DC Policy Director

Organizational Overview

The barriers to college completion are complex and intertwined. No one educator, department, institution, or state can solve them. Without a simultaneous and intersectional approach, those barriers will continue to rob all of us—educators, advocates, and students alike—of the life-changing benefits of a complete college journey.

Complete College America (CCA) builds movements for scaled change and transforms institutions. Since its founding in 2009, CCA has paired bold, innovative thinking with practical actions that colleges and policymakers can implement across every level of higher education. CCA’s work centers on researching and testing education reforms, providing coaching and support, and advocating for change. Across these areas, CCA uses data to identify barriers and design successful strategies; aligns policy, perspective, and practice so complex systems operate effectively; connects experts to amplify their insights; and builds shared accountability. The organization is at the center of the broad CCA Alliance, which is driving change that works for every leader, every campus, and every system.  

Location: Complete College America’s headquarters is in Indianapolis, Indiana. This position is a remote position requiring approximately 20% travel. The successful candidate must be able and willing to work flexible hours, including evenings and weekends. Travel time may vary depending on assigned projects and organizational needs. Although a remote position, relocation requires approval from the Vice President for Organizational Development and Operations due to implications associated with benefits and compensation. 

Position Summary:

Complete College America seeks an energetic, strategic, and collaborative leader to develop and promote policy that assists students in graduating on-time from two-year and four-year colleges, and that closes institutional performance gaps by race/ethnicity, generation status, gender, and household income background. The candidate will demonstrate expertise in policy levers at the institutional, state, and federal levels and will be responsible for the direction of policy initiatives.

Based in Washington, D.C., the selected Policy Director will design and implement policy tracking processes to highlight the extent to which CCA student success reforms take hold per-college/-system/-state, as well as nationally. Excellent written and oral communication skills are paramount for this role, as the selected candidate must be able to translate best practices and quantitative evidence into compelling, effective policy that advances college attainment efforts. The Policy Director will also be responsible for leading and mentoring policy leaders across our Alliance, ensuring that our partners execute policy strategy effectively and collaboratively.

To succeed in this position, an individual must possess strong leadership and project management skills, be able to prioritize and balance tasks, and employ a team-based approach to executing strategy. The ideal candidate will have a proven record of driving policy change and fostering a culture of collaboration and innovation within their team.

Responsibilities

• Lead research, analysis, and evaluation of existing institutional, state, accreditor, and federal policies applicable to CCA reform efforts, with a focus on improving student success and closing equity gaps in postsecondary attainment rates.

• Oversee and manage processes for developing, implementing, and evaluating policy initiatives, including coordinating the creation of reports, project management requirements, and contributing to seminal CCA publications.

• Collaborate with Complete College America Alliance Policy Leads to build buy-in and/or co-author policy recommendations that align with national trends and address individual Alliance member's specific political contexts.

• Design and establish knowledge management processes for tracking and reporting on policy developments across the country.

• Prepare and present policy agenda documentation, ensuring alignment with CCA's strategic goals and objectives.

• Engage with the CCA Policy Advisory Council, CCA Fellows, and other affiliates – as well as with D.C.-based partners – to incorporate diverse perspectives and input into the CCA policy agenda.

• Partner with Alliance leads and other CCA staff on reports and publications that highlight national trends shaping student success and college completion efforts.

• Articulate and communicate policy recommendations effectively, in both presentation and documentation, for various audiences and stakeholders.

• Oversee the generation of project reports for funders, senior organizational leadership, and the CCA Board of Directors, ensuring accuracy and timeliness.

• Perform other duties as assigned, demonstrating adaptability and initiative in addressing the evolving needs of the organization.

Job Qualifications 

• A minimum of three years of experience in policy construction, analysis, and reporting.

• A firm commitment to equity in the workplace and to the achievement of equitable outcomes in student success and college credential attainment.

• Ability to articulate complex higher education issues in a manner that can be understood by policy leaders, student success practitioners, and diverse stakeholders.

• Competency in collecting, merging, and analyzing data from disparate sources and systems.

• Strong leadership and interpersonal skills, with a demonstrated ability to build consensus and drive change.

• Excellent written and oral communication skills, with experience presenting to various audiences.

• Prior professional experience in the higher education sector, with a focus on policy development and implementation, preferred.

• A Master's degree is required, Public Policy or Education preferred

• Residence in Washington, D.C., or willingness to relocate.

Application Process

• Submit resume and cover letter via Bamboo Link: 

• Applications will be reviewed, as they are received, until an ideal candidate is identified. For questions, please contact jobs@completecollege.org  

• Applications deadline:  February 28, 2025  

Salary

The salary range is $90-110K and is commensurate with relevant educational background and professional expertise.

Physical Demands

The position requires little physical effort. However, during an event, the employee may have to lift boxes with meeting supplies and documents for distribution.

Complete College America is committed to providing a safe and secure environment for employees, students, visitors, and stakeholders. As part of this effort, a criminal records check is a condition of employment at Complete College America.

Complete College America is an equal employment opportunity/affirmative action employer.

Salary : $90,000 - $110,000