Senior Director of Partnerships & Advocacy

Senior Director of Partnerships & Advocacy  

National Programs Team

Location: Remote, or Hybrid if within 30 miles of Providence, RI

Position Type: Exempt, Full-time

Travel Requirements:  20% Travel

Start Date: ASAP

Reports to:  Vice President, National Programs and External Affairs  

ROLE OVERVIEW

Democrats for Education Reform (DFER) and its partner organizations, Education Reform Now (ERN) and Education Reform Now Advocacy (ERNA), are seeking an experienced and strategic Senior Director of Partnerships and Advocacy to lead high-impact national and state-level initiatives that advance educational opportunity for families across the country—especially low-income families and families of color.

This is a leadership role designed to grow over time. The Senior Director of Partnerships & Advocacy will initially focus with urgency and full investment on the Federal Scholarship Tax Credit (FSTC)—a transformative and time-sensitive opportunity to expand available education dollars for families in states across the country. With 36 states holding gubernatorial elections in 2026, the window to build political will and secure FSTC opt-in commitments is immediate and consequential. Success in this phase will require rapid coalition building, deep government relations work, and sophisticated multi-state execution.

As the FSTC initiative matures, this role will evolve to lead other major organizational priorities adjacent to continued FSTC advocacy. These may include initiatives relevant to the 2028 presidential election cycle, emerging federal and state education policy opportunities, and other strategic initiatives where we seek to shape the national education landscape. The Senior Director of Partnerships & Advocacy will help define and build the organizational infrastructure for these future initiatives while executing on immediate priorities.  

Applicants must be legally authorized to work for any employer in the United States and will be required to submit proof of eligibility. We are unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment visa at this time.

WHO WE ARE

Democrats for Education Reform (DFER) is a national political organization that supports elected Democrats and candidates for office who seek to expand policies and practices that work well for America’s students and confront those that do not. We are education advocates who prioritize students and families, especially low-income students and students of color who should be better served by our country’s education system.

Education Reform Now Advocacy (ERNA) is an advocacy group that advances education reform measures through executive and legislative engagement strategies and political advocacy work. ERNA keeps constant pressure on elected officials to champion policy that drives progress towards a high-quality public education system for low-income students and students of color.

Education Reform Now (ERN) is a nonpartisan think tank that promotes increased resources and innovative reforms in K–12 public education, particularly for students of color and students from low-income families.

WHAT WE DO

1. Support for Forward-Thinking Education Leaders — In an approach that is markedly different from our peers and partners in the field, DFER engages directly with candidates and elected officials to empower them to advocate for education policies that focus foremost on serving students. Our partner organization, Education Reform Now, does work that involves policy research, analysis and education that helps policy makers at all levels understand complex education issues and make informed decisions. 

2. Informing the Education Debate — Our coalition work reflects the breadth of our policy priorities. We work collaboratively with organizations and our community networks to create an education system that serves and is held accountable to all students and families.

3. Targeted Interventions and Rapid Response — DFER’s reach, from the most local district relationships to state and federal policymakers, enables us to respond quickly to the changing landscape and policy trends. Activities vary significantly from project to project and may include training, policy analysis, public engagement, electoral and issue advocacy, and policy guidance for elected officials and local advocates.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

The responsibilities of the Senior Director of Partnerships and Advocacy will be shaped by the campaign cycle and organizational priorities at any given time. In the near term, they will center on FSTC; over time they will expand to encompass additional initiatives.

Immediate Focus: FSTC Initiative Leadership (2025–2026)

The FSTC represents an urgent and time-limited opportunity. The Senior Director of Partnerships and Advocacy will be expected to move quickly and execute with precision on the following:

• Design and lead a comprehensive national and state strategy to build stakeholder support for FSTC opt-in across priority states, with an eye toward the 2026 gubernatorial election cycle.
• Develop and manage state-specific plans, working closely with in-state coalition partners and policymakers.
• Track gubernatorial and legislative developments in target states and adapt strategy in real time.
• Synthesize data and research provided by our policy team and partner organizations to develop state-specific messaging and advocacy materials, such as factsheets, webinar presentations and toolkits. 
• Direct targeted multi-channel digital communications campaigns in 4–5 high-priority states to illustrate FSTC’s benefits for families.
• Present results of polling and public opinion research, including national polls and deep-dive state-level polling in target states.

Ongoing: Government Relations & Coalition Building

• Cultivate and maintain high-level relationships with center-left governors, gubernatorial candidates, and their senior staff on both official and campaign sides.
• Build and sustain a structured coalition of national and state partners—including school choice and charter advocates, youth-serving organizations, and community groups—to ensure alignment and amplify advocacy efforts.

Ongoing: Organizational & Budget Management

• Oversee budgets across 3 entities, ensuring resources are allocated effectively across communications, lobbying, polling, research, and coalition activities.
• Direct outside consultants and manage vendor relationships.
• Report to senior leadership and contribute to organizational fundraising by demonstrating campaign impact.

Future: Expanded Initiative Scope

As the FSTC campaign reaches key milestones, the Director of Partnerships and Advocacy will take on additional portfolios. Anticipated areas of expansion include:

• Supporting organizational engagement in the 2028 presidential election cycle, including stakeholder outreach and voter-facing education advocacy.
• Identifying and launching new mission-aligned state and federal initiatives aligned.
• Building out organizational infrastructure—systems, processes, and partnerships—to support a growing multi-initiative operation.

COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION

Democrats for Education Reform welcomes applications from all, and strongly encourages women, people of color, people with disabilities, immigrants, refugees, and LGBTQ people to apply for this position. We are committed to maximizing the diversity of our organization and recruiting a team that reflects the diversity of the students we serve.

WHO WE’RE LOOKING FOR

The ideal candidate will possess the following qualifications and skills:

• Education Policy Knowledge — Significant  knowledge of school choice, charter schools, and K–12 education reform policy is preferred. A commitment to educational equity and expanding opportunity for underserved families is non-negotiable.
• Political & Advocacy Expertise — Familiarity with political campaigns, government affairs, or advocacy, with a track record of winning complex legislative or executive-branch campaigns at the state or federal level.
• Deep Understanding of the Center-Left — Strong personal relationships with center-left governors, gubernatorial staff, presidential campaign alumni, or other executive-branch decision-makers are strongly preferred.
• Coalition Building — Demonstrated ability to build and manage complex, multi-stakeholder coalitions across diverse political and community partners.
• Strategic Communications — Ability to translate complex policy concepts into compelling narratives for policymakers, press, and the public; experience overseeing digital campaigns and earned media efforts.
• Project & Budget Management — Experience managing multi-faceted campaigns with multiple workstreams, contractors, and budgets simultaneously.
• Entrepreneurial Drive — Comfort operating in a fast-paced, mission-driven environment; ability to build systems and structures while executing on an ambitious timeline.
• Long-Term Strategic Vision — Ability to think beyond the immediate campaign cycle and contribute to building organizational capacity for future priorities, including the 2028 presidential cycle.

COMPENSATION

The compensation band for this role is $160,000 - $180,000. Compensation is competitive and commensurate with experience. DFER is proud to offer excellent benefits: health, vision, and dental coverage; cell phone and internet reimbursement; flexible spending plan; life insurance; short- and long-term disability insurance; 401K plan with a match; paid family leave; and paid time off (vacation, sick time, floating holidays, and all national holidays).