Advocacy and Policy Coordinator

The Position:

Child Care Aware of Washington invites applications for the new role of Advocacy and Policy Coordinator for the Child Care for Washington campaign.

The Child Care Aware of Washington Advocacy and Policy Coordinator will support the Director of Government Relations to develop and implement the campaign for universal access to early care and education and provider living wages. This position will play a critical role in mobilizing the child care field and supporting legislative activities of the organization in order to enact changes and the state and federal levels.

Internally this position works closely with the CCA of WA Advocacy, Communications, and Engagement (ACE) Team. Externally the Advocacy and Policy Coordinator supports the Early Educator Design Team and the six regional Child Care Aware programs and their Advocacy Leads with recruitment, training, support, and coordination of local child care advocates. The Advocacy and Policy Coordinator is also expected to work with CCA of WA partners and Policymakers on the local, state, and federal levels to advance the policy priorities of the child care system.

We are looking for someone who is eager to roll up their sleeves and dive in to this exciting and once-in-a-generation work. Prior experience in child care/early learning advocacy is a plus but not required, but a strong commitment to the mission of the organization is.

The Organization:

Child Care Aware of Washington is our state’s most thorough and accessible source of information and support in early care and education (birth to 12 years). We work alongside families, child care providers, caregivers, and communities to meet the diverse and specialized learning needs of every child in our state. We use data and stories to influence policy makers, system leaders and our partners to ensure every child in Washington has equitable access to quality learning experiences. The agency is led by a CEO who reports to the agency’s Board of Trustees. The CEO works with a Leadership Team made up of the Director of Finance & Operations, the Director of Data & Evaluation, the Director of Early Learning, the Director of Workforce Development, the Director of Infant Early Childhood Mental Health Consulting, The Director of Policy & Advocacy, the Director of Family and Community Engagement and this new position. Please visit our websitefor a thorough overview of all our work.

Essential Functions:

Agency Competencies and Skills Required for this Position:

• Ability to build strong working internal and external relationships
• Demonstrated commitment to racial equity
• Proficiency tracking and coordinating multiple activities and engagements statewide
• Ability to work effectively under pressure while being responsive to customers
• Excellent organization skills
• Proficiency in writing, materials development, Excel proficiency
• Emerging policy analysis skills
• Ability to effectively communicate with a diverse group of stakeholders
• Ability to take ideas to action, meet deadlines and manage projects to completion
• Ability to synthesize and prioritize multiple perspectives
• Innovative in developing solutions
• Collaborative style with respect for diversity
• Ability to manage change in a dynamic environment
• Ability to analyze, interpret, evaluate and organize complex data and create reports and policies.

Essential Functions:

• Recruit, train, support, and deploy child care advocates to local community policymakers throughout the state of Washington.
• Develop and execute community-based advocacy trainings and forums, ensure that communities farthest from opportunity are prioritized for engagement.
• Tailor community engagement to ensure effective mobilization, particularly with communities who do not represent white dominant culture.
• Build relationships with CCA of WA advocacy partners to expand our advocacy reach.
• Work with parents and child care providers to ensure that policy development and advocacy activities reflect and are informed by the reality on the ground.
• Produce community-based events working with local regional leadership when appropriate to build awareness/support for the Campaign.
• Conduct research analysis and make recommendations on Congressional legislative initiatives, including synthesizing national partner analysis of bills and budget proposals. Support coordination with Washington’s federal delegation state offices.
• Support the Political Communications Manager in development of communications materials about CCA of WA’s legislative priorities.
• Assist with preparing briefings, legislative memos, testimony, correspondence, position/discussion papers, presentations and related materials for legislative committee hearings, workgroups or other similar meetings.
• Help produce Campaign lobby days in conjunction with partner organizations.
• Conduct research, analysis, and make recommendations on Washington State legislative and Policy issues to the Director of Government Relations.

General function requirements:

• Support development and maintenance of Campaign project management and budget tracking tools.
• Internal and external meeting coordination, agenda development, and logistics support.
• Manage translation and interpretation needs of Campaign activities.
• Support with funder reporting requirements on Campaign activities.
• Other duties as assigned.

Work Experience and/or Training:

• Experience mobilizing advocates and communities to build community-driven movements.
• Effective project management skills.
• Strong group facilitation skills, both in-person and virtually.
• Demonstrated ability to build effective collaborative working relationships with stakeholders and external partner organizations.
• Experience with engaging and supporting oppressed communities and populations with the goal of empowering their voice. Possess a collaborative style with respect for diversity.
• Experience with engaging policymakers directly.
• Excellent verbal, written and interpersonal skills, including remote communication skills and demonstrated experience working with the public.
• Familiarity with Washington’s child care system.
• Education in Early Childhood Education or related field, including experience working in the early learning space is preferred.
• Fluency in a language other than English is a plus.
• Willingness to work some evenings and weekends, especially during legislative session, and willingness to travel across the state to meet with communities.

Location: If you live in the core geographic area of King/Pierce/Thurston counties, you will be classified as a local hire. If you live outside that area, you will be classified as Geo Remote, and live in other Washington counties. You must live in Washington if hired.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $61,800.00 - $77,200.00 per year

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• 401(k) matching
• Dental insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Flexible schedule
• Flexible spending account
• Health insurance
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Professional development assistance
• Vision insurance

Schedule:

• Monday to Friday
• Weekends as needed

Work setting:

• Remote
• Temporarily remote

Education:

• Bachelor's (Preferred)

Experience:

• Meeting facilitation: 2 years (Preferred)
• policy related: 2 years (Preferred)
• advocacy: 2 years (Preferred)

Work Location: Hybrid remote in Tacoma, WA 98402