SENIOR POLICY ASSOCIATE - EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION
Status: Full-Time; Exempt
Location: CA-Based Location Flexible (Remote with travel within California)
Salary Range:
$80,000 - $92,000
Reports to: Director of Policy
ABOUT CALIFORNIANS TOGETHER
Californians Together is a statewide advocacy coalition of powerful organizations from across the education community. Our members come together to champion the educational success of California's 1.1 million English learners by addressing and transforming systemic, racial, language, and cultural inequities in education to close opportunity gaps. Learn more at californianstogether.org.
POSITION SUMMARY
Californians Together seeks a dynamic, results-oriented professional to lead our policy and advocacy agenda focused on early learning students who come from homes where another language other than English is spoken. The Senior Policy Associate for Early Childhood Education will play a key role in advancing educational equity and access for DLLs/ELs. This individual will develop strategies to inform, engage, and include colleagues and coalition partners to ensure that the needs of Dual Language Learners (DLLs)/Transitional Kindergarten Multilingual Learners (TK MLs) and English Learners (ELs) are centered in conversations shaping early learning systems. including efforts to support the development of their home languages.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead and support the organization's policy and advocacy agenda focused on dual language learners and early childhood education.
- Develop policy recommendations at the state and local levels to improve DLL/EL outcomes and eliminate disparities including review of legislation, budgets, and proposals.
- Provide thought leadership on all aspects of the early childhood policy landscape to ensure that the needs of DLLs are addressed.
- Collaborate with and maintain strong relationships with allies, stakeholders, and coalition partners, to advance and inform the organization's policy goals.
- Conduct literature reviews, policy analysis and research and support the drafting of organizational and partner materials such as legislative fact sheets, policy briefs, presentations, reports, support letters, and web content to advance the organization's agenda.
- Stay up-to-date on state and national ECE policy trends and communicate key developments to the team.
- Support the integration of early childhood and DLL perspectives across the organization's core initiatives.
- Represent Californians Together and its policy agenda in a variety of settings including conferences, policy briefings, advocacy coalitions and community forums.
- Develop, deliver, and facilitate presentations to gather input and build consensus around DLL-related issues.
- Provide project management and thought partnership to collaborative efforts with internal and external partners.
- Other duties as assigned, based on organizational needs and employee strengths.
QUALIFICATIONS
- Minimum of five years of relevant experience in a preschool or other early childhood education setting, education non-profit, and/or community engagement setting.
- A strong passion and commitment to the mission and work of Californians Together, with a level of persuasiveness to secure support from others.
- Subject-matter expertise, understanding and knowledge of early education, DLL/EL issues from birth to third grade, and/or familiarity with biliteracy and educator quality issues.
- Familiarity with California's ECE landscape, policy environment, and funding structures strongly preferred.
- Strong written and verbal, communication, and facilitation skills including experience producing clear and compelling policy content.
- Experience conducting policy and data analysis, preferably related to early learning, multilingual learners or education equity.
- Strong research and analytic skills, with a comprehensive and detail-oriented approach.
- Ability to comfortably network and build relationships with key stakeholder groups such as policy makers, funders, community members and other early learning stakeholders.
- Strong project management skills and ability to handle multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment with minimal supervision.
- A growth mindset, willingness to learn,and ability to contribute to a highly collaborative and mission-driven team.
- Able to contribute to a high functioning and collaborative team environment.
- Comfort navigating politically sensitive conversations and advancing advocacy in complex systems.
Compensation & Other Benefits
The annual salary range for this position is $80,000 - $92,000 and will be commensurate with experience. Californians Together also offers an excellent benefits package which includes full health, dental and vision benefits, retirement plan with employer contribution, holidays, vacation and sick days. The organization also closes between Christmas Eve and New Year's Day.
Vaccination for COVID-19 Policy
At Californians Together, the health and safety of our employees is of the utmost importance. As such, all employees are required to be fully vaccinated and remain up to date on their vaccinations for COVID-19. New hires should be fully vaccinated and up to date on their COVID-19 vaccinations prior to their first day of work. Requests foraccommodationsdue to medical or religious reasons will be reviewed by Human Resources.
Application Instructions
Please submit a cover letter, resume, and two writing samples to apply for this position through BambooHR. The priority deadline to apply for this position is August 28, 2025. If you have any questions in regards to this position, please reach out to
PHYSICAL DEMANDS/WORKING CONDITIONS
This is a full-time, forty-hour per week position. The role requires prolonged periods of sitting and standing as well as occasional lifting up to 15 pounds. Limited physical effort required. The role involves tasks requiring hearing, performing repetitive hand motions, prolonged sitting, speaking, and typing.
EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY
Californians Together is an equal opportunity employer, welcomes a diverse pool of applicants, and makes employment decisions on the basis of merit. Californians Together policy prohibits unlawful discrimination based on race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, pregnancy, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, age, marital status, physical disability, mental disability, military service, legally protected medical condition, or any other consideration made unlawful by federal, state, or local laws.
