Senior Director, Policy Strategy

Choosing a career with ECMC Group means joining a nonprofit corporation with a mission to help students succeed. With a vibrant mission and values, great benefits, and strong community involvement, ECMC Group companies are an ideal team to join.

Company Overview

ECMC Foundation is a nationally focused postsecondary funder with offices in Los Angeles, Minneapolis, and Washington, D.C. and has a mission to improve higher education for career success among underserved populations through evidence-based innovation. ECMC Foundation uses a spectrum of funding structures, including strategic grantmaking and program-related investments, to invest in both nonprofit and for-profit ventures, which aim to advance postsecondary student outcomes for all students and especially for underserved populations. Learn more about ECMC Foundation (https://www.ecmcfoundation.org/), an affiliate of the ECMC Group (https://www.ecmcgroup.org/) enterprise based in Minneapolis, which together work to help students succeed.

In October 2022 ECMC Foundation adopted a bold Strategic Framework, which aims to drive system change through three strategic priorities: 1) Removing barriers to postsecondary completion; 2) Building the capacity of organizations, systems, and institutions; and 3) Transforming the postsecondary ecosystem. To help achieve our goals, the Foundation intends to work collaboratively with partners in philanthropy, higher education, public policy, and student-led organizations. In January 2024, ECMC Foundation launched a new North Star goal: By 2040, Equity Gaps in Postsecondary Completion are Eliminated so that Underserved Learners have Greater Opportunity for Social and Economic Success. Going forward, the strategic framework and North Start goal will anchor the work of the Foundation.

Job Summary

ECMC Foundation intends to serve as a thought partner with organizations which inform policymakers and policy development at the local, state, and federal levels. The Senior Director of Policy Strategy will lead the development of the Foundation's policy team, which will serve as a resource to the grants program and PRI team. They will provide subject matter expertise to Foundation teams during key phases of the grants and Program Related Investments (PRI) processes, to include development of theories of change in education policy development for the established grant initiatives, case building for emerging initiatives, analyses of grant cohorts, and support the due diligence of individual grant proposals.

The Senior Director will provide strategic oversight to the policy team as they support grant and PRI colleagues in developing policy-related frameworks for their respective portfolios. They will identify relevant policy-adjacent outcomes of individual grants and portfolios and assist the grants team in developing policy theories of change for approved and emerging initiatives that improve postsecondary student outcomes.

This role will be responsible for building out the policy function within the Foundation, inclusive of developing work and team strategy, hiring and leading a talented team across several office locations nationally and building effective and sustainable policy-related practices that support the Foundation's mission and North Star goal. The Senior Director will provide leadership at a national scale, with special emphasis on local and state policy domains and will require regular travel at least 25% of the time. The Senior Director is a member of the Foundation's leadership team and is a Washington D.C.-based role. The ECMC Foundation team observes a hybrid work model, working in-office on Tuesdays and Wednesdays and working from home on Mondays, Thursdays, and Fridays.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Serve on the Foundation's leadership team with shared responsibility for the strategies to advance the Mission and North Star goal
• Develop a comprehensive education policy framework to inform the Foundation's role in supporting state and federal policy engagement
• Leverage existing relationships and cultivate new partnerships with education policy influencers and partners to inform on-going development of Foundation policy and advocacy priorities.
• Work in close collaboration with key partners across the Foundation and ECMC Group to ensure alignment between the Foundation's priorities and education policy efforts at the state and federal level.
• In coordination with internal and external constituents, develop a learning agenda specific to state and national opportunities to scale effective institutional practices, with the goal of continuous learning of possible policy solutions
• Track and report on progress of the Foundation's public policy framework(s).
• Represent the Foundation at individual meetings and conferences, delivering key messages and perspectives of the Foundation and its stakeholders.
• Develop analyses and proposals to support the senior leaders in decision-making efforts related to education focused public policy issues.
• Drive strong results from direct reports by providing appropriate work direction, strategic guidance, and performance management
• Perform other duties and responsibilities as assigned

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited college or university
• 10+ years of experience developing and designing education policies and working closely with experts at the national and state levels on policies and their impact.
• 5+ years of experience leading teams with formal direct reporting relationships
• Practical understanding of the contemporary education policy discussions in the United States
• Experience building long-term goals/strategies and supporting project plans and tactical steps to ensure performance on goals
• Proficient in Microsoft Suite (e.g., Word, PowerPoint, Excel)
• Practical experience managing projects, specifically through organization, prioritization, meeting deadlines, and problem solving
• Demonstrated experience working autonomously, leveraging varying information to make valuable decisions for the team
• Ability to travel domestically up to 25% of the time
• Commits to ECMC Foundation's hybrid work model

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in consultative roles; providing insight to influence and guide decision making
• Experience in consensus building with internal and external partners and stakeholders

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed above are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

ECMC Foundation may choose to conduct reference checks as part of the hiring process.

Salary range for this position is $210,000-$230,000. Actual base salary may vary based upon, but not limited to, relevant experience, time in role, peer and market data, prior performance, business sector and geographic location.

ECMC Group is committed to ensuring our diverse, inclusive and equitable culture is built on a strong sense of belonging, where everyone feels seen, heard and encouraged to show up as their authentic self.