Public Affairs Manager

Location: Remote, based in New Jersey

The Challenge

New Jersey’s education system is often touted as the best in the nation. But, beneath the headlines is a disturbing reality that New Jersey has persistent achievement and opportunity gaps. Simply stated, many of our students - especially our students of color and in our urban communities - are still being left behind. This reality has been exacerbated during the Covid-19 pandemic as schools in our low-income and urban areas remain closed significantly longer than our more affluent school districts. We need a proactive, detail-oriented, and independent team member, who will support our team in accomplishing our goal of bridging and eliminating the widening achievement and opportunity gaps and help us advocate for a robust education recovery in our state.

About the position

JerseyCAN seeks a Public Affairs Manager to serve as a key member of the JerseyCAN team. In this multifaceted role, the Public Affairs Manager will plan, draft, and execute all of JerseyCAN’s outward-facing communications, including traditional and digital communications, research and policy memos, legislative testimony, board memoranda, and presentations, and engage with partners in pursuit of JerseyCAN’s mission and policy goals. The Public Affairs Manager will also be responsible for capturing and amplifying the dynamic stories of JerseyCAN’s growing body of partners including teachers and parents. This team member will also manage a variety of administrative and operational needs for the team. The position will report to JerseyCAN’s Executive Director and collaborate on an ongoing basis with members of the 50CAN Team.

Communications:

• Assist with drafting, editing, and coordination of external-facing materials including press releases, news roundups, newsletters, op-eds, spotlights, and other duties as assigned.
• Maintain and execute, in coordination with the 50CAN team, website updates.
• Manage JerseyCAN’s social media presence on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and blog; including potential media campaigns.
• Help develop and update JerseyCAN-branded documents including fact sheets, backgrounders, and other collateral as needed.
• Create and execute mass advocacy emails.

Research and Policy:

• Conduct targeted research and policy analysis to support JerseyCAN’s annual policy objectives.
• Create one-pagers, informational memos, briefers, and slide decks on various educational issues for meetings with elected and appointed decision-makers, board members, partners, and funders.
• Draft testimony, coalition letters, and policy memoranda for submission to or use in meetings with various educational leaders, including legislators, staff at the New Jersey Department of Education, New Jersey State Board of Education Members, and members of the Governor’s Office.

Administrative & Operational Duties:

• At the direction of the Executive Director, ensure timely and accurate submission of all lobbying disclosures, grant reports, and team expenses.
• Conduct all aspects of event-planning for JerseyCAN Board Meetings, New Jersey Teacher Leader Policy Fellowship, and other events, as needed.
• Support other various administrative and operational duties for the New Jersey Teacher Leader Policy Fellowship and other JerseyCAN programmatic initiatives.

Strategic partnerships and mobilization:

• Cultivate relationships and strategic partnerships throughout the state, as requested by the Executive Director, including representing JerseyCAN at other organizations’ meetings and events.
• Engage with, train, and support a network of advocates – e.g., parents, teachers, community leaders.

Key Abilities, Skills, and Experience:

Abilities:

• Highly organized with strong attention to detail.
• Strong commitment to educational equity and JerseyCAN’s mission.
• Ability to effectively manage time, work independently, multi-task, meet deadlines, and achieve goals in a fast-paced environment.
• Outgoing personality with an eagerness to develop relationships with media and community advocates.

Skills:

• Exceptional writing and editing skills
• Experience working with email delivery platforms (e.g., Mailchimp) is a plus
• Social media fluency

Experience:

• At least one to two years of communications or research and policy experience
• Some experience in social and/or advocacy campaigns and a working knowledge of the state policy-making process
• Familiarity with education policy issues is a plus.

Compensation: Salary is competitive and commensurate with experience. 50CAN offers a

comprehensive benefits package.

COVID-19 Policy: Full compliance with our organization's policies regarding COVID-19 includes the requirement that all new hires are to be fully vaccinated.

About JerseyCAN

JerseyCAN is a nonprofit education policy and advocacy organization. JerseyCAN works in partnership with education leaders, parents, students, and other stakeholders from across the state to advance education policy change. We focus on statewide policies that impact our highest need students, particularly students in Newark, Camden, and other urban school districts. Since launching in 2013, JerseyCAN has emerged as a trusted voice on education in the state and secured key policy wins that have advanced this mission, including more stable and equitable school funding, growth in the number of high-quality schools in our state, particularly in Newark and Camden, and policy changes to strengthen the educator workforce.

An important part of JerseyCAN’s success as a convener in the education landscape is the leadership of our advisory board. The JerseyCAN board is co-chaired by Tom Kean, former New Jersey Governor, and Ann Borowiec, former CEO, J.P. Morgan Private Wealth Management. Both Governor Kean and Ms. Borowiec have served as board co-chairs since JerseyCAN’s inception.

JerseyCAN is a part of the 50CAN network, which believes in locally-led advocacy work that is supported by the 50CAN national team.

About 50CAN

50CAN: The 50-State Campaign for Achievement Now, is a nonprofit organization that works at the local level to advocate for a high-quality education for all kids. 50CAN develops local education leaders by providing them with the research, tools, and ideas needed to create learning environments that best meet every child’s needs. 50CAN operates campaigns in Connecticut, Delaware, Colorado, Georgia, Hawaii, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, and Tennessee and is led by CEO & Founder Marc Porter Magee.