Director, Workforce and Postsecondary Pathway

Bipartisan Policy Center • Washington, DC

25d • $175,000 - $200,000 • Hybrid

About The Position

The Bipartisan Policy Center (BPC) is seeking a strategic, collaborative, and policy-driven Director to lead its work on workforce and postsecondary pathways within the Human Capital Program. This role will oversee a growing portfolio focused on strengthening education-to-workforce alignment, expanding high-quality postsecondary pathways, and advancing bipartisan solutions that support a skilled workforce.

The Director will play a senior role within the Human Capital team, working to shape national policy across workforce and postsecondary education, supporting the implementation of BPC’s Commission on the American Workforce recommendations, and engaging stakeholders – policy makers, private sector, institutions, scholars, state leaders and others. The ideal candidate is an experienced strategic thinker with deep knowledge of workforce and postsecondary systems, with a track record of managing people, initiatives and stakeholder engagement and able to operate in bipartisan environments.

Requirements

• 8–10 years of experience in public policy, government relations, issue advocacy, or a related field, with a strong focus on workforce development, postsecondary education, or education-to-employment pathways.
• Demonstrated success managing staff, complex initiatives involving multiple stakeholders, workstreams, and partners.
• Experience developing and executing multifaceted policy or programmatic strategies.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to translate complex policy issues for diverse audiences.
• Self-starter with a strategic mindset, sound judgment, and a bias toward action in a bipartisan policy environment.

Nice To Haves

• Background in workforce policy, postsecondary education, economic mobility, or related fields.
• Experience working with or analyzing federal workforce and postsecondary programs and funding streams.
• Familiarity with labor-market data, skills frameworks, or education and workforce outcomes research.
• Experience working in or with Congress, federal agencies, or state government.

Responsibilities

• Direct and implement BPC’s workforce and postsecondary pathways strategy, with a focus on improving alignment between education, training, and labor-market needs.
• Shape and oversee a portfolio of research, convenings, coalition-building, policy development, and communications efforts related to postsecondary education, workforce training, and skills development.
• Identify emerging policy opportunities at the federal and state levels and develop pragmatic, bipartisan approaches to advance reform.
• Support the Human Capital Program’s broader talent-pipeline strategy, including coordination with K–12 and working families portfolios.
• Lead policy analysis and development related to postsecondary pathways, workforce systems, federal funding streams, and relevant authorizing and appropriations vehicles.
• Engage with Members of Congress, congressional staff, and federal agencies to advance bipartisan workforce and postsecondary policy solutions.
• Support and help translate the recommendations of the Commission on the American Workforce into actionable policy and implementation strategies.
• Coordinate closely with executive-branch officials and agencies involved in education, workforce, and economic development policy.
• Lead external engagement and coalition-building with employers, postsecondary institutions, workforce organizations, state and local leaders, advocates, and think tanks.
• Convene and facilitate regular strategy meetings, working groups, and briefings with bipartisan and cross-sector stakeholders.
• Strengthen BPC’s role as a trusted convener and neutral forum for advancing workforce and postsecondary reform.
• Oversee the use of data, research, and evidence to inform policy development and program strategy, including labor-market and postsecondary outcomes data.
• Translate complex policy and data insights into clear, accessible materials for policymakers, funders, and external audiences.
• Collaborate with partners on polling, landscape analyses, and issue framing as appropriate to support policy goals.
• Work closely with BPC’s communications team to shape public and policymaker understanding of workforce and postsecondary issues through op-eds, briefings, events, and targeted outreach.
• Represent BPC externally at conferences, panels, and stakeholder meetings.
• Support fundraising and development efforts, including drafting grant proposals, funder briefings, and progress reports for current and prospective funders.
• Help steward funder relationships in coordination with program and development leadership.

Benefits

• BPC offers comprehensive health insurance benefits with a choice of open access HMO, POS, or PPO plan. HMO and POS individual plans have a monthly premium cost share of 10%. Dependent and Family HMO and POS plans are offered with a monthly cost share equal to 20% of the difference between the plan premium and the individual HMO monthly premium. PPO plans are offered with a 20% premium cost-share for all plans.
• Additional benefits include 403(b) matching contributions of up to 7% of salary in addition to a non-elective contribution of 2% of salary (both after 90 days of employment); 15 vacation days, 2 personal days, 15 sick days, and 12 holidays per year; education benefits up to $5,250 per year after one year of employment; $2,000 for professional development expenses after six months of employment; Metro benefits of up to $130 per month; Company provided life insurance; and dental and vision insurance coverage with a Flexible Spending Plan.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director
• Education Level: No Education Listed
• Number of Employees: 51-100 employees