Senior Program Manager, Higher Education

Who We Are: 

The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, a 501(c)(4) organization, is the premier coalition of more than 230 organizations that promotes and protects civil and human rights in America. The Leadership Conference has coordinated national lobbying efforts on behalf of every major civil rights law since 1957. To learn more about The Leadership Conference, please visit www.civilrights.org.  

The Leadership Conference Education Fund, a 501(c)(3) organization, builds public will for federal policies that promote and protect civil and human rights in the US. Founded in 1969 as the education and research arm of The Leadership Conference, the Education Fund’s campaigns empower advocates to push for progressive change in the US. To learn more about the Education Fund, please visit www.leadershipconferenceedfund.org. 

About the Role: 

The Sr. Program Manager for Higher Education is a senior management level position, reporting directly to the Sr. Program Director for Education Equity in a dynamic, fast-paced, and innovative environment that values collaboration, coalition, and communications as central to meeting our mission of an America that lives up to its ideals. 

The Sr. Program Manager will collaborate with national and local staff of leading civil rights and education advocacy organizations and will share expertise in representing the civil rights perspective on education policy matters in diverse settings, from Washington, D.C. policy meetings to community-based information sessions and webinars. The Sr. Program Manager will also be an integral leader in our vibrant, ambitious, passionate, and dedicated internal education team and will collaborate with our communications, field, and government affairs staff to advance educational equity.  

The Sr. Program Manager will also conduct and/or oversee research in these areas and speak and write fluently for a variety of audiences about the barriers to high-quality higher education for students of color, Native Americans, students with disabilities, English learners, LGBTQ students, immigrants, girls and women, religious minorities, and those from low-income families and needed changes to policies, practices, and decision-making that would help to remove those barriers and ensure all students’ success.  

This position is part of the collective bargaining unit.

What you will do: 

• Responsible for leading the Higher Education Civil Rights coalition including facilitating regular meetings, building relationships with coalition members, facilitating consensus in decision-making, and representing the collective views of the coalition externally.  
• Design and implement a strategic plan to achieve the organization’s higher education goals. 
• Communicate expert knowledge of policy information in written and oral form to diverse audiences including national and local advocates and policymakers, and present to state partners on federal and state policy issues. 
• Conduct in-depth analyses of policy proposals and draft policy documents for broad and diverse audiences (including, e.g., issue briefs, summaries, letters, fact sheets, legislative language, memos, and talking points). 
• Lead conversations about advocacy strategy at the national, state, and local levels and collaborate with national and state/local civil rights and education coalitions.
• Plan and lead meetings with partners, policymakers, and others, as well as respond to policy questions from policymakers, and national and state partners regarding both federal policy and proposed state policy and other rapid response needs.
• Contribute to strategic conversations in Washington, D.C., and in states based on knowledge of education policy, political dynamics and strategic considerations, and the civil rights community’s interests.
• Publicly speak about the organization’s work and priorities in multiple settings, including before policymakers and in the course of formal comment opportunities.
• Engage in state strategic conversations to empower partners to advocate for educational equity and build and maintain relationships with national, state, and local partners.
• Participate in convenings, meetings, and conferences.
• Research and analyze state and federal policy alongside education team members.

What you will bring: 

• Demonstrated commitment to civil and human rights for all persons in the United States, and specific commitment to educational equity. 
• 5 years’ experience in education advocacy, policy, or the law. 
• A bachelor’s degree is required, and an advanced degree in policy, education, or a related field is a plus. 
• Experience in college access or in community organizing are both highly valued, as is experience developing federal higher education policy. 
• Ability to connect policy issues to core civil rights priorities. 
• Strong project management skills with a demonstrated ability to carry through projects from conception to completion. 
• Ability to communicate complex policy ideas to diverse audiences, both in writing and public speaking. 
• Extensive knowledge of the legislative process and federal education policy (including, e.g., the Higher Education Act and policymaking by the Department of Education). 
• An ability to work in a fast-paced environment, meet competing deadlines and manage complex and changing workloads. 
• A desire and ability to speak and write fluently about barriers confronting people of color, Native Americans, people with disabilities, English learners, LGBTQ people, immigrants, girls and women, religious minorities, and low-income people. 
• Flexibility and the ability to collaborate with team members and problem-solve effectively.

What We Offer:  

The Leadership Conference offers its employees a comprehensive benefits package, including medical, dental, and vision coverage, and generous personal leave and vacation time. Staff can also take advantage of Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs) and a retirement savings account.  

Salary Range – $93,449 – $113,859 

To apply, please visit our Career Center and submit your resume and cover letter. Cover letters are required and should be attached. 

Office Re-opening Statement  

Currently, staff have the option to work from the office or home while we determine our long-term policy on remote and hybrid work. Please note this position is not permanently remote and over time the person filling this role may be required to work on occasion or regularly from the Washington, DC-based office. 

Our Commitment to an Inclusive Workplace 

The Leadership Conference and The Education Fund are committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, or disability.