Senior Policy Director (Fully Remote)
Posted: April 7, 2026
The Alliance for Early Success is seeking a strategic leader with a deep commitment to equity-centered state policy and advocacy, and a passion for building relationships and fostering community based on trust and common values. This is a pivotal role that advances bold early childhood agendas by strengthening a community of state-based early childhood advocates by connecting them to the people, resources, ideas, and learning opportunities that make lasting impact possible. The ideal candidate is energized by cultivating shared learning across a national network with clarity, responsiveness, and equity in pursuit of the Alliance mission and vision.
The Alliance for Early Success convenes, funds, and supports a community of early-childhood state policy advocates spanning all 50 states and the District of Columbia. By creating this community, the Alliance accelerates progress in securing crucial state funding and policies that provide children with what they need in the early years to realize their full potential for a lifetime. The Alliance also provides state advocates with access to a robust network of national responsive support providers, policy and strategy experts who can expand their capacity by providing customized support based on their situation, need, and political landscape. The Alliance challenges and supports grantees as they look inward and outward in order to become more equitable and anti-racist advocates. Above all, the Alliance listens to where they are, where they’re trying to go, and how we can fuel that mission.
Funded by many of the leading investors in early childhood philanthropy, the Alliance’s unique support of state early childhood advocacy makes us a national leader in accelerating the effectiveness of policy advocacy for young children across the country.
About the role:
Reporting to the Deputy Director of Advocacy and Impact, the Senior Policy Director serves as a thought partner and connector for a portfolio of state grantees. This role is highly collaborative—working across the Alliance team to surface trends and insights, inform the Alliance’s state engagement strategy, and model equity-centered leadership in both policy and practice. It requires strong facilitation and listening skills, inquisitive and humble leadership, a passion for cultivating community built on trust and common goals and values, experience designing and facilitating peer learning experiences, dedication to grantees’ growth and development, a deep understanding of state policy ecosystems, and a commitment to cultivating inclusive, values-aligned advocacy communities.
In this role you will:
- Serve as a core member of the advocacy team, contributing to network strategy, cross-state learning, and the integration of equity and policy goals across the Alliance’s grantee partnerships.
- Lead a portfolio of state grantees, cultivate strong relationships, trust, and shared vision for early childhood policy progress
- Facilitate cross-state connections, technical assistance, and learning opportunities to accelerate the spread of effective policy strategies and equitable practices
- Design and co-lead convenings of grantees—both virtual and in person—that build trust, amplify state voices, and create space for learning and collaboration
- Design and lead projects that increase state grantees’ effectiveness by building their knowledge around an early childhood policy area and/or their capacity to implement more impactful and equitable advocacy strategies
- Elevate state stories, trends, and innovations by capturing and curating lessons from grantees and partners to inform the field and shape future strategy
- Model and support the integration of equity and antiracist leadership into grantee partnerships, coalition-building, and Alliance programming
- Represent the Alliance in national spaces and cross-state initiatives related to your portfolio’s priority issue areas, policy trends, or geographic focus
- Support Alliance’s grantmaking strategy by informing strategic priorities, surfacing opportunities, analyzing states’ policy and advocacy landscapes, and contributing to renewal recommendations
- Maintain high-quality documentation in the Alliance’s CRM to ensure effective information-sharing, accountability, and insight across the team
To be successful in the role, you’ll need:
- At least 10 years of experience in state policy, advocacy, or movement-building work—particularly in early childhood or related fields
- Proven ability to build and sustain trusted relationships across diverse stakeholders, coalitions, and policy ecosystems
- Strong strategic thinking and facilitation skills, with a talent for connecting people and ideas across state lines and content areas
- Demonstrated commitment to advancing racial equity in advocacy, coalition-building, and community engagement
- Excellent communication and relationship management skills, with a balance of presence, curiosity, and humility
- Comfort working in a fully virtual, fast-paced environment that requires both self-direction and deep collaboration
- Familiarity with CRMs, collaborative work tools, and knowledge management practices that support networked strategy
Preferred Qualifications:
- Experience designing and facilitating convenings, learning communities, or technical assistance efforts
- Knowledge of equity-informed leadership practices, coalition dynamics, or liberatory frameworks
- Familiarity with early childhood policy and advocacy trends, especially health policy.
- Experience leading the design and implementation of projects that advance an organization’s strategic priorities and goals
Some benefits of working at the Alliance include:
- Strong remote culture—we’ve been virtual since our start in 2005 – that provides flexibility, promotes connections without proximity, and prioritizes regular opportunities for in-person connection
- The opportunity to work with a team of high-impact, low-ego professionals who are passionate about progress
- A flexible vacation policy that includes all federal holidays, your birthday off, and a full office closure the last week of the year.
- A generous health reimbursement account and retirement plan
- Dependent care benefits to support child and family care needs
- Fully paid group life insurance, short-term disability, and long-term disability coverage
- Access to confidential counseling and coaching services
- An annual professional development stipend
Position Type: Full Time, Permanent
Location: This is a fully remote role that may be performed anywhere in the 50 United States.
Work Authorization: Candidates must be legally authorized to work in the United States. The Alliance is not
sponsoring employment visas for this role.
Classification: Exempt
Compensation: The salary range for Senior Director roles at the Alliance for Early Success is $141,000–$212,000. Final salary is based on geographic cost-of-living differentials and a candidate’s readiness for the role, informed by how closely their experience and qualifications align with the expectations of the position.
Reports to: Deputy Director of Advocacy and Impact
The Alliance for Early Success understands diversity strengthens organizational decision making. We are working to diversify our team and strongly encourage members of traditionally under-represented communities to apply, including people of color, LGBTQ-identified people, gender-nonconforming people, people with disabilities, veterans, and people who speak a language in addition to English.
How to Apply
Upload a resume, along with a cover letter that highlights your work in early childhood policy. Please include examples of work you have done at the state level.