CB Regional Office team and jurisdictional child welfare agencies in six Region 8 states to monitor state child welfare performance and achieve improvement goals. This is a full-time exempt position. The position requires home-based telework, with approximately 15-20% travel, primarily to Region 8 states (Colorado, Utah, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wyoming). Work hours are Mountain Time, with some flexibility.
The Partnership seeks an Executive Director to support the work of its network of nonpartisan, nonprofit, multi-issue, state- and community-based child advocacy organizations and to promote Partnership member leadership. The next Executive Director will be passionate about the mission of the Partnership and skilled in enlisting the leadership of others. With deep understanding of child policy advocacy issue areas and strategy at the state and community levels, the Executive Director will lead with strong communication, networking, organization, and coalition and consensus-building skills.
Children's Funding Project seeks a State Policy Manager to oversee research on state tax policy and revenue generation in support of child and youth funding advocates in states across the country and provide technical assistance and other consultative support to state-level advocacy partners and clients as they seek to generate and secure additional public funding for early care and education as well as other children’s programs and services.
Under the direction of the Policy Director, the Director of Research and Evaluation will conduct policy research, surveys, and data analysis; compile and organize data; and use new and existing sources to help shape policy recommendations in support of Texans Care for Children’s policy initiatives in the areas of maternal and child health, child protection, mental health, and early childhood. The ideal candidate will have the ability to conduct qualitative and quantitative research and synthesize findings for diverse audiences. Texans Care for Children is a statewide, non-profit, non-partisan, multi-issue children’s advocacy organization based in Austin, Texas. We develop policy solutions, produce research, and engage Texas community leaders to educate policymakers, the media, and the public about what works to improve the well-being of Texas children and families.
The Schuyler Center and ESCCC seek a highly competent full-time Campaign Manager to support, strengthen and expand the ESCCC. In this position, the Campaign Manager will work with the ESCCC to develop and implement a Strategic Campaign Plan to achieve universal child care in New York State over the next several years. The successful candidate will have a proven track record of successfully coordinating, or assisting in leading/coordinating a grassroots, issue-based campaign and/or managing, nurturing, and growing an issue-based coalition. This person will be committed to Schuyler’s mission to improve New York State policy in a way that benefits all New Yorkers, especially those experiencing poverty, and to advance equity, including by reducing racial and economic disparities.
Schuyler Center is looking for a Policy Analyst or Senior Policy Analyst to become a key member of its policy team, leading and contributing to policy projects at the direction of the Director of Policy. The successful candidate will have very strong writing and data analysis skills and experience using data to frame and support policy or similar minded issues. This person will also be committed to Schuyler’s mission to improve the well-being of low-income people and to advance equity, including by reducing racial and economic disparities. Experience in public sector budget analysis and health state policy and politics is desired. Candidate must be based in New York State; preference for the Capital Region or areas near; open to other work arrangements.
The Children's Agenda (NY) seeks a Research and Policy Analyst who will advance the organization's advocacy by providing the evidence for solutions that work. It includes reviewing research and policy literature, compiling data that are publicly available and obtained through FOIL requests, writing policy briefs and reports, and representing The Children’s Agenda at coalition meetings.
The Early Childhood portfolio has an opening for a Senior Training & Technical Assistance Associate, reporting to the Programmatic Technical Assistance Specialist/Improvement Advisor.
This position will be a full-time, remote position covering technical assistance (TA) across two Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) funded projects, the Maternal Infant and Early Childhood Home Visiting (MIECHV) Technical Assistance Resource Center (TARC) and the MIECHV Innovation Technical Assistance Center (ITAC). This position will spend approximately 70% of time as a programmatic TA specialist for TARC and 30 percent as an implementation TA specialist for ITAC.
NCSL is seeking a project manager to oversee the access to care portfolio in NCSL’s health team. The project manager will lead project coordination and contribute to work on state-level policy topics including health workforce, telehealth, rural health, emergency medical services, health care facilities, Medicaid, social drivers of health, among others.
NCSL is seeking an associate director to lead the population health team in NCSL’s health program. The Associate Director for population health is a senior leadership position responsible for project oversight, staff supervision, grant administration, fundraising, and member services related to health policy, primarily public health and maternal and child health policy.
New America’s Early and Elementary Education Policy program seeks a senior policy analyst who will work to help ensure that all children have access to a system of high-quality early learning opportunities from birth through third grade that prepare them to thrive in school and in life. The successful candidate will play a central role in advancing priorities and key projects for the Early and Elementary Education Policy program. The senior policy analyst will lead research projects to identify policy solutions and effectively communicate those solutions to policymakers, educators, the media, and other key audiences. The senior policy analyst should bring to the role a mix of analytical, communication, and project management skills. They must be a strong researcher and writer who is able to synthesize complex bodies of knowledge for policymakers and the public. The ideal candidate is intellectually curious, entrepreneurial, committed to creating more equitable early childhood outcomes, and able to help form new ideas in early education policy.
Advance Illinois is a not-for-profit policy and advocacy organization that works toward a healthy public education system that prepares students to achieve success in college, career and civic life. Spanning the early childhood through higher education continuum, the Advance Illinois Policy team analyzes qualitative and quantitative data; reviews research and local and national practices; and stays abreast of federal requirements to inform the development and continuous improvement of state education policies and actions. We then work collaboratively with the full Advance Illinois team to advance them. We are seeking a passionate individual who is committed to public education, looking to grow in the not-for-profit sector, and able to thrive in a fast-paced and high-energy workplace.
Advance Illinois seeks an outstanding Senior Policy Associate to work on issues related to state and regional education policy. The ideal candidate will have strong analytical, research, writing and communication skills, and the demonstrated ability to go above and beyond to support multiple projects.
The Senior Policy Associate will report to the Director of Policy and will support the policy needs of the organization. We are looking for a self-starter who is comfortable working in a small team environment and partnering not only with staff members, but with diverse outside partners.
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