State Legislative Affairs Coordinator

Chicago Public Schools (CPS) is one of the largest school districts in the United States, serving over 320,000 students in 600 schools and employing approximately 40,000 people, most of them teachers. CPS has set ambitious goals to ensure that every student, in every school and every neighborhood, has access to a world-class learning experience that prepares each for success in college, career, and civic life. In order to fulfill this mission, we make three commitments to our students, their families, and all Chicagoans: academic progress, financial stability, and integrity. Six core values are embedded within these commitments – student-centered, whole child, equity, academic excellence, community partnership, and continuous learning.

Job Summary:

The State Legislative Affairs Coordinator will be a member of the Intergovernmental Affairs (IGA) team. This person will be critical in ensuring that CPS’ legislative efforts in Springfield are successful. This position will serve as our go to organizer for tracking legislation, attending legislative and state board hearings, and helping the IGA team build strong relationships with legislators and partners across the state. The State Legislative Affairs Program Coordinator will report to the Senior Advisor to the CEO for Intergovernmental Affairs.

This role will likely require frequent travel to Springfield when the General Assembly is in session. The person must still live in the city of Chicago per CPS requirements

The State Legislative Affairs Coordinator will be held accountable for the following responsibilities:

• Track all potential legislation that could impact the District in Springfield
• Attend legislative hearings in Springfield to represent the District and possibly testify on an as-needed basis
• Research further details on the priorities of the District
• Gather information that will help the IGA team analyze the impact of various bills on the District
• Work with other departments in Central Office to understand the District’s legislative priorities
• Coordinate visits for elected officials and key stakeholders to schools
• Collaborate with the State Representatives and other key partners to support the District’s legislative efforts
• Build relationships with legislators in the General Assembly
• Outside of the peak legislative season, this role may also support other priorities of the IGA team, including efforts at City Council
• Other duties as assigned

In order to be successful and achieve the above responsibilities, the State Legislative Affairs Coordinator must possess the following qualifications:

Education Required:

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university required
• Minimum of three (3) years of professional experience managing complex projects

Experience Required:

• Experience working in or around the Illinois General Assembly
• An understanding of education policy issues in Chicago Public Schools
• Masters Degree in education, political science, or related subject

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Excellent verbal and written communication and interpersonal skills; capable of building collaborative relationships with all levels of CPS staff and leadership
• Excellent organization, strategic, and project planning skills; self-starter capable of anticipating problems and developing preemptive solutions
• Demonstrated ability to navigate ambiguity and independently solve problems
• Familiarity with the Illinois General Assembly and the legislative process
• Ability to articulate a vision set high standards and goals, and effectively lead cross-functional teams in achieving those goals
• Outstanding problem-solving skills; capable of defining problems, analyzing data, and outlining valid conclusions and action steps
• Ability to be flexible and to adapt to a continually shifting environment
• Advanced proficiency with Microsoft Office, specifically Excel, PowerPoint, Word
• Familiarity with Google Suite, specifically Google Docs, Google Slides, Google Sheets, and Google Meet, preferred

Conditions of Employment

As a condition of employment with the Chicago Public Schools (CPS), employees are required to:

• Establish/Maintain Chicago Residency - Employees are required to live within the geographic boundaries of the City of Chicago within six months of their CPS hire date and maintain residency throughout their employment with the district. The Chicago residency requirement does not apply to temporary/part-time positions, however, all CPS employees must be residents of Illinois.
• Be Fully Vaccinated Against COVID-19 - Unless approved for a medical or religious exemption, all employees are required to be up-to-date on COVID-19 vaccinations, including boosters, and to submit proof of vaccination to the district within 30 days of hire. “Up-to-date” on vaccination is defined as being at least two weeks past all primary vaccine doses and any applicable boosters.