Senior Associate, External Engagement

Think of Us•Washington, DC

4d•$70,000 - $80,000•Hybrid

About The Position

Think of Us (TOU) is transforming the child welfare system into one where young people and families can heal, develop, and thrive. We drive purpose-driven work aligned with meaningful systems change, powered by data and the insights of lived experience. Our focus is on prevention, keeping families strong before crisis, and on building kinship-first systems so children grow up with people they know and trust. Through bold collaborations with leaders and innovators across the public and private sectors — from Presidential Administrations to local providers — we identify leverage points and co-create solutions that re-architect child welfare for the future. The Senior Associate, External Engagement supports the External Engagement Team with developing and implementing advocacy strategies that engage policymakers and key partners, and building coalitions around Think of Us' mission that lead to systems change. This role goes beyond policy analysis: it requires someone who can lead lived-experience engagement, coordinate logistics, and support convenings. The Senior Associate will directly support the Senior Director of Policy and provide cross-functional support across the entire External Engagement team on advancing TOU priorities. We're looking for someone with strong attention to detail who is comfortable with an all-hands-on-deck approach to the work — moving fluidly across projects, contributing creative thinking, and partnering closely with the team. This is a key support role on a collaborative, fast-paced team united by TOU's common throughline: transforming the foster care system into a child and family well-being system. Driven by a commitment to centering lived experience, the Senior Associate provides critical support across a range of responsibilities: tracking, developing, and analyzing policy proposals, legislative activities, and relationships; preparing timely and compelling advocacy materials; leading logistics and ethical engagement for people with lived experience; project managing work plans and convenings; and using AI tools responsibly to strengthen the team's policy and knowledge work.

Requirements

Demonstrated ability to engage with humility and self-awareness across differences in identity, background, and lived experience; experience applying an inclusive lens to policy analysis, systems-change, or community engagement work.
At least 2 years of demonstrated experience in public policy, political science, and/or advocacy, ideally including exposure to Capitol Hill or congressional staff relationships.
Knowledge of policy and issues related to children, youth, and families, child welfare, positive youth development, and systems change.
Experience working with or alongside systems that impact youth and families — or deep commitment to learning about these systems with humility, curiosity, and care.
Motivated by impact and systems change; thrives in a fast-growing, evolving organization and sees change as an opportunity to innovate, learn, and make things better.
Actively explores and applies AI tools to make work more effective, and is willing to learn how to build simple AI tools to support team workflows.
Excellent research, writing, and policy analysis skills, including the ability to accurately and concisely summarize complex information for a broad range of audiences.
Strong project management, with demonstrated ability to see a project through and hold themselves and others accountable to timelines and deliverables.
Resourcefulness — showing initiative to solve problems, being solution-oriented, and following through to ensure tasks are completed.
Ability to facilitate discussions and actively listen, including with people sharing lived experience.
Demonstrated history of handling multiple projects at a time, prioritizing duties, and working independently while functioning as a member of a team.
Excellent writing, proofreading, and oral communication skills.
Advanced proficiency with Google Suite, Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint; experience with Asana helpful.
Ability to effectively communicate and collaborate within a diverse community of partners, including policymakers, congressional staff, coalition members, and people with lived experience.

Nice To Haves

Lived expertise in foster care is beneficial.

Responsibilities

Support External Engagement staff by providing timely, accurate, and relevant research on issues relating to child and family well-being, flagging unexpected barriers or opportunities as they arise.
Write and disseminate briefing documents to educate internal team members and community members.
Monitor state and federal child welfare policy and proactively keep TOU staff abreast of emerging issues, partnership opportunities, and potential projects.
Contribute to and develop content for external TOU policy communications, including public comments, web content, issue briefs, social media content, reports, fact sheets, policy memos, and white papers.
Build and maintain a bench of relationships with congressional staffers to support consistent, well-prepared engagement on Capitol Hill.
Support meaningful and ethical participation of people with lived experience in policy development and advocacy.
Coordinate participant outreach, preparation, scheduling, materials, compensation, and follow-up.
Develop accessible materials that help participants understand the purpose, audience, and potential use of their contributions.
Apply trauma-responsive, culturally responsive, and inclusive practices, helping create environments where people can participate safely and meaningfully.
Ensure lived-experience insights are represented accurately and are not removed from their original context; track how that input influenced recommendations, materials, strategies, or decisions.
Communicate back to participants about how their input was used, and help prevent tokenization and extractive engagement.
Coordinate closely with Think of Us staff responsible for lived-experience engagement and data stewardship.
Project manage policy-related communications, campaigns, and advocacy activities.
Keep the External Engagement team organized and moving forward: manage calendars, meetings, travel, events, agendas, materials, files, and contact lists.
Maintain work plans, deadlines, meeting notes, decisions, commitments, and action items, and follow up with the right people so important work does not get lost.
Manage logistics and prepare materials for internal and external meetings; represent TOU at meetings and briefings and report back key takeaways.
Prepare agendas, facilitation guides, briefing materials, presentations, background documents, and participant communications.
Coordinate event logistics, scheduling, travel, technology, registration, and materials.
Maintain records of participants, engagement, feedback, and outcomes.
Support virtual and in-person events in Washington, DC, and other locations as needed.
Assist in supporting or facilitating coalition and workgroup logistics, including sharing agendas, taking detailed notes, communicating next steps, and coordinating coalition activities.
Support the development and maintenance of policymaker, coalition, and stakeholder relationships.
Use AI and digital tools to strengthen policy monitoring, research synthesis, drafting, stakeholder preparation, project management, and institutional knowledge.
Apply human review and independent judgment to all AI-generated work.
Verify sources, facts, citations, quotations, and policy interpretations produced with AI assistance.
Demonstrate a willingness to learn how to build simple AI tools that support the team's workflows.

Benefits

100% employer-paid medical, dental, and vision coverage for employees; 50% for dependents.
Access to Talkspace for confidential therapy and mental health support.
Short-Term Disability, Life, and AD&D Insurance included.
Optional Long-Term Disability and Supplemental Life Insurance.
Health Care and Dependent Care FSAs available.
401(k) Plan for pre-tax retirement contributions.
Work-from-home setup stipend to optimize your workspace.
Flexible PTO policy, plus sick leave and paid leaves of absence.
8 company holidays, plus two organization-wide seasonal breaks.
Regular organization-wide learning sessions on relevant and reflective topics.