Senior Manager, Innovation and Choice

ROLE: Senior Manager, Innovation and Choice

LOCATION:​ Remote, or Hybrid if within 60 miles of Providence, Rhode Island 

POSITION TYPE: Exempt, Full-time

TRAVEL REQUIREMENT: 5%

START DATE: ASAP

REPORTS TO: Vice President, K-12 Policy

ROLE OVERVIEW

Democrats for Education Reform (DFER) is seeking a Senior Manager, Innovation and Choice to lead the development and execution of a bold, high-impact agenda around the organization’s forward-thinking policy agenda centered on choice, accountability, and innovation in education. 

As Senior Manager of Innovation and Choice, you will focus on two core pillars: creating the schools of tomorrow (Innovation) and expanding family access to high-quality options (Choice). You will:

• Craft state and federal policy, supporting our commitment to advancing bold and innovative education policies.
• Strengthen partnerships with coalitions, advocacy groups, and stakeholders to expand the organization’s reach and impact.
• Partner with experts in implementation and monitoring to create frameworks for policymakers.

• Support the organization’s initiatives to engage governors, gubernatorial candidates, and state leaders in advancing bold education reforms. 

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Policy Leadership and Strategy

• Lead a forward-looking policy agenda that advances innovation and expands access to high-quality school options for families.
• Develop compelling federal and state policy proposals, legislative language, and advocacy strategies that remove outdated barriers and support effective models of teaching and learning.
• Partner with DFER’s state and national teams to ensure policy strategies are coordinated, actionable, and tied to meaningful improvements for students.

Research, Insights, and Thought Leadership

• Produce impactful research, reports, and briefs that strengthen Democratic leadership on innovation and school choice.
• Conduct rigorous analysis to identify policy gaps, highlight system inefficiencies, and surface effective solutions that improve student outcomes.
• Translate emerging trends into timely recommendations and rapid-response insights for policymakers and advocates.

Advocacy and Influence

• Position DFER as a leading national voice on expanding high-quality school options and fostering innovation.
• Equip and advise congressional offices, governors, state legislators, and candidates as they champion forward-thinking education reforms.
• Build and sustain strong relationships with diverse education leaders, coalition partners, and community voices to advance shared priorities.

Technical Assistance and Strategic Support

• Provide expert policy design and technical support to accelerate the passage and implementation of effective legislation.
• Collaborate with Communications and Development teams to elevate DFER’s ideas, strengthen partnerships, and grow broader support for innovation in public education.
• Work closely with executive and state teams to ensure progress from policy design to adoption, implementation, and continuous improvement.

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 e