Head of Public Policy
About the role
As a member of the External Affairs Team, you will design and execute a policy strategy to shape the college-to-career field. This role is on the External Affairs team and reports directly to the Chief External Affairs Officer.
Responsibilities
Cultivate and steward key relationships for Braven within the Department of Education and relevant federal agencies, the White House, Congress, gubernatorial administrations, and state legislative bodies, as well as with relevant think tanks, coalitions, advocacy orgs, and trade associations
Proactively monitor, analyze, and influence key policymaker activity and legislation at the federal and regional levels
Engage and steward governmental affairs professionals who work at Braven's higher education partners
Utilize strategic storytelling to develop a compelling narrative for policymakers at the local, state, and federal level
Cultivate Braven alumni interested in representing Braven at public policy events
Support Braven's Employer Partnership team and Product teams in thinking through our 'Government' employer partnerships and career channels strategy
Manage several state lobbying contracts in key Braven regions
Requirements
BS/BA or relevant experience
7+ years of experience in legislative policy and advocacy
2-3 years managing other people
Qualifications
MPP, MPA or JD preferred
Experience in the non-profit industry, higher education, or workforce development policy
Experience working directly in a state legislature or Governor's office and/or working in Congress
Skills
You build inspiring visions and strategies that motivate others to action
You have extensive knowledge of legislative and administrative processes
You pursue ambitious, measurable goals with an action-oriented mindset and perseverance
You are extremely detail-oriented and sweat the small stuff, while also not losing sight of the big picture
You build strong external and internal relationships with a variety of stakeholders, including elected officials, coalition partners, and others
You continually reflect to improve, and actively create space for the receipt of upward feedback from individual contributors and managers
You exemplify Braven's core values
Benefits
Compensation and Benefits
Braven offers competitive base salaries based on the midpoint of the market among not-for-profit organizations of similar size, with opportunities for salary growth over time. We believe in compensating staff members fairly in relation to each other, their qualifications, and their impact on behalf of the organization, and take internal and external equity seriously. Given our commitment to equity, Braven does not negotiate salary offers; instead, each salary offer is determined carefully using external and internal benchmarking. Starting salary within the range is determined by role scope and qualifications, allowing for growth based on performance. Braven does not base compensation on individual candidate salary expectations and is committed to maintaining internal equity. The salary ranges, by geographic market, for this role are set forth as follows: $122,500-$153,100 in Chicago and Washington, D.C.; $116,000-$145,000 in Atlanta; and $134,800-$168,500 in New York and Newark, NJ. This is a full-time, regular, exempt, and benefits eligible position where you will be working at 100% capacity. Braven also provides competitive, comprehensive benefits, recognition, and career development. While Braven reserves the right to change benefits at any time, current benefits include:
Unlimited vacation time in addition to org-wide holidays and week-long shutdowns in July and the end of the calendar year (this is a minimum of 19 days per year)
Braven supports your path to parenthood and beyond with $25,000 in lifetime Carrot benefits for fertility, family-building, and hormonal health
Match of your 401K contribution up to 5% of your base annual salary, starting your first full month
Coverage of 85% of health insurance premium for employee and dependents
Average of 12 weeks of paid parental leave
A one-month paid sabbatical after 4 years on staff
Location
We gather in the office 3 days a week (Tuesday through Thursday) and work remotely 2 days a week (Monday and Friday). Therefore, this role requires teammates to live within commuting distance of one of our hubs: Atlanta, Chicago, Newark, New York, or Washington D.C. We believe in the magic, connection, and collaboration that happens when people work together face-to-face, and we believe in giving people flexibility to focus, balance personal priorities, and save themselves two commutes per week.