Location: Remote, must reside within Sacramento, CA
Level: Senior Vice President (Sr. VP)

Overview of Responsibilities

As a senior leader on the California Charter Schools Association’s (CCSA or the Association) Government Affairs team, the Chief Lobbyist will have a team of two staff members, in addition to contract lobbyists, to plan and direct all aspects of CCSA’s legislative policy and state budget agenda or advocacy. The Chief Lobbyist serves as CCSA’s primary representative before the California State Legislature. Reporting to the Chief Officer for Government Affairs, the Chief Lobbyist leads and coordinates CCSA’s legislative policy and state budget advocacy across the organization with the Research, Legal, Local Advocacy, Communications, and Member Engagement teams, as well as with CCSA Advocates (501c4). The Chief Lobbyist retains and directs contract lobbyists and consultants as needed. The Chief Lobbyist ensures that the Association’s legislative advocacy infrastructure and resources are deployed to maximize impact on behalf of California’s charter school movement to improve the overall policy environment for charter public schools across the state.

Essential Duties

• Lead the development of a comprehensive legislative and state budget agenda for CCSA and its members:
  • Work collaboratively with senior colleagues and Board of Directors to develop shared priorities for legislative and budget advocacy.
  • Develop proposals for sponsored legislation that proactively supports the Association’s mission and strategic goals around quality and equity in the public school system.
  • Protect charter public schools from any adverse anti-charter legislation and policies.
  • Anticipate and identify potential anti-charter legislative proposals and incorporate defensive measures into legislative advocacy agenda.
  • Incorporate experience, expertise, and input from contract lobbying firms to sponsor legislative and budget proposals, or defending against adverse anti-charter legislation or policies.
  • Determine strategic utilization of the CEO in furtherance of the Association’s legislative and budget priorities, including interactions with the Governor and their team.
  • Engage with the Association’s Member Council, and members more broadly, to gather input and ideas, and to increase support for the Association’s legislative policy and state budget advocacy agenda.
  • Coordinate with key partners such as national advocacy organizations, coalition partners, and lobbyists representing individual charter school members, to ensure coordination and alignment with CCSA’s legislative and budget agenda.
  • Align and integrate the legislative policy and state budget agenda with regulatory, local, and legal advocacy efforts of the Association.
• Create and implement strategy for achieving legislative advocacy goals:
  • Identify, contract, and direct lobbying firms to support implementation of legislative and state budget priorities.
  • Proactively develop relationships with a wide variety of stakeholders, including other education advocacy organizations, throughout the Capitol and use extensive knowledge of legislative and budgetary process to increase the Association’s effectiveness, including defending against anti-charter policy proposals, in the Capitol.
  • Enhance relationships with lobbyists representing individual charter school members and develop strategic partnerships with advocacy organizations in Sacramento and across the state to leverage collective advocacy strength.
  • Cultivate and maintain positive working relationships with the Governor’s Administration, legislative staff, and local elected officials.
• Develop CCSA’s organizational capacity to ensure long term success of the Association’s legislative and budget agenda:
  • Create a comprehensive calendar of legislative outreach, including hosting education policy events in Sacramento, support regular legislative visits for members, and ensure extensive engagement with legislators and their staffs in district offices.
  • Develop and systematize advocacy strategies to secure legislative or state budget priorities, and defeat anti-charter legislation or policies.
  • In coordination with the Schools Team, utilize the Association’s high level of knowledge and research about the performance of charter public schools to position CCSA as an organization of growing influence in building great public schools.
  • In conjunction with the External Affairs Team, develop communication systems and capacity designed to regularly place before elected officials’ positive stories regarding charter public schools and to use strategic communications to help drive the Association’s legislative and budget agenda.
  • Create compelling “Call To Action” campaigns among members and charter school supporters to advocate for the legislative policy and budget agenda.
• Support the Association’s overall strategic vision, in collaboration with the CEO and the Board of Directors:
  • Represent the Association at various speaking engagements, both locally and nationally, regarding legislative advocacy matters.
  • Handle interface with the media when high stakes inquiries come to the Association regarding legislative advocacy.
  • Help manage relationships with foundations and other key funders supporting the legislative advocacy priorities of the Association.
  • Help ensure that the Board of Directors is proactively engaged and informed about legislative advocacy so that the Board can have informed discussions and make timely approvals as needed.
• Collaborate with CCSA Advocates:
  • Provide advice and counsel to the Executive Director of CCSA Advocates regarding political giving and electoral efforts.
  • Develop and help implement strategy for enabling the increased involvement of charter school stakeholders in legislative advocacy activity across the state.
  • Provide knowledge and experience of legislative advocacy efforts to charter school leaders.
  • Assist in the development of systems, routines, and protocols necessary to successfully manage the corporate and other responsibilities associated with CCSA Advocates.

Competencies

• Effective and persuasive communicator, both orally and in writing, to a diversity of stakeholders and other audiences.
• Ability to create a robust network of charter school members, legislators, policy makers, thought leaders, as well as business and education opinion leaders to support Association’s legislative priorities.
• Ability to analyze legislative, policy, and political situations accurately and adopt an effective course of action.
• Ability to bring insight and a diversity, equity, and inclusion lens to the Association’s legislative priorities.
• Effectively manage a budget focused on key legislative and budget priorities.
• Ability to collaborate well with colleagues and establish and maintain cooperative and effective working relationships with others.
• Ability to read, interpret, apply, and explain bills, rules, regulations, policies, and procedures for members and other diverse audiences.

Required Experience

• Minimum 10 years experience in a major advocacy organization, lobbying firm, governmental agency, or legislative office in Sacramento. Proven track record of high impact in legislative advocacy.
• Extensive experience managing staff, consultants, and budgets.
• Pre-existing and extensive relationships with members of the California State Legislature.

Preferred Capabilities

• Experience managing advocacy campaigns and well-versed in legal requirements associated with lobbying under federal and state laws.
• Experience advising and taking direction from a governing board concerning legislative priorities and advocacy.
• Track record of effectively testifying before legislative committees.

Supervisory Responsibility

This position will have direct supervisory responsibilities over two staff and will manage peers via initiatives and projects. The Chief Lobbyist will serve as a thought-partner, coach, and mentor for other colleagues at the Association.

Benefits and Salary

The salary range is $160,000 to $180,000. Our organization is deeply committed to equity, and thus has a no-negotiation policy. CCSA also offers a comprehensive benefits package including medical, dental, and vision coverage upon hire, 401K eligibility with a company match (up to 6%) after the first 90 days of employment, and generous paid time off.

APPLY

When applying please submit a cover letter answering the following questions:

• What is it about our mission that resonates with your experience and/or interests?
• What makes you an exceptional candidate for this position?
• Where did you learn about this opportunity?