Manager, K-12 State Policy

• 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 reforms aligned with our ambitious and bold policy agenda that centers innovation, accountability, and choice..
• WHO WE ARE
• Democrats for Education Reform (DFER) is a national political organization that supports elected Democrats and candidates for office who seek to expand policies and practices that work well for America’s students and confront those that do not. We prioritize students and families, especially low-income students and students of color who should be better served by our country’s public education system.
• DFER partner Education Reform Now Advocacy (ERNA) is an advocacy group that advances education reform measures through empowering community leaders to support our legislative and political advocacy work. ERNA keeps constant pressure on legislators to champion high-quality public education.
• DFER partner Education Reform Now (ERN) is a nonpartisan think tank that promotes increased resources and innovative reforms in K-12 public education, particularly for students of color and students from low-income families.

WHAT WE DO

• 1. Support for Forward-Thinking Education Leaders — In an approach that is markedly different from our peers and partners in the field, DFER engages directly with candidates and elected officials to empower them to advocate for education policies that focus foremost on serving students. Our partner organization, Education Reform Now, does work that involves policy research, analysis and education that helps policy makers at all levels understand complex education issues and make informed decisions.
• 2. Informing the Education Debate — Our coalition work reflects the breadth of our policy priorities. We work collaboratively with organizations and our community networks to create an education system that serves and is held accountable to all students and families.
• 3. Targeted Interventions and Rapid Response — DFER’s reach, from the most local district relationships to state and federal policymakers, enables us to respond quickly to the changing landscape and policy trends. Activities vary significantly from project to project and may include training, policy analysis, public engagement, electoral and issue advocacy, and policy guidance for elected officials and local advocates.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• State Policy Leadership
• Develop and advance the organization’s state policy agenda focusing primarily on executive actions and state DOE responsibilities across our innovation, accountability, and choice priorities.
• Monitor and assess state legislation, regulations, and State Board of Education actions relevant to K-12 education policy across DFER's priority states.
• Work closely with state legislators and their staff, state Department of Education officials, and allied education advocacy organizations to protect and advance state priorities.
• Policy Design & Enablement
• Develop playbooks, frameworks, and guidance documents that help state agency leaders and legislators design and adopt effective policy, with a focus on strategy and design rather than direct implementation support.
• Partner with implementation and monitoring experts to translate policy frameworks into actionable guidance for policymakers and practitioners.
• Provide support to state legislative offices and agency leaders navigating relevant policy proposals.
• Qualitative Research
• Design and conduct qualitative research — interview protocols, focus groups, and structured stakeholder conversations — to surface practitioner, family, and policymaker perspectives.
• Summarize and synthesize qualitative findings into clear, actionable insights for internal strategy and external-facing products.
• Use qualitative findings to strengthen the credibility and real-world grounding of the organization’s policy positions.
• Collaboration & Representation
• Partner with the programs, legislative advocacy, and federal policy teams to ensure state strategy is coordinated with federal priorities and pillar-specific work.
• Represent the organization at conferences, coalition meetings, and with state legislators and agency officials.

Requirements

• The ideal candidate will possess the following qualifications and skills: 5-7 years of experience in education policy; time working inside a state Department of Education office is ideal, though experience at a state legislature, think tank, or advocacy organization is welcome.
• Demonstrated experience translating policy into practical guidance for policymakers — e.g., developing playbooks, frameworks, or toolkits — rather than direct on-the-ground implementation support.
• Experience with qualitative research methods, including designing interview protocols, conducting interviews or focus groups, and synthesizing findings into clear conclusions. This is a valued, secondary skill set relative to state policy expertise.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to translate complex state policy into accessible guidance for policymakers, advocates, and other audiences.
• Strong project management skills, with the ability to manage multiple concurrent state policy workstreams independently.
• Federal policy exposure is a plus but not required; the Vice President, K-12 Policy leads most federal-level engagement.
• A postgraduate degree in public policy, education, or a related field is preferred but not required for candidates with a strong record of experience.