Senior Director, Government Affairs (Apply By: Wednesday, January 1, 2025)

About JFF 

Jobs for the Future (JFF) drives transformation of the U.S. education and workforce systems to achieve equitable economic advancement for all. Seeing that millions of people are unfairly shut out of quality jobs and the chance for a better life, our goal is to align education, workforce, and employment changemakers toward a shared North Star: By 2033, 75 million people facing systemic barriers to advancement will work in quality jobs.  

To achieve that goal, we design solutions, scale best practices, influence policy and action, and invest in innovation. With a staff of more than 300 people across the country working remotely and in offices in Boston (headquarters), Washington, DC, and Oakland, California, we operate at the national, state, and local levels, forging deep partnerships with employers, investors, entrepreneurs, policymakers, and education and workforce development providers to break down barriers and reimagine what’s possible.   

We’re on a path of ongoing growth and expanding impact. We have an operating budget of $105 million, and we’re funded by dozens of leading government agencies, foundations, and corporations. Learn more about JFF and join us as we build a future that works—for everyone.  

DEIBW at JFF  

Diversity, equity, inclusion, belonging, and well-being (DEIBW) are core to JFF’s North Star and mission. We employ and build diverse teams across race, ethnicity, sex, gender identity and expression, age, and lived experiences and are constantly working toward ensuring these differences are celebrated and included. We aim to cultivate a culture that centers the overall care, well-being, and success of the employee through flexible work hours, balanced workloads, professional development, and equitable career advancement opportunities. Learn more about what DEIBW looks like in practice at JFF. 

We seek to invest in and learn from those who represent the communities we serve, particularly individuals from populations who have been explicitly or implicitly excluded from the workforce. Knowing its importance to the success of our work and the engagement of our staff members, we aspire to attract and retain a diverse team and welcome people of all backgrounds to apply to our open roles. JFF is a fair chance employer and in alignment to our North Star, we strongly encourage individuals whose highest level of education attained is less than a 4-year degree; People of Color; and people with records to apply.

About JFF’s Policy and Advocacy Team 

JFF’s Policy and Advocacy team generates nonpartisan, practice-informed policy solutions focused on economic advancement for all. Informed by work in the field, our policy experts synthesize research, evidence, and input from practitioners and policymakers to inform critical national and state policy development and debates. We also offer fresh policy ideas, thought leadership, and educational opportunities for key congressional and executive branch staff to create lasting, systemic shifts in education, workforce development, and poverty alleviation programs to provide learners, jobseekers and workers with the tools and supports they need to succeed in today’s and the future economy.  See our impact stories for more information.

About the Position  

The Senior Director, Government Affairs will play a critical role in advancing JFF’s policy agenda by driving legislative and executive engagement, developing policy proposals, and strengthening JFF’s relationships with federal policymakers and key agencies. This newly created position will be instrumental in increasing JFF’s visibility and influence with the legislative and executive branches to promote workforce, education, and poverty alleviation policies.

The Senior Director will also provide expert insights on the policy-making process. This role requires deep expertise in legislative and regulatory processes, strong relationships with federal policymakers, and the ability to translate JFF’s policy priorities into actionable legislative strategies. The Senior Director will report to the Associate Vice President for Policy and work collaboratively with all members of the Policy and Advocacy team, as well as with JFF’s senior leadership and others within the organization to support the development of high-quality policies and strategy.   

What You’ll Do 

 Lead JFF’s government relations and legislative advocacy strategy 

• Develop and implement JFF’s federal government relations strategy to influence legislative and regulatory policy outcomes 

• Draft legislative language, draft amendments, and prepare detailed policy proposals to advance JFF’s priorities 

• Establish and maintain relationships with Congressional staff, administrative staff, and other policymakers 

• Monitor and analyze federal legislation, regulatory developments, and appropriations processes, identifying opportunities to shape outcomes aligned with JFF’s mission 

• Provide rapid response analysis of bills and policy proposals 

• Model JFF’s commitment to DEI both internally and externally, including identifying opportunities to influence local and national policy priorities that increase equitable advancement for learners and workers 

• Bring an entrepreneurial mindset to JFF’s policy work, pushing innovation and impact in support of JFF’s strategic priorities, while identifying new opportunities, technologies, and markets 

 Contribute strategic leadership to JFF’s overall policy agenda and strategy 

• Lead the creation of innovative policy solutions and advocacy strategies that reflect JFF’s mission and vision 

• Collaborate with internal and external stakeholders to design proposals that address emerging issues in workforce development, education, and poverty alleviation 

• Provide expert advice to JFF’s leadership and Policy and Advocacy team on legislative processes, timelines, and strategies 

• Serve as a key thought partner to JFF’s Policy and Advocacy team, providing legislative expertise and insights 

• Mentor team members to strengthen their understanding of legislative processes and advocacy strategies 

• Partner with cross-functional teams to ensure alignment of advocacy strategies with organizational goals 

• Work closely with others across the Policy & Advocacy Unit, leveraging your specific content expertise and cross-sector perspective to connect the dots between different bodies of policy work and JFF’s priorities 

• Help shape and contribute to a fundraising strategy for the Policy & Advocacy Unit in close collaboration with teammates  

• Lead through times of change with adaptability, flexibility, curiosity, and asset-based thinking  

Who You Are 

The qualifications listed within the job description are intended as a guide and we do not expect candidates to bring all experiences and skills listed. Research supports that self-selecting out of potential professional opportunities is particularly common among individuals with identities that are marginalized in professional spaces. So, if you believe that you can meet the overall expectations of the position, we encourage you to apply so that we have an opportunity to learn more about you and the unique strengths you would bring to the work. 

• You bring prior experience developing and executing complex advocacy strategies within the federal education and workforce policy space, with 8+ years of direct experience on Capitol Hill (New hires at the Senior Director level at JFF typically bring 15 years of prior professional experience through a combination of full-time, part-time, internship, and/or freelance positions)  

• You have a track record of success with federal government relations, ideally representing and advocating for priorities on behalf of a nonprofit, advocacy organization, think tank, and/or membership association 

• You bring a deep understanding of legislative and regulatory processes, federal budgeting, and appropriations, with experience drafting legislation, amendments, policy proposals, and other Congressional or federal agency-facing correspondence related to education, workforce, and poverty alleviation policy 

• You have, and know how to effectively leverage, strong relationships with federal policymakers, including Congress and federal agencies 

• You are collaborative and thrive on working directly with others in support of policy development and implementation 

• You are skilled at convening stakeholders as a collation to advance joint legislative and policy priorities, with the ability to influence diverse stakeholders  

• You have exceptional organizational skills and a keen attention to detail, with the judgment to manage competing priorities, and an ability to track and drive policy priorities 

• You are a strong writer, with the ability to synthesize and communicate complex issues in clear and actionable ways to a multitude of audiences, and know how to draft high-quality legislative language, policy briefs, and comment letters 

• You thrive in a fast-paced environment and can seamlessly pivot between being an individual contributor and working in close collaboration with others 

• You model inclusive leadership, working effectively with diverse staff, and building and stewarding an organizational culture that embraces diversity, equity, and inclusion 

• You possess high energy and passion for JFF’s mission and North Star, and the ability to apply JFF’s core values to all areas of your work    

What We Offer  

At JFF, we’re fueled by the desire to create a world where everyone has equal opportunity for economic advancement. Our team works hard to push the boundaries of what is possible, and in return, we provide a gratifying work experience, competitive salaries, and a comprehensive benefits program that includes flexibility and choice as core values in order to support people wherever they are in their lives and careers.  

JFF has offices in Boston, Oakland, and Washington, DC; employees are welcome to use JFF office space to work in-person or hybrid, or completely remote. To improve the employee experience and promote productivity while working remotely, JFF offers an annual home office stipend to all regular full-time and part-time employees. In addition, new employees receive office equipment as needed.   

The hiring range for this role is $140,000 - $175,000 annually, in alignment to JFF’s Senior Director salary band and our compensation philosophy. Starting salaries for new hires will be determined based on a combination of the new hire’s relevant experience and market demands.  

To Apply  

As part of your application, please include your resume and a thoughtful cover letter, addressed to Karishma Merchant, AVP of Policy & Advocacy, outlining how your skills and experience meet the qualifications of the position.

We are accepting applications through 5pmEST on January 1, 2025.  Applications submitted by that date will be reviewed and candidates will receive updates on their candidacy by the week of January 6, 2025.

At JFF, we’re also committed to accessibility and want to ensure that everyone, including people with disabilities, can fully access and engage with our application and hiring process. If you are unable to complete this application due to a disability and/or have specific access/accommodation needs in order to fully participate in our hiring process, please contact us at [email protected]. 

Positions at JFF are not eligible for employer-visa sponsorship or open to F-1 student visa holders.