Policy Associate/Senior Policy Associate en Texans Care for Children

Description

The Policy Associate will support the organization’s advocacy and policy efforts to improve the well-being of children and families in Texas. In partnership with their Director, the Policy Associate will complete policy research, data analysis, the development of recommendations, the formulation of advocacy strategies, and their execution. 

We are seeking to fill two full-time positions at Texans Care for Children. The positions may be Senior- or Associate-level, depending on the candidates selected and their qualifications. We encourage applicants with varying experience to apply!

• One position will focus on our health policy portfolio to increase access to children’s health insurance coverage, improve access to health coverage for mothers and families, eliminate health disparities, increase access to early childhood intervention, and other strategies to support the health of Texas children and families. This position will report to the Director of Health Policy. 
• The other position will focus on our early learning portfolio to ensure children of all backgrounds receive the early learning experiences they need in child care, pre-k, mixed delivery, and other early education environments. This position will report to the Director of Early Learning.

The position(s) are full-time and based in Austin, Texas, in a hybrid work environment.

Texans Care for Children is a statewide, non-profit, non-partisan, multi-issue children’s advocacy organization based in Austin, Texas. We develop policy solutions, produce research, and engage Texas community leaders to educate policymakers, the media, and the public about what works to improve the well-being of Texas children and families. Texans Care for Children is an equal-opportunity employer. We actively seek to build an organization that reflects the diversity of the population we serve.

Responsibilities:

• Monitoring federal and state policy issues and conducting policy research and analysis in partnership with the research team;
• Identifying state policy priorities and implementing legislative and administrative advocacy strategies to improve the well-being of children and families in Texas;
• Engaging families and community providers to understand the current challenges facing children and families, and help elevate their stories, in partnership with the community engagement team;
• Communicating regularly with agency leaders, community leaders, researchers, and experts to understand current practices and identify best practices to address them;
• Producing policy briefs, written testimony, presentations, and other policy materials;
• Developing strong relationships and communicating Texans Care for Children’s policy priorities to lawmakers, the public, and the media;
• Serving on state advocacy coalitions and regional/local coalitions as needed;
• In partnership with the communications team, developing content for campaigns including videos, blogs, op-eds, social media posts, and other materials, as needed.

Requirements

Preferred Qualifications:

• Graduate degree with a focus on public policy, education, public health, social work, or other relevant field;
• Minimum of two years of full-time experience in public policy and/or advocacy;
• Subject matter experience on policies and programs to improve the health and well-being of children and families (Medicaid, ECI, CHIP) or early learning settings (child care, pre-k, mixed delivery);
• Excellent organizational and problem-solving skills and ability to manage multiple tasks with initiative;
• Experience in writing, research, and data analysis skills;
• Demonstrated ability to work successfully with a diverse group of stakeholders and coalitions;
• Experience communicating and understanding diverse concerns of people of varied economic, geographic, racial, ethnic, and gender backgrounds; and
• Commitment to the mission of Texans Care for Children and passion for improving the well-being of Texas children.

Benefits

Salary and Benefits:

Policy Associate salary starting at $62,000. Salary and Senior title commensurate with qualifications and experience.

Texans Care for Children offers excellent benefits to full-time employees, including: 

• 100% employer-paid health, dental, vision, and life insurance for employees,
• Flexible schedule in a hybrid environment,
• Lifestyle stipend for self-care, student loan repayment, and other expenses,
• Employer retirement matching contributions, and
• Paid holidays, vacation, sick, and personal leave time.