Use your superior communications and leadership skills to drive key initiatives that put a spotlight on Bellwether’s services and impact.

Bellwether has an immediate opening for a Director of Communications & Marketing who will manage the promotion and distribution of all public-facing work, implement strategies that shine a spotlight on our services and impact, and develop and maintain internal systems to support our communications and marketing work. We are a remote-first team and our work is national in scope, so our flexible working style allows our professionals to work where they have built their lives, which means Bellwether can hire the best person for each role, regardless of geography. This role can be based anywhere in the United States. Up to approximately 10% travel may be required.

About Bellwether 

We are a national nonprofit that exists to transform education to ensure that systemically marginalized young people achieve outcomes that lead to fulfilling lives and flourishing communities. We work hand-in-hand with a diverse range of education organizations to accelerate their impact, inform and influence policy and program design, and share what we learn along the way.

Our External Relations (XR) teamleads Bellwether’s communications, marketing, editorial, and development work, ensuring that the organization’s work reaches and resonates with key audiences and creating new opportunities for potential funders and clients to partner with us.

Responsibilities

The Director of Communications & Marketing is a senior-level position on the XR team, reporting to Senior Director of External Relations and XR Team Leader Andy Jacob. 

The Director of Communications & Marketing will work collaboratively across the organization with our Policy and Evaluation and Strategic Advising practices to ensure the successful distribution and promotion of public-facing work, and to identify and execute opportunities to highlight Bellwether’s services and impact — embedding themselves into project workstreams as necessary to ensure the communications plan for each project is aligned to organizational strategy. The Director of Communications & Marketing is also a key member of the XR Leadership team. In this position, you should expect to: 

Drive high-impact communications and marketing.

• Develop and implement release strategies for Bellwether’s expert-developed publications, resources, and commentary pieces — including coordinating outreach efforts to target audiences including media, policymakers, funders, current and prospective clients, and other stakeholders.
• Develop and implement marketing strategies that highlight Bellwether’s services and impact and strengthen the organization’s brand with key audiences, including managing Bellwether’s presence at conferences and other external events.
• Build and maintain relationships with key education journalists. 
• Draft media advisories, press releases, and talking points about Bellwether’s work. 
• Serve as a development lead and supervisor to the Senior Digital Marketing Associate.

Shape Bellwether’s communications and marketing strategy. 

• Provide critical input into shaping and articulating Bellwether’s competitive advantage and brand.
• Actively identify opportunities to build and diversify Bellwether’s audiences.
• Help us build awareness of new and unfamiliar areas of communications and marketing and recommend ways we can integrate new approaches into our external relations work.

Build and maintain XR team systems. 

• Define and refine metrics to track and manage to help us evaluate the impact of our work.
• Refine and, where necessary, build new systems to codify best practices across our communications and marketing work and ensure consistent execution of key projects.

Contribute to leadership of the XR team. 

• Help set and drive team-wide strategies to build and sustain a best-in-class external relations operation that advances Bellwether’s mission and impact.

Qualifications

Excited? We are, too. You should apply if you have:

• A passion for and commitment to transforming education to ensure systemically marginalized young people achieve outcomes that lead to fulfilling lives and flourishing communities in the United States. 
• A commitment to Bellwether’s core values, including diversity, equity, and inclusion as well as viewpoint diversity.
• At least five to seven years of demonstrated professional experience in strategic communications and marketing. 
• A demonstrated track record of implementing high-impact communications and marketing strategies in the public, private, and/or nonprofit sectors. 
• A track record as a people manager and demonstrated success in managing and supporting the development of team members in a direct reporting relationship.
• Strong skills in written communication, editing, and interpersonal communication. 
• Fluency with social media platforms and blogs. 
• Ability to think creatively and innovatively about opportunities to expand the reach of our work. 
• Entrepreneurial work style and willingness to proactively identify needs and take on projects. 
• A demonstrated appreciation for diverse backgrounds and perspectives and the value that various kinds of diversity bring to communications work. 
• Ability to manage multiple projects to timely and effective execution. 
• Ability to give and get feedback; to manage up and laterally, as needed; and to execute projects successfully without constant supervision. 
• A well-rounded interpersonal skill set and the capacity to work well both independently and in a team environment. 
• A high attention to detail and a commitment to producing the highest-quality work. 

The following traits/skills are preferred but not required: 

• A strong personal network of media connections in policy, education, trade, and/or mainstream press. 
• Experience with web-based content management systems (including Drupal and WordPress) and CRMs (including Salesforce). 
• Email marketing and list-building experience. 
• Basic knowledge of HTML and CSS. 

Compensation

The base salary range for this role for an incoming team member is $121,750-$130,875 annually. While the final offer amount will be determined by multiple factors — including previous experience and content knowledge — and may vary from the listed range, Bellwether is committed to transparency, and all offers are aligned with our compensation philosophy.

Bellwether provides an attractive benefits package that includes a performance bonus based on individual and organizational success, health care coverage, and a 401(k) plan with an employer-matching contribution policy.

To Apply

Use your application materials (letter of interest, resume, and two short writing samples of one to three pages) to show us how you have the skills we listed or why the skills you have are the ones we need. We will review applications as we receive them until the position is filled. Note: Applicants must be authorized to work for ANY employer in the United States. We are unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment visa at this time.

Bellwether is committed to building a team that reflects the varied backgrounds and experiences of the students we seek to serve. It is important to us that you use your application materials to clearly highlight ways in which your background and experiences align with Bellwether’s core values, including our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Bellwether is committed to providing equal opportunities. It is our policy to ensure that all individuals with whom we are in contact are not discriminated against on the basis of age, race, ethnicity, color, disability, gender identity, gender expression, political viewpoint, marital status, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, or veteran status. Further, as described above, Bellwether is committed to building a diverse team and strongly encourages individuals from all backgrounds to apply.

Use your expertise in empirical research and success in leading diverse, mission-oriented teams to strengthen the ability of programs and organizations working to eliminate opportunity gaps for students across the country to leverage evidence to support continuous improvement and achieve outstanding results.

We are seeking a Senior Associate Partner, Evaluation to leverage their expertise in evaluation to promote equity and excellence in opportunities and outcomes for all students. In addition to providing day-to-day leadership and management of Evaluation projects and teams, the Senior Associate Partner will bring a “business owner” mindset to the organization.

Our work spans early childhood through postsecondary education and the transition to the workforce, aiming to improve access, opportunities, and outcomes for young people at every stage of their educational journey. 

We are a remote-first team, and our work is national in scope, which means this role can be based anywhere in the United States. This enables us to hire the best person for the role, regardless of geography. For this role, we are specifically seeking a candidate who brings previous evaluation experience from within the education sector. Travel up to approximately 20% to 30% may be required. 

About Bellwether 

We are a national nonprofit that exists to transform education to ensure that systemically marginalized young people achieve outcomes that lead to fulfilling lives and flourishing communities. We work hand-in-hand with a diverse range of education organizations to accelerate their impact, inform and influence policy and program design, and share what we learn along the way. 

Our Evaluation team is one arm of Bellwether’s broader Policy and Evaluation (P&E) practice. The P&E team provides high-quality analysis, advising, evaluation, and support services to help organizations and leaders at every level of the system better understand how policies affect and inform their work, so they can create better results for students, especially those with the least access to opportunities. Our Evaluation team brings a wide range of training, coursework, and experience in designing, conducting, and supporting research at all levels of the ESSA evidence pyramid (e.g., experimental, quasi-experimental, correlational, and descriptive). We typically deploy a mixed-methods approach to our designs to customize each project to the client and the questions they seek to answer. Our evaluation assignments tend to cluster into the following categories: program evaluation, survey research, and evaluation capacity-building.

Our team members have experience as evaluators, analysts, and researchers at the federal, state, and local levels and expertise spanning a wide variety of issues. Bellwether staff members have served in roles at the White House, the U.S. Department of Education, and state education agencies, and as senior leaders in school districts and charter networks. Additionally, because our team includes many former teachers and school leaders, we have seen firsthand how policy and policy implementation shape school systems all the way down to the classroom level.

Responsibilities

This role will include the following key responsibilities:

Team Leadership

• Foster a culture that supports our core values, especially our evaluation equity commitments* and viewpoint diversity. 
• Lead and manage project teams as they work through the technical and consultative aspects of evaluation work, including design and execution of statistical analysis, research, and evaluation capacity-building, and ensure that deliverables reflect Bellwether’s standards for rigor and quality.
• Manage complex Evaluation projects, leveraging strong project management skills to successful outcomes, while ensuring a common understanding of goals, objectives, and processes across project teams and the client. 
• Supervise, manage, and develop the P&E team’s managers and analysts to ensure the strong functioning of project teams.
• Coach and mentor staff by setting clear and consistent expectations that encourage all team members to embody situational leadership, give and receive feedback regularly, protect space for feedback, and align goals and opportunities to their unique strengths and opportunities for growth.

Client Development, Business Development, and Network Cultivation

• Work with other members of Bellwether’s leadership teams on client development efforts, eventually increasing self-directed business development.
• Tell Bellwether’s story in compelling ways, describing who we are, what makes us unique, and why our work is meaningful to organizations and the field.
• Initiate, cultivate, and extend strategic relationships, with an emphasis on developing new partnerships.
• Leverage and expand your personal network with senior executives, funders, and other leaders in the field at the local, state, and federal levels (as appropriate to the focus of the projects you lead). 
• Represent Bellwether externally (as appropriate to your expertise), including but not limited to speaking at conferences, participating on panels, and writing articles and opinion pieces.

Client and Funder Engagement

• Build, sustain, and cultivate strong relationships with our clients and funders in partnership with project team members.
• Serve as a trusted resource and adviser, helping our clients solve research and evaluation challenges and build their internal evaluative capacity.
• Lead iterative processes that enable joint problem-solving and inclusive decision-making with clients and teams.
• Invest in cultural competence and equitable evaluation, supporting clients and colleagues to understand community context and key issues important to stakeholders, with a focus on race, ethnicity, and socioeconomic issues that play an especially acute role in the education sector and, consequently, our work.
• Ensure that clients’ needs are met from the beginning to the end of each engagement and intervene if needed to course-correct during a project.
• Build and sustain strong relationships in the philanthropic sector, particularly as relevant to your areas of focus, in alignment with Bellwether’s development strategy and in collaboration with other organizational leaders.

Leadership Capacity

• Serve as a member of the Bellwether leadership team, supporting the development of high-impact business strategies and their implementation, with a focus on exceptional quality.
• Guide the strategic direction of the Policy and Evaluation practice area, including participating in annual planning and goal setting, leading critical internal initiatives, and engaging in hiring and onboarding to build a diverse team.
• Serve as a steward of the organization’s culture and shared values.

Qualifications

Bellwether is a good fit for professionals who have a strong personal drive and motivation and are resourceful, responsible, tenacious, independent, and self-confident. 

You will bring the following skills and mindsets to this role: 

Research and Evaluation Wonk

• You apply cutting-edge methodological approaches to evaluating changes throughout complex and diverse organizations within the education sector. 
• You leverage a wide range of quantitative data analytic techniques, including propensity score matching, hierarchical linear modeling (HLM), quasi-experimental and/or experimental designs, and capability using statistical software (e.g., R, Stata, SPSS) to perform analyses.
• You bring experience in qualitative data analysis and reporting, as well as capability using software such as ATLAS.ti to analyze qualitative data.
• You have expertise in data visualization and dashboarding.
• You have supported organizations in building their capacity for evaluation to drive systems change and improvement.

Strategic Thinker and Project Manager

• You enjoy developing innovative solutions to seemingly intractable problems.
• You take an empirical approach, and you like to roll up your sleeves and work hard to understand what the evidence and data tell you about the current state of your clients’ work or a challenge in the field.
• You are a self-starter who likes to have several things going on at once. You can balance competing priorities, manage up to senior leaders, and juggle multiple timelines without sacrificing the quality of a deliverable.  
• You are a nuanced thinker, able to grapple with complexity, quickly take in new information, and adjust your perspective in response to evidence.
• You are a learner first, striving to fully understand clients’ issues, seeking new areas in the field, and keeping abreast of challenges that people are trying to solve. You are on a constant journey to expand your knowledge base.
• You demonstrate excellent execution and project management skills, including acute attention to detail, and you can balance overarching goals with detailed steps to achieve your objectives.

Extraordinary Influencer and Connector

• You connect purposefully and intentionally with others as an executive and leader. You express yourself with clarity, respect, and awareness in conversations and interactions with others.
• You build trust and credibility through transparency and authenticity in your communications with staff and clients.
• You listen compassionately and with an open mind — seeking to fully understand clients’ needs before recommending any direction forward.
• Your focus on cultivating relationships has been consistent at every stage of your leadership journey. You recognize the power and exponential nature of connections.

Inclusive and Reflective Leader

• You model cultural fluency and sensitivity to establish a culture and mindset of growth to help meet the needs of diverse staff and clients.
• Either through personal experience or empathy, you solicit, elevate, understand, and value the perspectives of a wide variety of stakeholders.
• You pursue and build authentic relationships across lines of difference (race, age, political viewpoint, socioeconomic background, gender identity, etc.) through self-reflection and empathy.
• You are always reflecting on your work and development as a leader, assessing your strengths and growth areas and openly seeking feedback.
• You are confident in your ability to address matters of equity, race, and bias in decision-making with clarity, confidence, openness, empathy, situational awareness, and an understanding of historical context.

Culture Keeper

• As a leader, your words and actions are consistent. You demonstrate trust in and respect for others no matter what. You understand deeply that trust must be earned.
• You keep confidences, accept responsibility, maintain transparency, and lead by example.
• You astutely assess team strengths and challenges and foster a working environment where all voices are valued, team members’ strengths are elevated, and team members can enjoy work while making a positive impact.
• You are known for your impeccable work ethic, accountability, and follow-through.

Excited? We are too. You should apply if you have:

• Experience with the challenges and disparities in pre-K to postsecondary education in the United States, especially regarding students denied opportunities based on race, ethnicity, or income. Candidates with specific expertise in quantitative methodologies are particularly encouraged to apply. 
• A commitment to Bellwether’s core values, including diversity, equity, and inclusion as well as viewpoint diversity. Experience with equitable evaluation approaches is strongly preferred, in keeping with our evaluation equity commitments.*
• Experience with and commitment to building capacity for evaluation within organizations to drive systems change and improvement, preferably within the education sector.
• At least seven years of professional experience in which you designed and implemented mixed-methods evaluation and research studies, including experimental and/or quasi-experimental studies and work that leveraged quantitative data analysis techniques.
• A proven ability to effectively lead and motivate diverse teams to achieve collective goals, fostering an inclusive and collaborative work environment.
• Client-facing experience in an advising or consulting role, ideally within the education, philanthropy, or nonprofit sectors.
• Experience translating recommendations into action, well-developed persuasion skills, and a sense of comfort working with others across lines of difference.
• A strong network of relationships with senior executives of education organizations, funders, and/or policymakers in education at the local, state, and federal levels. Bonus points for experience in business or client development.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to tailor communication to various stakeholders’ needs.
• The ability to model a high degree of reflection and self-awareness, build trusted relationships across lines of difference and positional power, and seek and respond to perspectives different from your own.
• A highly self-motivated work style and a willingness to proactively take on a leadership role on project teams and within the organization.
• A learning mindset and the ability to seek and synthesize new information.

Compensation

The salary range for this role is $165,250 to $177,625 annually, with the opportunity for compensation to increase over time commensurate with performance. While the final offer amount will be determined by multiple factors — including previous experience and content knowledge — and may vary from the stated range, Bellwether is committed to transparency, and all offers align with our compensation philosophy.

Bellwether provides competitive compensation and an attractive benefits package that includes a performance bonus based on individual and firm success, health care coverage, and a 401(k) plan with matching employer contributions.

To Apply

Use your online application — a custom letter of interest and a current resume — to show us you have the skills listed here or why the skills you have are the ones we actually need. Your letter of interest should be addressed to Melissa Steel King, Partner and Team Lead for the Evaluation practice, and should speak to how your experience and approach to work align with our evaluation equity commitments.* This role has a priority application deadline of July 24, 2024. While we prioritize applications received on or before that date, we will review applications as we receive them until the position is filled. Note: Applicants must be authorized to work for ANY employer in the United States. We are unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment visa at this time.

Bellwether is committed to building a team that reflects the varied backgrounds and experiences of the students we seek to serve. It is important to us that you use your application materials to clearly highlight ways in which your background and experience align with Bellwether’s core values, including our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion as well as viewpoint diversity.

Bellwether is committed to providing equal opportunities. It is our policy to ensure that all individuals with whom we are in contact are not discriminated against based on age, race, ethnicity, color, disability, gender identity, gender expression, political viewpoint, marital status, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, or veteran status. Further, as described above, Bellwether is committed to building a diverse team and strongly encourages individuals from all backgrounds to apply.

*Bellwether’s Evaluation Equity Commitments 

Too often, evaluation perpetuates systemic inequity. Our intention is to leverage evaluation as a tool in service of equity.

We have committed to centering equity in every part of our work, including how we show up as individuals and as a team, how we design and do our work, and how we interact with clients, communities, and the field. Our commitments to this end include: 

• Identify and interrupt bias. We consciously reflect on how our individual and team identities intersect with our work. We build structured opportunities for identifying (and, when necessary, interrupting) bias and the ways our beliefs, mindsets, and behavior may help or harm our pursuit of equity.
• Acknowledge power and positionality.We acknowledge that evaluation is not a neutral activity and understand that we hold a position of power as evaluators. We explicitly name the assumptions, values, and context in which our perspectives and recommendations are grounded. We cultivate decision-making practices that prioritize inclusivity and equity and look for opportunities to share power and address power imbalances.
• Use inclusive methods and approaches.We prioritize the use of methods and approaches that are responsive to community contexts and incorporate expanded definitions of truth, knowledge, and evidence. We elevate and center the perspectives and experiences of systemically marginalized individuals and communities in our research, analysis, insights, and recommendations.
• Acknowledge the past, understand the present, and design for the future.We help our partners and clients examine how past and present systemic drivers of inequity at the local and national level affect their strategy and results. We also support them in leveraging equitable evaluation to reimagine systems and structures in ways that accelerate their impact.

Use your human resources operations knowledge to design and lead initiatives that support the Bellwether team and enhance organizational efficiency, compliance, and impact.

The Director of Human Resources Operations will be a member of the Core leadership team, overseeing multiple human resources (HR) functions and promoting positive experiences throughout the employee life cycle. This role will develop and manage an HR strategy, programs, processes, and practices that enhance team operations. The Core team includes finance, business systems, operations, team and culture, and human resources. Its purpose is to ensure that Bellwether’s program areas have the tools and services needed to serve our client partners and ultimately achieve Bellwether’s mission. Our work is national in scope, so our flexible working style allows our professionals to work where they have built their lives, which means Bellwether can hire the best person for each role, regardless of geography. This role can be based anywhere in the United States. Up to approximately 15% travel may be required. 

About Bellwether

We are a national nonprofit that exists to transform education to ensure systemically marginalized young people achieve outcomes that lead to fulfilling lives and flourishing communities. We work hand in hand with education leaders and organizations to accelerate their impact, inform and influence policy and program design, and share what we learn along the way.

Our Core team ensures that Bellwether is a sustainable, inclusive organization where staff are supported to do their best and most impactful work.

Our External Relations team develops and implements strategy for Bellwether’s fundraising and communications and leads Bellwether’s external relations work.

Our Policy and Evaluation practice conducts analyses that inform leaders, organizations, and the broader field on ways to improve their work for America’s underserved students. We produce quantitative and qualitative analyses of contemporary education issues, conduct traditional and innovative evaluations, and generate new ideas and solutions for the sector. We offer recommendations to improve outcomes for underserved youth across the P-20 landscape informed by rigorous analytical methods; our extensive understanding of the local, state, and federal policy landscape; and our experience working with a wide range of educational and early childhood systems, leaders, and practitioners.

Our Strategic Advising practice is deeply experienced in supporting educational organizations — districts, states, charters, nonprofits, and foundations — to develop ambitious but achievable plans to increase their impact on underserved students. We advise leaders and organizations on their most pressing strategic and operational issues. Our work ranges from supporting entrepreneurs through business plan development to partnering with established organizations on growth and performance improvement to assessing new opportunities for impact as the field evolves. We develop highly actionable plans that leadership teams own and run with.

About the Position

This position will oversee the human resources operations functions pertaining to policies, benefits, compensation, and payroll, ensuring compliance with state and federal regulations. The Director will work in collaboration with the Core team leaders at both the strategic and tactical levels, creating a vision for human resources and realizing that vision in hands-on ways. The Director of Human Resources (HR) Operations will report to the Chief Operating Officer.

The Director of Human Resources Operations’ primary responsibilities and duties will be as follows. 

HR Strategy and Management

• Recommend and collaborate with senior leaders to develop and implement HR strategies, initiatives, and goals aligned with the Bellwether strategic plan and core values.
• Develop and implement comprehensive total rewards strategies and programs to attract, retain, and motivate top talent.
• Stay abreast of HR trends, innovations, and best practices. 
• Audit existing HR policies and conduct research, analysis, and benchmarking to develop recommendations and inform decisions on HR trends, including issues such as employment policies, compensation, and benefit costs. 
• Use data and analytics to inform HR decisions, measure the effectiveness of HR initiatives, and identify areas for improvement, as well as track and report on relevant metrics.
• Support the continued integration of HR systems with other business systems, such as finance, operations, and customer relationship management (CRM) systems, to ensure seamless data flow and alignment with overall business objectives.

Total Rewards Management

• Design and administer employee wellness policies and benefits programs, including health insurance, retirement plan, and other fringe benefits.
• Evaluate and recommend benefit plan options, negotiate contracts with providers, and monitor program effectiveness.
• Educate employees on available benefits options, facilitate enrollment processes, and address inquiries or concerns related to benefits.

Compliance and Regulatory Affairs

• Develop and implement policies and procedures to ensure compliance with federal, state, and local laws and regulations governing employment practices, compensation, benefits, and payroll.
• Stay abreast of changes in legislation and regulatory requirements, and update HR policies and procedures accordingly.
• Conduct audits and internal reviews to identify compliance gaps and implement corrective actions as necessary.

Employee Relations

• Serve as a trusted adviser to employees and senior leaders on HR-related issues.
• Serve as a resource to employees, managers, and senior leaders on matters related to compensation, benefits, and payroll.
• Collaborate with the Director of Team and Culture to address employee concerns, resolve disputes in a timely and fair manner, and foster a positive work environment. Consult external legal counsel when necessary to address human resources issues.

General Administrative Operations

• Oversee payroll processing activities, ensuring accuracy, timeliness, and compliance with relevant regulations.
• Manage payroll vendors and systems, troubleshoot issues, and implement process improvements as needed.
• Collaborate with Talent Manager, Director of Team and Culture, and Business Systems departments on administrative aspects of employee onboarding and offboarding.
• Provide strong leadership, coaching, and guidance to any direct reports and identify training needs to enhance their skills and capabilities. 

Qualifications

Competitive candidates for this role will demonstrate a passion for our work and content expertise. To be successful, candidates must have strong organizational, problem-solving, client focus, communication, and project management skills. The ideal candidate is a strategic thinker who is eager to build a strong culture and lead with empathy and inclusion. Candidates should also possess the following:

• A passion for and commitment to transforming education to ensure systemically marginalized young people achieve outcomes that lead to fulfilling lives and flourishing communities in the United States.
• An understanding of and commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion and viewpoint diversity.
• Five to seven years of relevant experience and success working in a human resources or operations leadership role in a fully remote organization. 
• A strong knowledge of federal, state, and local laws and regulations governing employment practices, compensation, benefits, and payroll. A deep understanding of HR operations best practices.
• Experience within a complex, virtual nonprofit is essential to success in this role; candidates with a combination of for-profit and nonprofit experience are ideal.
• Excellent attention to detail.
• The ability to work on many projects simultaneously and to manage up and across an organization.
• Prior experience managing and developing staff and managing their career needs, particularly in a virtual environment.
• A well-rounded interpersonal skill set with the capacity to collaborate with diverse stakeholders within the organization, work effectively and collaboratively in a team environment, and facilitate joint problem-solving with the team, including senior leaders.
• Flexibility as a leader who can operate at a highly strategic level but can also perform tactical HR-related responsibilities.
• A highly self-motivated work style and willingness to proactively take on roles within project teams and the organization.
• Comfort with and interest in joining a small, entrepreneurial organization with a flexible working environment.
• The ability to thoughtfully give and receive feedback, and experience in doing so.

Compensation

The base salary range for this role for incoming team members is $130,500-$140,250 annually. While the final offer amount will be determined by multiple factors — including previous experience and content knowledge — and may vary from the listed range, Bellwether is committed to transparency and all offers are aligned with our compensation philosophy.

Bellwether provides an attractive benefits package that includes a performance bonus based on individual and organizational success, health care coverage, and a 401(k) plan with matching employer contributions. 

To Apply

Use your online application (a custom letter of interest and a current résumé) to show us how you’ve got the skills we’ve listed or why the skills you have are the ones we actually need. We’ll review applications as we receive them until the position is filled. Note: Applicants must be authorized to work for ANY employer in the United States. We are unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment visa at this time. 

Bellwether is committed to building a team that reflects the varied backgrounds and experiences of the students we seek to serve. It is important to us that you use your application materials to clearly surface the ways in which your background and experiences align with Bellwether’s core values, including our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion as well as viewpoint diversity.

Bellwether is committed to providing equal opportunities. It is our policy to ensure that all individuals with whom we are in contact are not discriminated against on the basis of age, race, ethnicity, color, disability, gender identity, gender expression, political viewpoint, marital status, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, or veteran status.

Use your ability to develop innovative solutions to seemingly intractable problems, your policy advising skills, and your strong organizational leadership skillsto ensure that young people achieve outcomes that lead to fulfilling lives and flourishing communities. 

We are seeking a Partner, Policyto leverage their expertise in education policy to promote equity and excellence in opportunities and outcomes for all students. In addition to providing day-to-day leadership of Policy projects and teams, the Partner will bring a “business owner” mindset to the organization and support Bellwether’s growth and strategy.

Our work spans early childhood through postsecondary education and the transition to the workforce, aiming to improve access, opportunities, and outcomes for young people at every stage of their educational journey. For this role, we have a strong preference for candidates with expertise and interest in postsecondary Pathways policies and programs, including career and technical education (CTE), work-based learning, college preparation and navigation, and the full range of postsecondary education and training opportunities. However, all qualified applicants will be considered.

We are a remote-first team, and our work is national in scope, which means this role can be based anywhere in the United States. This enables us to hire the best person for the role, regardless of geography. Travel up to approximately 20% to 30% may be required. 

About Bellwether 

We are a national nonprofit that exists to transform education to ensure that systemically marginalized young people achieve outcomes that lead to fulfilling lives and flourishing communities. We work hand-in-hand with a diverse range of education organizations to accelerate their impact, inform and influence policy and program design, and share what we learn along the way. 

Our Policy team is one arm of Bellwether’s broader Policy and Evaluation (P&E) practice. The P&E team provides high-quality analysis, advising, evaluation, and support services to help organizations and leaders at every level of the system better understand how policies affect and inform their work, so they can create better results for students, especially those with the least access to opportunities. Our evidence-driven approach allows us to give our clients clear and unvarnished insights into the development and implementation of policies and how well they are delivering their intended impact. We also publish research, analysis, and recommendations that shape education policy toward improved experiences and outcomes for marginalized students.

Our team members have experience as policymakers, analysts, and advocates at the federal, state, and local levels and expertise spanning a wide variety of issues. Bellwether staff members have served in roles at the White House, the U.S. Department of Education, and state education agencies, and as senior leaders in school districts and charter networks. Additionally, because our team includes many former teachers and school leaders, we have seen firsthand how policy and policy implementation shape school systems all the way down to the classroom level.

Responsibilities

This role will include the following key responsibilities:

Client and Funder Engagement

• Build, sustain, and cultivate strong relationships with our clients and funders in partnership with project team members.
• Serve as a trusted resource and advisor, helping our clients solve policy, organizational, or strategic challenges.
• Lead iterative processes that enable joint problem-solving and inclusive decision-making with clients and teams.
• Ensure that clients’ needs are met from the beginning to the end of each engagement and intervene if needed to course-correct during a project.
• Build and sustain strong relationships in the philanthropic sector, particularly as relevant to your areas of focus, in alignment with Bellwether’s development strategy and in collaboration with other organizational leaders.

Team Leadership

• Foster a culture that supports our core values, including our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion as well as viewpoint diversity. 
• Guide Bellwether teams to help clients achieve outstanding results through rigorous, practical, and tailored research, analysis, and insight-generation processes.
• Supervise, manage, and develop the P&E team’s leaders and managers to ensure strong functioning of project teams, including the coaching, professional development, and mentoring of strong, mission-aligned staff.

Client Development, Fundraising, and Network Cultivation

• Tell Bellwether’s story in compelling ways, describing who we are, what makes us unique, and why our work is meaningful to organizations and the field.
• Collaborate with Bellwether’s partners on client development efforts, eventually increasing self-directed business development.
• Initiate, cultivate, and extend strategic relationships, with an emphasis on developing new partnerships.
• Leverage and expand your personal network with senior executives, funders, and other leaders in the field at the local, state, and federal level (as appropriate to the focus of the projects you lead). 
• Represent Bellwether externally (as appropriate to your expertise), including but not limited to speaking at conferences, participating on panels, and writing articles and opinion pieces.

Senior Leadership

• Serve as a member of the Bellwether partner team, supporting the development of our own high-impact business strategies and their implementation, with a focus on exceptional quality.
• Guide the strategic direction of the Policy and Evaluation practice area, including participating in annual planning and goal setting, leading critical internal initiatives, and engaging in hiring and onboarding to build a diverse team.
• Serve as a steward of the organization’s culture and shared values.

Qualifications

Bellwether is a good fit for professionals who have a strong personal drive and motivation and are resourceful, responsible, tenacious, independent, and self-confident. 

You will bring the following skills to this role: 

Strategic Problem Solver and Learner

• You enjoy developing innovative solutions to seemingly intractable problems.
• You have an empirical approach, and you like to roll up your sleeves and work hard to understand what the evidence and data are telling you about the current state of your clients’ work or a challenge in the field.
• You are a nuanced thinker, able to grapple with complexity, quickly take in new information, and adjust your perspective in response to evidence.
• You are a self-starter who likes to have several things going on at once. You can balance competing priorities.
• You are always reflecting on your work and your development as a leader, assessing your own strengths and growth areas and openly seeking feedback.
• You are a learner first, striving to fully understand clients’ issues, seeking new areas in the field, and keeping abreast of challenges that people are trying to solve. You are on a constant journey to expand your knowledge base.
• You demonstrate excellent execution and leadership skills, including acute attention to detail, and can balance overarching goals with detailed steps to achieve your objectives.

Extraordinary Influencer and Connector

• Connecting purposefully and intentionally with others is clearly a strength in your repertoire of skills as an executive and leader. You express yourself with clarity, respect, and awareness in conversations and interactions with others.
• You build trust and credibility through transparency and authenticity in your communication with staff and clients.
• You listen compassionately and with an open mind — seeking to fully understand clients’ needs before recommending any direction forward.
• Cultivating relationships has been a focus for you at every stage of your leadership journey. You recognize the power and exponential nature of connections.

Inclusive Leader

• You model cultural fluency and sensitivity to establish a culture and mindset of growth to help meet the needs of diverse staff and clients.
• Either through personal experience or empathy, you solicit, elevate, understand, and value the perspectives of a wide variety of stakeholders.
• You pursue and build authentic relationships across lines of difference (race, age, political viewpoint, socioeconomic background, gender identity, etc.) through self-reflection and empathy.
• You are confident addressing matters of equity, race, and bias in decision-making with clarity, confidence, openness, empathy, and situational awareness and an understanding of historical context.

Culture Keeper

• As a leader, your words and actions are consistent. You demonstrate trust in and respect for others no matter what. You understand deeply that trust must be earned.
• You keep confidences, accept responsibility, maintain transparency, and lead by example.
• You astutely assess team strengths and challenges and foster a working environment where all voices are valued, team members’ strengths are elevated, and team members can enjoy work while making a positive impact.
• You are known for your impeccable work ethic, accountability, and follow-through.

Excited? We are too. You should apply if you have:

• Experience with the challenges and disparities in PreK-postsecondary education and workforce readiness in the United States, especially regarding students historically denied opportunities based on race, ethnicity, or income. Candidates with specific expertise in Pathways policies and programs, including career and technical education (CTE), work-based learning, and early postsecondary opportunities, are particularly encouraged to apply.
• At least 15 years of professional experience, including senior leadership experience in an innovative entrepreneurial environment. 
• A commitment to Bellwether’s core values, including diversity, equity, and inclusion as well as viewpoint diversity.
• A commitment to our work of addressing policies and practices that lead to inequitable outcomes for marginalized young people.
• A track record of problem-solving, policymaking, and/or advising, and experience in an executive leadership role (in business, education, philanthropy, or the nonprofit sector). Bonus points for advisory or client services experience.
• Experience translating recommendations into action, well-developed persuasion skills, and a sense of comfort working with others across lines of difference.
• A strong network of relationships with senior executives of education organizations, funders, and/or policymakers in education at the local, state, and federal level. Bonus points for experience in business or client development.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to tailor communication to various stakeholders’ needs.
• The ability to model a high degree of reflection and self-awareness, build trusted relationships across lines of difference and positional power, and seek and respond to perspectives different from your own.
• A highly self-motivated work style and a willingness to proactively take on a leadership role on project teams and within the organization.
• A learning mindset and the ability to seek and synthesize new information.

Compensation

The salary range for this role is $225,000 to $270,000 annually, with performance bonus potential of $35,000+ and the opportunity for compensation to increase over time commensurate with performance. While the final offer amount will be determined by multiple factors — including previous experience and content knowledge — and may vary from the stated range, Bellwether is committed to transparency, and all offers align with our compensation philosophy.

Bellwether provides competitive compensation and an attractive benefits package that includes a performance bonus based on individual and firm success, health care coverage, and a 401(k) plan with matching employer contributions.

To Apply

Use your online application — a custom letter of interest and a current résumé — to show us you have the skills listed here or why the skills you have are the ones we actually need. Your letter of interest should be addressed to Julia deBettencourt, Chief of Staff for the Policy & Evaluation Practice. This role has a priority application deadline of June 7, 2024. While we prioritize applications received on or before that date, we will review applications as we receive them until the position is filled. Note: Applicants must be authorized to work for ANY employer in the United States. We are unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment visa at this time.

Bellwether is committed to building a team that reflects the varied backgrounds and experiences of the students we seek to serve. It is important to us that you use your application materials to clearly highlight ways in which your background and experience align with Bellwether’s core values, including our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion as well as viewpoint diversity.

Bellwether is committed to providing equal opportunities. It is our policy to ensure that all individuals with whom we are in contact are not discriminated against based on age, race, ethnicity, color, disability, gender identity, gender expression, political viewpoint, marital status, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, or veteran status. Further, as described above, Bellwether is committed to building a diverse team and strongly encourages individuals from all backgrounds to apply.