Director of Federal Policy and National Partnerships
National Center on Time and Learning
Washington, DC

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The National Center on Time & Learning (NCTL), a groundbreaking, nonprofit organization dedicated to eliminating the achievement gap and providing a well-rounded education for all of America’s children through innovative school redesigns, seeks nominations and applications for the newly created position of Director of Federal Policy and National Partnerships (Director). NCTL is in a period of rapid growth leading the country’s most ambitious initiative to redesign public schools through strategic use of expanded school time. Based in Washington, DC and reporting to President & CEO Jennifer Davis, the new Director of Federal Policy and National Partnerships will be a savvy professional experienced in developing and implementing education policy. The Director will advance NCTL’s policy efforts including Congressional and Administration outreach on the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) reauthorization as well as other key federal policy developments, and will coordinate with key partners including the Center for American Progress. In addition, s/he will forge and nurture relationships with national education organizations and policy leaders, and will effectively build bridges between the organization, and a wide variety of policy makers and other education stakeholders.

The successful candidate must therefore possess significant and relevant experience working with policy leaders on Capitol Hill. S/he will have deep expertise and knowledge on matters of federal public policy with demonstrated success in advancing policy reform in public systems of education policy. S/he will be highly motivated and articulate with the sophistication, intelligence, drive, and proven track record to develop and implement strategies for NCTL advancement in the field of education policy. Equally important, s/he will have exceptional analytic and communication skills including the ability to synthesize, translate, and disseminate complex policy information to diverse and broad audiences. S/he will need deeply established networks on Capitol Hill and in the education reform community, and will hold a bachelor’s degree with an advanced degree in public policy, education, or a related field preferred. S/he will be an engaged and active member of the organization’s senior leadership team, collaboratively and strategically guiding both state and federal policy efforts to advance NCTL’s mission. NCTL supports a flexible work environment affording the extraordinary opportunity to participate at high capacity while maintaining work/life balance.

This search is being assisted by Katherine Jacobs and Lisa Catapano of the Nonprofit Professionals Advisory Group.

HISTORY AND MISSION

The National Center for Time & Learning, a leader on the frontlines of urban K-12 education reform, was established on the simple but powerful notion that time matters for learning. Deriving its mission from the premise that the conventional school calendar is out of date in supporting a highly competitive society, NCTL offers public policy, research, advocacy and technical assistance support to advance a national school redesign model to expanded learning time in public schools to provide the well-rounded and comprehensive education needed to eliminate the achievement gap and help children successfully meet the demands of the 21st century.

Nationally recognized as a pioneer in education reform, NCTL evolved from a highly successful, Massachusetts initiative called the Expanded Learning Time Initiative (ELT) that was launched by its Massachusetts-based operation, Massachusetts 2020. This initiative served as a first-in-the-nation, statewide effort to expand and redesign the conventional public school day as a strategy to increase student achievement, provide a well-rounded education, and to serve as a future national public school model. ELT added a minimum of 300 hours of time to the school day for all students in participating schools, and by 2009 had vastly impacted educational outcomes for nearly 13,000 students in 22 Massachusetts public schools. Due to the initiative’s rapid success, in 2007 NCTL championed nationwide expansion and implementation.

NCTL is now leading the country’s most ambitious initiative to redesign public schools through the strategic use of the expanded school time. With expanded time in school currently a core strategy of the national education reform agenda set forth by the Obama Administration, NCTL is poised for ongoing, rapid national expansion and is actively responding to the call for reform through the implementation of its model. NCTL also provides direct, ground-level technical assistance to schools. Through Massachusetts 2020, NCTL currently provides technical assistance to 22 Massachusetts ELT Schools. Nationally, NCTL is providing technical assistance support to schools in Rhode Island, Oklahoma, Alabama, Hawaii and soon Colorado.

NCTL’s vision is that in ten years at least one million children in high poverty communities will attend schools that have redesigned their school day to expand learning time and a majority of schools with this new school design will cut the achievement gap at least in half. By offering students a more engaging and well-rounded educational experience, these ELT schools will also significantly reduce the drop-out rates of low-income students and build non-cognitive skills such as perseverance, teamwork, and leadership that are critical to students’ long-term educational and employment success. Furthermore, in ten years redesigned schools with longer school days and years will be well on the way to becoming the norm - not an experiment - in American education. The new Director of Federal Policy and National Partnerships will be a key partner to senior leadership, collaboratively and strategically guiding policy strategies and efforts to advance this mission and vision in the education reform movement.

OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES FACING THE NEW DIRECTOR OF FEDERAL POLICY AND NATIONAL PARTNERSHIPS

The Director of Federal Policy and National Partnerships will be based in Washington, D.C. and will lead the organization’s Congressional and Administration outreach on ESEA Reauthorization and other federal policy development. This responsibility will include developing and managing NCTL strategy in collaboration with the Center for American Progress for building support in Congress and the Administration for advancing the policy framework outlined in the Time for Innovation Matters Act (TIME). The director will also be responsible for building and managing key relationships with national education organizations including the Council of Chief State School Officers, the Council of Great City Schools, Education Trust, Education Sector, NCSL, National Governors Association, Business Roundtable, American Federation of Teachers, National Education Association, to name just a few. This important and exciting role will present challenges and opportunities each key to the success of NCTL’s work including:

Establishing a strong and successful relationship with President and CEO Jennifer Davis that facilitates the rapid and skillful development of NCTL strategies for furthering organizational support in Congress and the Administration.
The Director of Federal Policy and National Partnerships will stay abreast of federal policy activities and movements and ensure NCTL leadership is kept current on all relevant activity. The Director will work collaboratively with NCTL leadership to develop strategies that ensure NCTL increases its reach into national policy circles including educating policymakers, key opinion leaders, state education leaders and legislators to about the issues in education reform and ELT specifically.

Forging and sustaining relationships with key policy leaders and stakeholders in the education reform movement in order to deepen NCTL’s reach and impact.
The Director of Federal Policy and National Partnerships will be an effective relationship builder, cultivating lasting and productive relationships and partnerships with policy leaders on Capitol Hill and key opinion leaders in the policy community. S/he will successfully build bridges between NCTL, policy makers and the education reform community, exercising skillful diplomacy in communicating the goals and actions of NCTL to stakeholders and partners including constituent agencies, state and federal departments of education, key policy makers and opinion leaders, NCTL staff, and the public at large.

Translating ideas, educating, and sharing NCTL outcomes with the federal leaders.
The new Director will synthesize, translate, and disseminate complex policy information to diverse and broad audiences. S/he will share knowledge and educate key stakeholders and partners, state educators, NCTL staff including consultants and state directors, and the public at large on critical activities, developments, and shifts in education reform. S/he will also be an active and engaged member of the senior leadership team and a collaborative team player.

Managing a small, but highly functioning team of national strategy consultants.
The Director will be an effective manager and critical point of contact for national strategy consultants, keeping consultants informed of and aligned with significant and relevant trends, developments, and activities impacting federal education policy reform. In addition, the Director will work closely and collaboratively with consultants to understand education reform policy movements and shifts at the state level and to gather critical information and data on state policy advances and developments that will further inform and bolster NCTL’s national efforts.

QUALIFICATIONS OF THE IDEAL CANDIDATE

The successful candidate will be a highly motivated professional with the personal savvy to effectively advance NCTL’s policy work. S/he will be innovative, thoughtful, and able to lead the implementation of policy strategies and outreach in a highly collaborative and mission-driven environment. The ideal candidate will possess many of the following professional and personal abilities, attributes, and experiences:

• Substantive and deep knowledge matters of federal education policy with demonstrated success in advancing policy reform in public systems of education.

• Thorough understanding of the Federal legislative process and current legislative undertakings and priorities in education reform.

• A Bachelors Degree is a must and a graduate degree in public policy, education, or a related field is preferred.

• At least seven years of relevant policy experience with established networks on Capitol Hill and in the education reform community is required. Experience implementing education policy proposals in districts and schools is preferred.

• Exceptional oral and written communications skills with the capacity to move policy ideas from concept to implementation and the ability to synthesize, translate, and disseminate complex policy information into clear and understandable forms to diverse and broad audiences.

• Excellent interpersonal skills and a management style combining respectful collaboration with disciplined productivity. The ability to communicate and work effectively with the many NCTL constituents including senior leadership, staff, consultants, funding partners, education reform partners, state educators and education leaders, and Board Members.

• Strong organizational skills teamed with a flexible and adaptable style; the ability to work both independently without close oversight and as a team player who will productively engage with others.

• The ability to connect and align administrative priorities with NCTL’s strategic goals and mission.

• Strong fact-based analytic skills; a results-driven approach to setting goals and celebrating accomplishments.

• An entrepreneurial nature that is combined with commitment to and demonstrated interest in the social sector and an ability to act creatively and nimbly in response to the unexpected.

• The ability to multitask and meet deadlines often within very tight timeframes; demonstrated resourcefulness in setting priorities.

• The integrity, wisdom, persistence, and humor necessary to address the practicalities of a dynamic nonprofit poised for significant growth and continued national expansion; the respect and team orientation to diplomatically support high-performing staff; and the ability to support the continued growth and direction of the organization.

• Passion for the mission, vision, and values of NCTL; Experience working in a social change driven, entrepreneurial organization that has scaled nationally is preferred.

APPLICATIONS AND NOMINATIONS

Additional information about NCTL may be found at www.timeandlearning.org. For further information about Massachusetts 2020, go to www.mass2020.org.

Due to the pace of this, candidates are encouraged to apply as soon as possible but by no later than May 21, 2010. Applications including a cover letter describing your interest and qualifications, your resume (in Word format), salary history, and where you learned of the position should be sent to: nctl-dfpnp@nonprofitprofessionals.com. In order to expedite the internal sorting and review process, please type your name (Last, First) as the only contents in the subject line of your e-mail.

The National Center on Time & Learning is an equal opportunity employer.
NCTL offers a flexible work environment affording high capacity work with focus on work/life balance.