Director, External Affairs

Responsibilities
•    Collaborate with Executive Leadership to establish organizational priorities and align external affairs initiatives with strategic goals.
•    Advise leadership on workforce and adult education policy, legislative agendas, and emerging trends.
•    Serve as a senior leader, clarifying purpose, developing strategy, and ensuring resources are deployed effectively.
•    Develop, implement, and maintain procedures and administrative controls to ensure smooth and effective operations of the External Affairs function.
•    Coordinate team activities to support organizational objectives, monitor progress, and ensure timely delivery of projects.
•    Foster a collaborative, results-driven team culture aligned with TEF’s mission.
•    Lead the organization’s research and policy agenda, identifying major areas of interest to support stakeholders and organizational priorities.
•    Represent the organization in policy discussions, advocacy efforts, and legislative initiatives.
•    Oversee the organization’s communications strategy, portfolio, and implementation, ensuring alignment with external affairs objectives.
•    Partner with the central communications team to engage a variety of constituencies and enhance the organization’s reputation and visibility.
•    Research and identify grant and funding opportunities.
•    Strengthen funder relationships, develop compelling proposals, and oversee reporting requirements for fundraising initiatives.
•    Monitor industry trends, best practices, and emerging opportunities in fundraising, communications, and nonprofit management.
•    Identify strategies to enhance organizational impact, efficiency, and innovation.
•    Perform other duties as assigned to support organizational objectives.

Qualifications

•    Bachelor’s degree or equivalent years of experience required (M.A. or M.S. degree preferred).
•    Minimum eight (8) years in a leadership or senior management role overseeing strategy, teams, and budgets within a complex healthcare and/or workforce development environment
•    Demonstrated background in high level stakeholder engagement. 
•    Detail oriented able to manage projects and work independently. 
•    Commitment to quality programs and data-driven program evaluation.
•    Demonstrated familiarity and leadership skills within a cross-functional healthcare environment. 
•    People-centered consulting and advisory skills—asking questions, contributing ideas, challenging and promoting thinking, clarifying critical issues.  
•    Excellence in organizational management with the ability to build, lead and develop high-performance team(s). 
•    Data Management/Analysis.
•    Excellent relationship building and stakeholder management skills.