State Director for Massachusetts

About the Organization and the Opportunity

The Education Trust (Ed Trust) seeks a State Director to lead our policy and advocacy agenda in Massachusetts. The State Director will work to advance Ed Trust’s mission in the Commonwealth: to close opportunity gaps that disproportionately affect students of color and students from low-income backgrounds.

Ed Trust is committed to advancing policies and practices to dismantle the racial and economic barriers embedded in the U.S. education system. Through our research and advocacy, Ed Trust improves equity in education from preschool through college, engages diverse communities dedicated to equity and justice, and increases political and public will to build an education system where all students will thrive.

An integral part of Ed Trust’s work in Massachusetts is the convening and facilitation of the work of the Massachusetts Education Equity Partnership (MEEP) coalition. MEEP is a collective effort of more than 40 social justice, civil rights and education advocacy groups from across the Commonwealth working together to promote educational equity for historically underserved students in our state’s schools. The State Director manages the Ed Trust Massachusetts team and leads the development and advancement of Ed Trust’s and MEEP’s policy agenda in Massachusetts. The State Director engages externally with partners, policymakers, funders and advocates, as well as internally with Ed Trust-National staff and other Ed Trust team members, to eliminate disparities in opportunity, access, and achievement. The State Director is a consensus builder who can help diverse stakeholders engage in productive debate and find common ground and is deeply knowledgeable about education equity issues in Massachusetts across K-12 and higher education. The State Director will build on their deep understanding of how policy change happens in Massachusetts and their ability to synthesize information from multiple source s (e.g., Ed Trust local and national teams, MEEP partners, other key stakeholders) to identify policy and advocacy opportunities and steward appropriate actions in the Commonwealth. This position supervises a small team of full-time staff, interns, and contractors while overseeing fundraising and budget management for the Massachusetts work.

This role, available immediately, is based in Massachusetts. There is not currently a brick-and-mortar office in Massachusetts, so this position will be primarily teleworking from any location within Massachusetts u ntil that should change. In -person attendance will be required at a range of work events, meetings, and gatherings in Massachusetts and with Ed Trust staff in other states. The State Director reports to the VP, Partnerships & Engagement.

About the State Director Role

The responsibilities and objectives for the State Director include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Lead a dynamic and healthy team by identifying and retaining diverse talent, coaching and developing direct reports, and assessing performance
  • Set, lead implementation, and measure impact of the Massachusetts team’s strategic vision, long and short-term goals, and priorities
  • Lead development and implementation of the MEEP coalition ’s strategic vision, long and short-term goals and priorities in close, authentic collaboration with partners
  • Monitor state and local trends to understand and strategically position Ed Trust and MEEP within Massachusetts’ evolving policy and advocacy landscape
  • Oversee, review and approve all external-facing communications for Ed Trust in Massachusetts to maximize reach, engagement, and influence with advocates, policymakers, and media
  • Cultivate and secure philanthropic, individual, and corporate investors to meet annual fundraising objectives and build long-term financial sustainability for our work in Massachusetts
  • Represent Ed Trust with external audiences in Massachusetts, maintaining a profile that uplifts organizational priorities and strengthens relationships with media, policymakers, community leaders, educators, and funders
  • Engage and cultivate relationships with P12 and Higher Ed advocacy partners across the state — including statewide and local civil rights, education, parent, faith, business, and advocacy groups; legislators; practitioners; and the public — to contribute expertise, identify policy opportunities, and collaboratively advance priorities
  • Coordinate with Ed Trust’ s National and State offices to build mutual support for one another’s work and to align on organization-wide priorities
  • Develop and manage the Massachusetts team’s budget and resources in line with strategic priorities and grant commitments

Ideal Skills and Characteristics

  • Shared belief in Ed Trust’s mission and a commitment to improving educational equity with a focus on race equity
  • Dedication in contributing to and maintaining an equitable working environment
  • Willingness to provide constructive feedback, as well as to receive and act upon feedback from others
  • Strategic thinker, planner, and organizer, with the ability to synthesize and prioritize information from partners, the policy context, as well as the Ed Trust National and local offices; this includes knowing when to take on an issue and when to opt not to engage
  • Strong relationship-building and collaboration skills with internal and external stakeholders
  • Interpersonal skills and professional maturity
  • Strong written and verbal communication skills, including public speaking and presenting
  • Problem solving and analytical ability

Qualifications and Experience

The ideal candidate will pos sess the following qualifications and experience:

  • At least a bachelor’s degree ; an advanced degree in public policy, organizational development, nonprofit management, community development, or a related field a plus
  • 10+ years of experience in education policy and advocacy, with a track-record of advancing P-12 and higher education equity issues in the state of Massachusetts through coalition management and/or engaging with diverse stakeholders to problem-solve and take collective action
  • Significant leadership and people management experience, preferably in a nonprofit
  • Experience in data-driven policy development and advocacy
  • Some experience fundraising with private foundations

Compensation & Benefits

The annual salary for this position starts at $144,000 and will be commensurate with experience.

The Education Trust prioritizes the health and well-being of its employees and, to that end, offers a highly competitive benefits package. Medical, dental and vision insurance are covered at 100% for the employee, with significant coverage also offered for spouses, domestic partners, and dependents. We provide sick leave, vacation leave, and personal leave, and we follow the federal government for most holiday closures. To ensure staff have synchronous opportunities for rest and renewal, the office is closed for a week-long summer break and a week-long winter break. Among other offerings, we provide an Employee Assistance Program at no cost to the employee, and a generous 7% contribution opportunity on a 403(b)-retirement plan.

Apply Here

The Education Trust is an Equal Opportunity Employer and encourages diversity in all facets of the organization’s work.

Vaccination for COVID-19: At The Education Trust, the health and safety of our employees is of the utmost importance. As such, all Education Trust employees will be required to be vaccinated against COVID-19, and new hires should be fully vaccinated prior to their first day of work. Requests for accommodations due to medical or religious reasons will be reviewed by Human Resources.