Vice President, Policy and Advocacy

Charter School Growth Fund

4d•$130,000 - $160,000

About The Position

The Charter School Growth Fund (CSGF) is seeking a Vice President, Policy & Advocacy to join its Policy, Communications and Advocacy team. This Vice President-level individual contributor role has no direct reports and reports to the Managing Director, PCA. Embedded on a Partner-led regional team, the Vice President sets and drives CSGF’s portfolio advocacy strategy across a region of 15+ states. The role serves as the primary advocacy and policy thought partner to portfolio members, regional Relationship Managers, and the Impact team, building durable advocacy capacity and advancing high-impact grassroots, coalition, and policy strategies. The successful candidate will set a regional strategy, secure organizational and regional buy-in, own outcomes, and influence senior leaders and diverse stakeholders across complex, multi-stakeholder environments. They will advise charter school leaders, build their capacity to lead effective advocacy independently, and represent CSGF with regional advocacy partners and policymakers. The role also contributes regional insights and lessons to broader organization-wide advocacy approaches. The position requires a bachelor’s degree and 12+ years of progressive experience in advocacy, policy, electoral campaigns, or issues-based organizing, including measurable impact and independent leadership of multi-state or multi-market strategies. Direct state-level engagement with executive and legislative branches, experience with state legislative processes, and a track record of building advocacy capacity are required. Knowledge of the charter school sector and education policy landscape is strongly preferred. Candidates must have permanent authorization to work in the United States and be able to travel up to 50%. CSGF seeks a candidate who can start as soon as possible, with flexibility for the ideal candidate.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree required.
12+ years of progressive experience in advocacy, policy, electoral campaigns, or issues-based organizing, with measurable impact and experience independently setting and driving multi-state or multi-market advocacy strategies.
Direct experience engaging state executive and legislative branches of government and driving outcomes in complex political environments.
Direct knowledge of and experience with state legislative processes.
Demonstrated ability to build advocacy capacity in organizations, coalitions, or communities, leaving them stronger rather than only executing campaigns.
Experience managing external consultants and advocacy partners, setting clear expectations, and holding vendors accountable for quality and strategic alignment.
Deep commitment to CSGF’s mission and passion for K–12 education reform and charter sector advocacy.
Ability to independently set and drive advocacy strategy, secure buy-in, and own outcomes in complex, multi-stakeholder environments.
Track record of building relationships with diverse stakeholders, including elected officials, coalition partners, and charter school leaders, and influencing them toward shared goals.
Ability to serve as a trusted thought partner to senior leaders, raise difficult issues, and provide strategic counsel.
Exceptional interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills and ability to motivate and influence peers, senior leaders, and external stakeholders.
Outstanding project management skills, with ability to manage multiple workstreams, balance strategic and execution details, and set clear expectations for others.
Strong problem-solving and critical-thinking skills, including identifying complex issues early and proactively addressing issues beyond one’s own function.
Sophistication and nonpartisan credibility when navigating politically complex environments across the political spectrum.
Comfort making difficult decisions and working with ambiguity in a fast-paced, dynamic environment and changing circumstances.
Ability to collaborate on cross-functional regional teams as a specialist advisor while respecting Relationship Managers’ relationship boundaries.
Ability to travel up to 50% for portfolio advocacy work, convenings, all-team gatherings, and in-person team and partner meetings.
Permanent authorization to work in the United States.

Nice To Haves

Knowledge of charter school sector dynamics and the education policy landscape; recognized expertise in advocacy and policy beyond one’s own organization.

Responsibilities

Set the vision for CSGF’s advocacy and policy strategy across a region of 15+ states, secure leadership buy-in, drive the strategy, and ensure alignment with organizational goals and Fund V priorities.
Lead recommendations for advocacy grants and contracts, present strategic rationales for Managing Director approval, and set clear outcome expectations for investments.
Set and lead the Policy and Advocacy Community of Practice learning agenda; develop and share policy and advocacy resources through CSGF’s Seminar platform.
Identify emerging regional advocacy threats and opportunities, develop solutions, recommend actions to the Managing Director and regional Partner, and address issues affecting the broader portfolio and organization.
Align state-level policy and advocacy work with organizational goals, partner engagement strategies, and regional team priorities, and manage upward to support regional outcomes.
Serve as the advocacy and policy subject matter expert on the regional team, advising Partners, Relationship Managers, and the Impact team as they support portfolio members.
Advise portfolio member leaders on advocacy strategy, grassroots organizing, and coalition-building, building their capacity to lead advocacy independently over time.
Assess portfolio members’ changing advocacy needs and maintain relationships that position CSGF as a sought-out state and local resource.
Design and deliver advocacy training and technical assistance, including frameworks, tools, and resources to strengthen advocacy capability across the regional portfolio.
Design and lead grassroots and coalition-based advocacy strategies that mobilize portfolio leaders toward measurable action.
Build and maintain relationships with state and local advocacy partners, coalitions, and policy stakeholders.
Represent CSGF in state and local advocacy settings and with key stakeholders, strengthening its credibility and influence and encouraging external parties to act.
Identify, engage, and manage external consultants and advocacy partners, set expectations, and hold vendors accountable for quality and strategic alignment.
Contribute regional insights and lessons to the broader PCA team and inform organization-wide advocacy approaches; share advocacy and policy knowledge with CSGF colleagues.