Director of Government Affairs

Overview

Reporting to the Chief of Public Affairs, the Director of Government Affairs will play an integral role within MCPSA’s Public Affairs department. The Director of Government Affairs is responsible for developing and executing legislative strategy to advance MCPSA’s policy agenda; writing, analyzing, and monitoring public policy; motivating and training member schools and their stakeholders to be effective advocacy partners; and managing relationships with key decision makers in various levels of state government to strengthen bipartisan support for charter public schools in Massachusetts and ensure achievement of both offensive and defensive advocacy priorities.

Responsibilities

• In collaboration with the Chief of Public Affairs, lead the development of MCPSA’s advocacy agenda, aligned with the organization’s strategic plan. Develop and implement strategies to build support for Massachusetts charter public schools and the Association’s advocacy priorities, enabling achievement of both offensive and defensive goals in both the immediate term and the longer-term.
• Draft all legislative language relevant to MCPSA’s advocacy agenda, including bill and amendment proposals, fact sheets, calls to action, bill summaries and policy briefs, regulatory comments, analyses, and presentations.
• Maintain an active, working knowledge of Massachusetts charter public school laws and regulations. Monitor, analyze, and report on all state-level legislation affecting charter public schools, and recommend positions for MCPSA to take on relevant legislation. Liaise with national partners to monitor national legislation and recommend MCPSA’s position and advocacy strategy, when appropriate.
• Cultivate and maintain strong relationships with key legislators, policymakers, and their staff, serving as a lobbyist and MCPSA’s key point of contact with elected decision-makers on all policy matters.
• Schedule, plan for, and execute legislative meetings, leveraging other members of the team and member schools as appropriate. 
• Ensure effective communication about policy matters with member schools. Collaborate with other members of the Public Affairs team to lead the Charters SPEAK community of practice, MCPSA’s community of practice for school-based communications and advocacy leaders. Develop training sessions and resources to equip schools and their stakeholders with the knowledge and skills needed to effectively engage key legislators and build support for MCPSA’s advocacy agenda. 
• In partnership with the Director of Community Mobilization, identify and facilitate high-impact opportunities to engage charter public school stakeholders as advocates for key legislative priorities, including calls-to-action, lobbying days, and other events to build constituent relationships with individual legislators. 
• Manage the use of legislative tracking tools across the Public Affairs team.
• Manage and effectively partner with MCPSA’s contract lobbyists. 
• Effectively partner with other advocacy groups as appropriate. Participate in legislative coalitions as necessary to achieve policy outcomes. Represent MCPSA on policy working groups, task forces and working committees, and at special events.
• Other activities, as requested by the Chief of Public Affairs.

Location and Schedule

MCPSA is a virtual organization with team members working remotely. General working hours are 9 a.m. - 5 p.m., with flexibility required. A significant amount of work will be in person at the State House in Boston, with some travel required throughout the state. Candidates should possess a valid driver’s license and access to reliable transportation. Residence within Massachusetts, and specifically within 20 miles from Boston, is strongly preferred.

Notice of Inclusion

Diversity and inclusion are crucial to our mission and we are committed to cultivating a team that reflects the communities we serve. As an Equal Opportunity Employer MCPSA does not discriminate on the basis of an individual's sex, age, race, color, national origin, alienage, religion, marital status, pregnancy, sexual orientation or affectional preference, gender identity and expression, accessibility needs, citizenship, veteran or military status and other personal characteristics protected by law. As such, MCPSA strongly encourages people from marginalized and oppressed communities to apply, recognizing and respecting that diverse perspectives and experiences are valuable to our team and essential to achieving our purpose.

To Apply

In addition to filling out this application, please also submit a brief cover letter stating why you are interested in working for MCPSA and why you are confident that you would be a great fit for this job. Applications will be reviewed upon receipt. The position is available immediately.

• A belief in the power and possibility of charter public schools and an unwavering commitment to educational equity.
• Minimum of 5 years of experience working in or around state legislatures as a lobbyist, advocate, or legislative staff, including some experience with the Massachusetts legislature. Keen knowledge of the Massachusetts legislative process and key state legislators is necessary. Experience with education policy and education policymakers preferred.
• Strategic critical thinking and problem solving skills, with a demonstrated ability to assess opportunities and challenges and recommend actionable solutions.
• Superb relationship building skills, with demonstrated ability to build rapport across lines of difference and support for controversial issues over time.
• Strong ability to compellingly communicate organizational priorities and complex policy issues to diverse stakeholders, from policy experts within the legislature to grassroots stakeholders with limited policy experience. 
• Excellent written, verbal, and collaboration skills; high attention to detail, with the ability to stay focused and nimble, managing multiple priorities independently in a fast-paced environment.
• Ability to hold sensitive information with discretion and confidentiality.
• Bachelor’s degree preferred.

Don’t meet every single requirement? At MCPSA, we are dedicated to building a diverse, inclusive, and authentic workplace, so if you’re excited about this role but your experience does not align perfectly with every qualification in this job description, we encourage you to apply.

Compensation and Benefits

The base annual pay for this position is $95,000 - $110,000 plus a competitive compensation package, including 25 days of paid time off, paid office closure between Christmas and New Years, 12 paid holidays, an annual cost of labor adjustment, 75% of health insurance, 100% of dental, life and disability insurance, a professional development stipend, a 4% 401(k) match, and potential for an annual team bonus.