Senior Policy Advisor/Senior Legal and Policy Advisor

Overview

EducationCounsel, LLC (EducationCounsel), in affiliation with Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough LLP (Nelson Mullins), is seeking a Senior Policy Advisor or a Senior Legal and Policy Advisor. EducationCounsel and Nelson Mullins are equal opportunity employers. 

 

EducationCounsel LLC is a mission-driven education organization that works with leading nonprofits, foundations, and policymakers to help significantly improve education opportunities and outcomes for all students. We do this by leveraging policy, strategy, law, and advocacy to help transform education systems, in early learning, K-12, and postsecondary education. We work with partners at the local, state, and federal levels to advance evidence-based innovations and systems-change, with a central focus on advancing equitable opportunity in education. EducationCounsel is affiliated with Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough LLP, a national law firm with a strong focus on public policy, pro bono services, and more. 

  

EducationCounsel is committed to identifying and supporting top talent and fostering a diverse, equitable, and inclusive culture. Our team approach to project impact is based on our belief and experience that diverse teams are more innovative, make better decisions, and achieve better results for communities and clients.  

A Day in the Life

EducationCounsel is seeking a forward-thinking, effective, innovative leader to serve as a Senior Policy Advisor or Senior Legal and Policy Advisor. This is an ideal opportunity for an education leader with strong strategic thinking, relationship management, policy knowledge, research and analysis, writing, project leadership, and facilitation skills to work with the EducationCounsel team, and play an influential role in shaping the future of education in our country. 

  

This critical role will lead projects designed to advance work on education policy toward success for all students, particularly historically marginalized communities, including low-income students and students of color. In addition, this role will provide a unique opportunity for thought leadership and strategy in partnership with clients and to serve as an advisor to a wide array of decision makers (e.g., policymakers, national organizations, foundation leaders, nonprofit executives and other stakeholders), helping build and steward high-level strategy and impact on a variety of critical education topics.  

  

Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:  

 

Leading Institutional and Systems Change    

• Work with policymakers, advocates, and other stakeholders at all levels to inform policy change and removing systemic barriers to participation and success of all students
• Develop innovative, achievable solutions for improved student experiences and outcomes in early education, K-12, and/or postsecondary settings
• Listen to and look for potential consensus among a wide variety of policy, law, political, research, and practice perspectives while constructing novel ideas and solutions to complex problems
• Use data, research, and other information to build an evidence base for proposed approaches and solutions
• Provide expertise and analysis through written and oral communications
• The Senior Legal and Policy Advisor would also: 
  • Provide legal analysis to inform parties working on amicus briefs or other legal actions
  • Monitor progress of relevant litigation and provide analysis on its implications for education policy as well as on the education and philanthropic sectors more broadly 

Driving Progress in Education Efforts through Partner/Client Relationships    

• Use expertise (particularly policy and, if applicable, legal expertise) to develop, inform and advance the strategies that leading non-profit organizations, foundations, states, districts and institutions are using to improve education outcomes
• Work with partners and clients to set vision and drive the reflective thinking and strategic planning necessary to achieve the goal of improving education policy, practice, and outcomes
• Engage with high-level policymakers and other key actors of the education system to inform their decisions and partner in advancing the work
• Manage existing client relationships, establish trust and rapport, and deliver exceptional client service and support
• Leverage internal and external relationships to maximize our clients’ impact within education and strategically move policy efforts forward
• Serve as the external face of EducationCounsel with a wide array of stakeholders including foundations, leading education non-profit organizations, state education agencies, local education agencies, higher education institutions, and others.