Director of State Government Affairs

COMPANY PROFILE

Code.org® is an education innovation nonprofit dedicated to the vision that every student in every school has the opportunity to learn computer science and artificial intelligence as part of their core K-12 education. We expand access to and participation in computer science in schools, with a focus on increasing participation by young women and students from other underrepresented groups. The leading provider of K-12 computer science curriculum in the largest school districts in the United States, Code.org also organizes the annual Hour of Code campaign, which has engaged more than 15% of all students in the world!

JOB SUMMARY 

Code.org is a leading voice in the national dialogue on growing access to K-12 computer science education. We are looking for an experienced professional with a background in state government affairs and/or policy development to lead the transformation of the K-12 US education policy landscape as it relates to computer science! 

Our team is working with policymakers and education leaders to advance policy reforms that reduce barriers and boost access to K-12 computer science courses. We’ve helped build a movement for K-12 computer science that has changed policies across all 50 states. This is a unique opportunity to harness unprecedented bipartisan support for this meaningful issue to shape education policy at the state and local levels.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The primary role for this position is managing existing and developing new relationships with state leaders (state departments of education, state boards of education, legislators and governors) across multiple states. You will develop an overall strategy for engagement in your states while leading and carrying out the tactics associated with the strategy.

 In this role, you will: 

• Develop and lead campaigns and state-based coalitions in states that you are responsible for
• Develop and update policy positions
• Speak publicly at events, including testimony before state authorities and interviews with the media
• Communicate policy agenda to various audiences (stakeholder groups, legislators, Governors and staff, educators, media, etc.), tailoring messaging for each
• Develop relationships with institutions of higher education that are building a K-12 computer science teacher pipeline
• Craft, coordinate and lead policy-related events with policy makers and/or partner organizations
• Develop and maintain relationships with the computer science community including educators, leaders, corporate partners, and non-profits with shared goals
• Create and manage grassroots support for policy-related efforts
• Coordinate state policy efforts internally and with partners

EXPERIENCE & QUALIFICATIONS

To be successful in this role, your main experience should be in working directly with legislators and governors’ education advisors and/or with state boards of education and state departments of education. You should have experience with and solid understanding of the legislative process or policy development process within state education authorities. 

We are a non-partisan organization, and the position requires working with representatives from all political parties at the state, local (and possibly federal) level. You should have a demonstrated ability to work across political parties and ideologies.

We seek candidates who have:

• Passion for our mission
• At least a Bachelor’s degree; Master’s degree desired
• Experience in developing or implementing state level policy
• Experience in passing and/or influencing legislation at the state level 
• Ability and willingness to travel. You will be managing multiple states and should expect to travel up to 30% of the time.

• 5-8+ years of experience in government relations/advocacy/policy development in education, preferably at the state level
• Expertise in and/or knowledge of computer science or technology education
• Background or experience in lobbying, working as a legislative staff member and/or working in the Executive Branch

In addition, candidates must:

• Be a U.S. Citizen or Permanent Resident
• Pass a pre-employment background check
• Be willing to travel a minimum of two times per year for team events 
  

WHAT IS THE INTERVIEW PROCESS LIKE?

Step 1: Informational Interview - learn more about the role and share your experience (~30 minutes)

Step 2: Project assignment to assess your skills and expertise

Step 3: Interviews with several members of the Code.org team (~ 2-3 hours)

Step 4: Final Interview (1 hour)

Step 5: Reference Checks

All interviews are currently being conducted virtually via Zoom

TO APPLY

Our team will review all applications on an ongoing basis and if we believe your qualifications would make a great fit, we'll contact you to schedule an informational interview.

COMPENSATION & BENEFITS PACKAGE

The expected salary range for this position is $97,000-$108,000. Most offers are on the lower end of the salary range and are at the company’s sole discretion based on the final candidate’s experience. This allows us to provide a fair and equitable approach to compensation when setting pay and maintaining internal pay equity.

We also offer a comprehensive benefits package for full-time employees that includes:

• Technology subsidy consistent with our Bring Your Own Device environment 
• Flexible, engaging, and remote working environment
• Paid time off: 3 weeks vacation annually, sick leave, and 'winter break' office closure the two weeks that include Christmas and New Years
• Medical, dental and vision premiums paid at 100% for FT positions and their dependents
• Option to participate in 403b retirement plan
• Annual professional development stipend 
• The opportunity to help students learn better and change the face of computer science

A unifying approach in a divided world

Code.org's global role in the K-12 computer science movement is only possible because we use a unifying approach across diverse and often divided stakeholders. At a time of increasing polarization, the idea of increasing opportunity for students unites people from across the political spectrum. Code.org's team members, students, teachers, and supporters have diverse and diverging view points, and they are all welcome in our mission. Read more. 

We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status. We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation.