Director of Advocacy

The Spartanburg Academic Movement (SAM) is both a nonprofit organization and a community movement founded in 2013. Funded by private and corporate donations and grants, SAM works to ensure Spartanburg Countys children and youth reach academic and life success by convening partners, aligning resources, and driving equity.

POSITION Summary: The Director of Advocacy supports and advances the advocacy and public policy work of the Spartanburg Academic Movement (SAM) on local, state, and federal levels. Data-informed policy work will focus on education, economic mobility, and health issues that impact an individuals ability to academically and/or economically advance. Policy work will be conducted through an equity lens with the goal of eliminating disparities. The position leads and manages all aspects of SAMs advocacy and public policy strategies while building and strengthening relationships with key constituencies, including local, state, and federal legislative or policy officials, community volunteers and opinion leaders, SC StriveTogether statewide partners, and SAM team members. The Director will engage and leverage relationships to build public and political will for SAM and its policy agenda.

Essential DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES include but are not limited to the following:

• Effective Policy/Agenda Development:
  • Relentlessly focus on the development, implementation, tracking, and achievement of a comprehensive, integrated public policy agenda for SAM.
  • Implement public policy goals established by SAM leadership and the Board of Directors.
  • Collaborate with SAMs CEO, Chief Strategy Officer and Collective Impact Committee in the development of policy agendas.
  • Stay informed of emerging developments in education, economic mobility, and health, and track trends that affect SAMs ability to carry out its mission.
  • Work with other local and statewide public policy professionals to accomplish identified policy goals.
  • Develop and maintain a results-based accountability framework to measure and report the effectiveness and impact of SAMs advocacy efforts.
  • Synthesize data and research to author or inform the development of accessible policy reports, issue papers, and outreach materials.
• Strategic Relationship Management:
  • Build trust and commitment to SAM while developing and maintaining relationships that generate support for SAMs public policy agenda.
  • Develop and execute year-round relationship-building strategies with key individuals and constituencies.
  • Effectively communicate with legislators and policymakers regarding the impact of policies within the public education, early learning, and nonprofit sectors.
  • Cultivate long-term relationships with local, state, and federal officials, avoiding short-term wins that may jeopardize these relationships.
  • Demonstrate cultural competence and emotional intelligence when interacting with different demographic and cultural groups, applying this knowledge to advocacy and public policy efforts.
  • Engage donors, volunteers, and community sectors in advocacy awareness and skill-building tailored to their needs.
• Volunteer Management:
  • Build organizational capacity through volunteer collaboration and develop meaningful advocacy/public policy opportunities that increase impact, outcomes, and influence.
  • Facilitate standing board-level committees for SAM, ensuring committee volunteers are trained and engaged in advocacy work.
  • Work with SAMs team to identify advocacy/public policy priorities to support existing and emerging community impact work, developing opportunities for internal and external stakeholder involvement.

EDUCATION AND SKILLS REQUIREMENETS:

• Bachelors degree in public policy, political science, public administration, education, or a related field is required.
• A masters degree in public policy, public administration, education leadership, or a related field is strongly preferred.
• Continuing education or certifications in advocacy, public policy, or community engagement are a plus.
• Minimum of 3 years of related experience in public policy, human services, education systems, program development, or related areas.
• Demonstrated ability to work within a community setting with diverse populations, including community groups, elected and non-elected policymakers, businesspersons, professional staff, and volunteers.
• Proven track record of using data-informed decision-making and policy analysis to achieve organizational goals.
• Content knowledge and experience in the issue areas of education, economic mobility, and health.