Director of Advocacy - Diversity in Leadership Institute

Director of Advocacy

Location: CA-based. Remote with 25% in-state travel.

Compensation: $90,000-$110,000. Plus benefits. 

Deadline to Apply: Tuesday, February 21

Who We Are: Research shows that K-12 students in California, particularly students of color, experience better outcomes when they're in schools led by educators of color — but far too often that just isn't the case. In California, over 60% of public school students are Black or Latinx, and yet less than 25% of schools had a Black or Latinx leader. 

The Diversity in Leadership Institute (DLI) is a start-up nonprofit organization working to change that. Our mission is to create equitable outcomes for Black and Latinx students by building a movement of racially diverse and culturally competent public education leaders.

Read our recent report, “Within Reach: Racial Diverse School Leadership and the K-12 Educator Pipeline in Los Angeles County” here. 

The Opportunity: The Director of Advocacy will manage the lifecycle of policy advocacy campaigns, work alongside the Charting the Course to Equity Coalition to execute on a strategic plan to increase racial diversity among public school administrators, and foster relationships with local and state leaders.

Priorities During Your First Year

What You’ll Do:

Manage and thought-partner alongside the Chartering the Course to Equity Coalition:

• Strategize and collaborate with national/statewide coalition members to implement a strategic plan to increase the racial diversity of public school administrators
• Steward coalition resources and facilitate monthly coalition meetings

Project Manage the Lifecycle of Campaigns: 

• Strategically coordinate and supervise all aspects of policy advocacy campaigns; includes monitoring progress to goals, deliverables, timelines, milestones
• Keep a pulse on the local political climate, research and analyze local/state/federal pending legislation that may impact organizational priorities
• Strategize with the CEO/Founder on DLI’s legislative agenda

Foster Relationships with Local and State-level Stakeholders: 

• Work in partnership with community-based organizations,  public education leaders, policymakers, and electeds to inspire, mobilize, and ensure efforts lead to an increase in research conducted on culturally responsive leadership approaches
• Amplify exemplary schools, and center and  leverage stakeholder voices (e.g., students, families, educators, administrators) in the mobilization efforts

Who You Are 

• YOU BELIEVE IN DLI’S APPROACH, CORE VALUES, AND MISSION to create equitable outcomes for Black and Latinx students.
• YOU CONNECT POLICY TO PRACTICE. You use insights and data from the field, as well as your understanding of policy and the national/state-level public education landscape to drive priorities and decision-making. 
• YOU ARE A KEEN AT PROJECT MANAGEMENT. You develop and/or adapt tools, systems, practices, processes, and methodologies to increase efficiency and ensure goals/deliverables are met. 
• YOU ARE A STRATEGIC THINKER. You determine opportunities and threats through a comprehensive analysis of current and future trends in public education. 
• YOU ARE POLITICALLY SAVVY. You understand cultural norms, analyze historical context and power dynamics, deeply listen to what is said/unsaid, and ask questions to better understand the unwritten/unspoken rules of the space(s).
• YOU USE DATA AND RESEARCH TO DRIVE DECISION-MAKING. You disaggregate quantitative and qualitative data to better understand gaps, blindspots, or missing information. You collaborate with others to make meaning and tell the story behind the data.
• YOU ARE A RELATIONSHIP-BUILDER. You proactively identify and deliberately develop relationships rooted in authenticity, collaboration and better understand the other person’s needs/vision.
• YOU CENTER GRASSROOTS ORGANIZING PRACTICES AND PRINCIPLES. You differentiate and develop tools, strategies and practices to support and meet people where they are. You are personally committed to redressing power imbalances, developing mutually beneficial and non-paternalistic partnerships.
• YOU VALUE AND PRIORITIZE FEEDBACK. You incorporate strategies and methods for garnering feedback from others. 

Benefits: Medical, dental and vision health benefits; 401(k) employer match contribution; 12 PTO days (accrual) and 2 weeks additional holiday pay during EOY office closure; technology assistance, mobile and internet reimbursement.

Travel: The Diversity in Leadership Institute functions as a fully remote team and gathers for quarterly for in-person team convenings in Los Angeles. Given the nature of the role, anticipated travel is approximately 25%. This may include, but is not limited to; attending community events, fellow convenings, coalition meetings, cultivating relationships in-person with local/state K-12 leaders, supporting DLI's legislative agenda in at the state capitol, etc. 

Is this you? We’d like to learn more about you! The application is designed to more intentionally and meaningfully get to know you. This includes 1) Round 1 - one-way interview 2) Two Short Written Responses (No Cover Letter) 3) Resume. 

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Don’t meet every single requirement? Studies have shown that women and Black, indigenous, people of color are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet every single qualification. At Uproot Talent, we are committed to partnering with organizations who are intentional about building diverse, inclusive and authentic workplaces – so if you’re excited about this role but your past experience doesn’t align perfectly, we encourage you to apply anyway. You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles.