Manager, K-12 State Policy & Implementation Strategy
ROLE: Manager, K-12 State Policy& Implementation Strategy
LOCATION: Remote (U.S.)
POSITION TYPE: Exempt, Full-time
TRAVEL REQUIREMENT: 15%
START DATE: December 02, 2026
REPORTS TO: Vice President, K-12 Policy
ROLE OVERVIEW
Democrats for Education Reform (DFER) is seeking a Senior Manager, State Policy & Implementation Strategy to lead our state policy agenda and translate that policy into practice through playbooks, frameworks, and direct engagement. This role is built around three core strengths: substantive state policy experience, ideally including time inside a state Department of Education, the ability to design and enable policy for state-level implementation, and qualitative research skills that ground policy recommendations in the perspectives of practitioners, families, and policymakers themselves.
You will:
- Own and advance the organization’s state policy agenda, including translating and designing policy to advance the organization's education reform agenda.
- Develop playbooks, toolkits, and guidance documents that help state legislators and agency staff design and adopt effective K-12 policy.
- Conduct targeted qualitative research — interviews, focus groups, and stakeholder conversations — to inform and strengthen policy recommendations.
- Support the organization’s initiatives to engage governors, gubernatorial candidates, and state leaders in advancing bold education r
