State Policy and Program Director

Healthy Schools Campaign (HSC) is a national nonprofit organization based in Chicago that works to make schools healthier places for all children. HSC believes that every child should have a chance to learn and thrive, and advocates for policies and practices that support health and learning, including nutritious food, physical activity, health services and clean air at school. HSC focuses on issues affecting students of color and those from under-invested communities, and strives to make equity part of the public dialogue about education and health.

HSC’s key strategies are to empower school stakeholders to be agents of change at the school and district levels, advocate for district, state and federal policies and build the capacity of schools, school districts and educational agencies to better support student health. HSC works with parents, teachers and principals in Chicago Public Schools, and uses the lessons learned from that work to advocate for key policy and practice changes. This work takes place at the intersection of health, education, equity, community and sustainability.

HSC advocates for policies that support all schools in creating the conditions that ensure students have the opportunity to learn and thrive. HSC’s policy work focuses on integrating health and equity into education policy and practice, and building cross sector support and collaboration that supports student health and school wellness. HSC’s policy work currently focuses on expanding school health services, expanding access to healthy school food, promoting healthy and sustainable school campuses and equitable school funding. HSC has a $2 million budget and a staff team of 16.

Position Opportunity and Description

HSC is seeking a full-time State Policy and Program Director. A primary focus of this work is to advance HSC’s agenda to expand Medicaid-funded school health services in Illinois and other states. This work includes providing support to key stakeholders in leveraging existing policy opportunities as well as advocating for a supportive policy environment. The successful candidate will have demonstrated commitment to HSC’s mission, vision and values.

This position reports to the Senior National Program Director. Specific responsibilities include:

• Working with HSC’s leadership and partners to develop and implement a statewide plan to expand Medicaid-funded school health services. This will include managing multi-stakeholder taskforces, and managing a learning collaborative to support school districts as they develop and implement plans for expanding Medicaid-funded school health services.
• Providing programming support to HSC’s Healthy Students, Promising Futures Learning Collaborative.
• Working with HSC’s leadership and partners to develop and implement an Illinois education policy agenda with health and equity at the center. This agenda will focus on issues including investment in healthy and green school campuses, expanding health services, healthy food and increased and equitable school funding.
• Representing HSC by participating in advocacy coalitions and other allied efforts, particularly in Illinois.
• Working with HSC’s national and Chicago teams to ensure integration of strategies and activities across the organization.
• Assisting in developing and implementing strategies to effectively communicate the work of the organization and raise HSC’s profile and policy agenda in the media.
• Contributing to the implementation of fundraising strategies to support and expand this work.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required, Master’s degree preferred, with a minimum of 5+ years of relevant post-college work experience.
• An understanding of school-based healthcare delivery systems or Medicaid is a must.
• Success engaging stakeholders at a statewide or city-wide level, preferably in Illinois and/or Chicago. Experience working with school stakeholders and school-based health providers is a plus.
• Ability to effectively represent HSC to external organizations and individuals, including leading meetings, delivering presentations and speeches, and organizing and leading coalitions.
• Very strong writing skills and demonstrated experience articulating complex policy concepts or plans to a variety of audiences.
• Ability to build relationships with public officials and their staff. Existing working relationships in Illinois and/or Chicago are a plus.
• Ability to research and analyze policy proposals and regulations and make recommendations based on analysis.
• Ability to manage multiple projects of varying types and durations.
• Excellent communication skills, with strong ability to effectively build consensus among multiple stakeholders.
• Strong technology skills and experience using Google products and the Microsoft Suite in a collaborative work setting.

Additional Requirements

The State Policy and Program Director must be based in or near Chicago where the HSC office is located; the HSC office is currently closed, so applicants must have a functioning home office space for effective virtual work through at least the summer of 2021.

• This position will require frequent travel throughout Illinois. Must be a licensed driver.
• This position will require working some nights and weekends.
• This position requires some meeting and event setup and support.
• Applicants must be willing to register as a lobbyist and comply with all requirements as required by law.

Compensation

The salary range for this position is $60,000 to $70,000 depending on experience. Generous benefit package includes employer-paid medical, dental and disability insurance, 6% employer matching contribution to a retirement plan after one year of employment and paid vacation and sick leave.

To Apply

HSC is committed to equal opportunity and nondiscrimination and does not discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity, color, national origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, disability or veteran status. HSC strongly encourages Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC), women, LGBTQIA+ people and members of other marginalized communities to apply.

Please respond to this opportunity by May 14 with the following documents and send to state-policy-director@healthyschoolscampaign.org. Please put your full name in the subject line.

• Resume and cover letter that includes how you have centered racial equality in your policy and advocacy work
• Provide a sample how you engaged stakeholders around a school health policy or implementation effort that you directed or were a key player that you feel is relevant to the work you would be doing at HSC
• Three references

No phone calls please. The application deadline is 11:59 pm on May 14, 2021.

https://healthyschoolscampaign.org/about/work-with-us/state-policy-director/