Senior Educator Engagement Associate

ABOUT THE ORGANIZATION

The Education Trust–West (ETW) works for the educational justice and the high academic achievement of all students at all levels, pre-K through college. We expose opportunity and achievement gaps that separate students of color, English learners, and low-income students from their peers, and we identify and advocate for the strategies that will forever close those gaps. We work alongside schools, districts, college campuses, and higher education institutions to understand and evaluate the effectiveness of reform strategies intended to reduce and eliminate achievement and opportunity gaps. We use lessons learned in these efforts, together with unflinching data analyses, to drive a state and national conversation about how our P-12 education system and colleges and universities can better serve all students. To learn more, please visit www.edtrustwest.org.

THE OPPORTUNITY

The Education Trust–West seeks a Senior Educator Engagement Associate to advance the organization’s ambitious agenda to expose and eradicate injustices and inequities in California schools, colleges, and systems of education. Reporting to the Director of Educator Engagement, this position will support the team’s partnerships with Local Education Agencies (LEA), college campuses, and institutions. This person will help to inform, focus, and lead research, policy analysis, and practice, with a focus on supporting research-based practices for advancing equity and educational justice for students of color, students from low-income households, and Emergent Bilingual students (English learners).

The term for this position is 18 months, with the potential for an extension. Due to COVID-19, all employees are currently working remotely. Once the organization returns to the office, this position will have the choice to work from Ed Trust-West’s Oakland, Sacramento, or Los Angeles offices. This position may require some travel.

MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES

Serving as a content expert.

The successful candidate will be strategic and forward-thinking, bringing institutional experience, in addition to expertise in one or more of the following priority areas:

• STEM Education

• Systemic Change in Complex Systems

• Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Supporting the development of trusting partnerships with key stakeholders in the field.

In response to the needs from the field, and in collaboration with the Director and Associate Director of Educator Engagement, the Senior Associate will help lead Ed Trust-West’s engagements with educators and build the capacity of educators to lead for equity and to analyze data and research by highlighting:

• Inequities in opportunity (that can be paired with policy recommendations at the statewide and local levels to make the case for change.)

• Best practices/bright spots that help us understand what success looks like, why we see success, and how it can be replicated.

• Voices and experiences of students, families, educators of color, and students and families from low-income backgrounds.

These partnerships will align with, support, and inform Ed Trust-West's policy and research agendas.

Supporting research and facilitated engagements with educators.

The Senior Associate will help to lead and carry out engagements with partners, including schools, districts, county offices of education, institutions of higher education, and other educational organizations, through the following responsibilities:

• Implement a study design including data collection, analysis, and a communication strategy inclusive of visual representation of results.

• Oversee data collection and analysis, including publishing of results.

• Facilitate large teams of educators, using equity-focused practices, to establish safe, productive, and collaborative environments for engaging in difficult conversations related to individual and systemic inequities and systems change.

• Work collaboratively with other members of the Research and Policy Analysis team, and other aligned organizations, to ensure integrated work that helps advance Ed Trust–West’s P-16 advocacy agenda.

Contributing to The Ed Trust–West‘s P-16 research and policy agenda.

With support from the Director and Associate Director, advise on Ed Trust–West’s P-16 research and policy agenda, with an eye toward responsiveness of the needs of the field and “usability” for educators. This will support the organization’s statewide, regional, and local policy and educator engagement advocacy, and will include the following responsibilities:

• Present research, findings, and recommendations in compelling, accessible written form (e.g., writing and editing briefs and reports, memoranda, magazine articles, op-eds, blog posts, etc.)

• Deliver presentations to education practitioners, policymakers, advocates, members of the media and others (e.g., testimony, conference presentations, advocacy training sessions, media interviews, videos, etc.)

• Support senior leadership in communicating the research, policy, and practice recommendations by drafting talking points and statements (in collaboration with the Communications team.)

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

We are looking for a combination of the following skills and experience:

• At least five years working in the public education system (a school, district, county office of education, or postsecondary institution.) Experience in a CA school system preferred.

• Experience forging trusting partnerships with educators and advocates in the field.

• Strong analytical, quantitative and/or qualitative research and communications skills, with an emphasis on data analysis and interpretation. Strong interpersonal skills with a desire to work as part of a team and interact with members of the broader education community.

• Ability to deliver effective presentations using visual aids and engaging strategies targeted to diverse and/or lay audiences.

• Strong project management, follow-through skills, and attention to detail, especially under deadline pressures.

• A passionate commitment to expanding opportunities for low-income students and students of color, and a belief that P-16 education in California must do a much better job in serving their students.

• A minimum of a bachelor’s degree; a graduate degree in education preferred.

COMPENSATION

Salary is commensurate with experience and qualifications. The Education Trust—West offers a comprehensive benefits package.

APPLICATION PROCESS

Please provide a cover letter and resume, combined into one document. Your cover letter should describe your background, and relevant experience. In the file name, please write the name of the position you are applying for and your last name: e.g. “Ed Engagement Sr Associate_Wu”

Please submit your application materials at https://bit.ly/3hjk4cf by the PRIORITY DEADLINE on Monday, September 21st. Applications will be accepted/reviewed until position is filled.

The Education Trust-West is committed to creating a diverse, equitable, and inclusive work environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, age, or veteran status.