Education Policy Research Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Opportunity 180 Introduction:

In a sentence: Opportunity 180 is seeking to ensure every kid in Nevada graduates from high school college and career-ready, prepared to live the life they dream. The organization is entering Year 6 of its ambitious 10-year goal to ensure 100,000 more students have access to a high-quality education in their neighborhood, including investing in the great ideas and new learning environments of more than 650 current and future education leaders and bringing $100M into the market to create the conditions for great schools to thrive.

To reach its bold goals, Opportunity 180 launched an affiliated 501(c)(4) organization, Battle Born Kids Matter. In partnership with Opportunity 180, Battle Born Kids Matter advocates for students to ensure Nevada maximizes and optimizes student access to quality schools through a student-first policy agenda.

To support this work, Opportunity 180 seeks a Sr. Manager of Policy & Advocacy to help execute the organization's advocacy, policy, coalition-building, and leadership development strategies. This individual will play a key operational and programmatic role supporting the Senior Director of Policy & Advocacy while also leading the implementation and facilitation of the organization's education policy fellowship program.

The Sr. Manager will coordinate advocacy projects, support legislative and political strategy implementation, manage stakeholder engagement, facilitate fellowship experiences, and help advance strategic initiatives that strengthen Nevada's education ecosystem.

For more information, visit Opportunity180.org.

Role Snapshot:

LEAD Advocacy Programming: Lead the facilitation, coordination, and continuous improvement of the organization's policy programming, including the fellowship program. Own the participant experience, vendor coordination, logistics, and project management.

DRIVE Policy and Advocacy Research. Research local and national policy, communicate with internal and external stakeholders, and serve as a strategic partner to the Sr. Director of Policy and Advocacy to bridge research into action.

MANAGE Advocacy & Policy Initiatives: Coordinate projects, prepare materials, manage timelines, and ensure successful execution across initiatives.

COORDINATE Stakeholders and Coalitions: Build and maintain relationships with fellows, policy makers and partners in service of policy and advocacy priorities.

Role Breakdown:

30% Fellowship program management
25% Advocacy & policy support
20% Stakeholder engagement & coalition coordination
15% Communications & Research support
10% Operations & Administrative Support

Essential Functions and Responsibilities:

Fellowship Program Management

• Lead the implementation and facilitation of the organization's policy fellowship program
• Coordinate fellowship implementation, speaker scheduling, communications, logistics, and participant engagement
• Support recruitment, onboarding, and relationship management for fellows and program partners
• Ensure fellows have a high-quality and meaningful experience aligned to organizational goals
• Track fellowship outcomes, deliverables, timelines, and program metrics
• Support the development of fellowship materials and learning experiences

Advocacy & Policy Support

• Support the execution of legislative, advocacy, and coalition-building strategies
• Conduct policy research, stakeholder research, and landscape analysis related to education policy and political priorities
• Track legislative activity, policy developments, and key stakeholder engagement opportunities
• Prepare briefing materials, meeting preparation documents, presentations, testimony drafts, talking points, and summaries
• Coordinate advocacy campaigns, stakeholder convenings, and issue-based initiatives
• Assist with event planning and execution for advocacy-related meetings, briefings, and public engagement opportunities

Strategic Project Management

• Manage multiple fast-moving projects simultaneously while maintaining strong attention to detail and timelines
• Support cross-functional coordination between internal teams, consultants, and external stakeholders
• Develop and maintain project plans, trackers, calendars, and implementation systems
• Anticipate project needs, identify risks or gaps, and proactively problem-solve
• Support organizational strategic planning and initiative implementation

Stakeholder Engagement

• Draft internal and external communications including memos, stakeholder updates, presentations, and policy materials

• Support coalition engagement and relationship management with education leaders, policymakers, advocates, and community partners
• Help coordinate public events, partner meetings, and advocacy-related communications
• Represent the organization professionally in meetings, convenings, and public-facing settings as appropriate

What you offer:

The ideal candidate has experience with the following:

• Project management in advocacy, public policy, nonprofit, government, political, or education settings
• Facilitating programs, trainings, fellowships, or leadership development initiatives
• Building relationships across diverse stakeholder groups and navigating complex environments
• Strong verbal and written communication skills
• Interest in education policy, systems change, and advocacy work
• Ability and willingness to own high-priority tasks and projects with minimal guidance and adherence to tight deadlines
• Sound judgment and ability to manage confidential information with tact and integrity
• Ability to manage contractors and deliverables

Qualifications

The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required to perform this job.

• 3+ years of relevant professional experience in public policy, advocacy, nonprofit leadership, government affairs, political campaigns, or related fields
• Strong organizational and project management skills
• Ability to communicate clearly and effectively across audiences
• Comfort managing ambiguity and adapting quickly
• BA/BS or qualified experience in similar policy and advocacy initiatives
• Ability to travel in and out of state

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working in education policy or K-12 systems preferred
• Familiarity with Nevada's education and political landscape
• Experience with event coordination, stakeholder engagement, and communications support
• Experience with fellowship coordination

Certificates, Licenses, Registrations:A current Nevada State-issued Driver's License and current automobile insurance coverage, including automobile registration.

Compensation & Benefits:

• The salary range for this position starts at $78,000
• We offer excellent benefits, including a 401K plan, 100% coverage of medical and dental insurance with 50% coverage for dependents, opportunities for local and national personal and professional development, generous PTO, and relocation if needed
• Flexible work culture where we work from the office at least 2 days a week and from home the remainder of the week with the exception of in-person team meetings and programming.

Physical Demands:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to stand; walk; sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; talk or hear; on occasion, climb or balance; stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. The employee is occasionally required to lift up to 25 pounds. The vision requirements include close vision, distance vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.

Work Environment:

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally exposed to excessive heat, and wet and/or humid outside conditions. The noise level in the environment is moderate and at times, high.

Note:This job description in no way states or implies that these are the only duties to be performed by the employee in this position. Scheduled hours may change based on business needs. Employees will be required to follow any other job-related instructions and to perform any other job-related duties requested by any person authorized to give instructions or assignments. All duties and responsibilities are essential functions and requirements and are subject to possible modification to reasonably accommodate individuals with disabilities. To perform this job successfully, the incumbents will possess the skills, aptitudes, and abilities to perform each duty proficiently. Some requirements may exclude individuals who pose a direct threat or significant risk to the health or safety of themselves or others. The requirements listed in this document are the minimum levels of knowledge, skills, or abilities. This document does not create an employment contract, implied or otherwise, other than an "at-will" relationship.

The company is an Equal Opportunity Employer, drug-free workplace, and complies with ADA regulations as applicable.