Senior Director, State Policy & Strategy – Western Region
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Job Description
Senior Director shaping Western U.S. state policy strategy for College Board’s AP, SAT, BigFuture, and career-connected education programs. Driving multi-state priorities, rapid response, and cross-functional execution.
Responsibilities:
- Build and own regional state strategies for Western Region states
- Develop and maintain fact bases covering policy conditions, political and governance dynamics, coalitions, program opportunities, implementation barriers, and risks
- Translate intelligence into concise, actionable state plans with goals, policies, actors, owners, levers, sequencing, and implementation needs
- Recommend priority states and strategic plays to the Executive Director
- Connect regional strategy to AP, SAT Suite, BigFuture, and career-connected education priorities
- Align planning with College Board planning cycles, legislative sessions, and sales cycles
- Translate subject-matter policy priorities and issue guidance into regional state strategies
- Assess state-specific timing, political feasibility, governance pathways, coalition strength, opposition dynamics, and student-reach potential
- Triage bills, regulations, budget proposals, and policy signals during legislative sessions
- Adapt arguments, policy options, and model language to state contexts
- Distinguish must-have priorities from opportunistic plays
- Lead cross-functional coordination across Policy, Government Relations, State and District Partnerships, Higher Education, program teams, Legal, Research, and the Office of the CEO
- Clarify initiatives to pursue, sequence, or pause when resources require tradeoffs
- Create handoffs to execution partners and maintain trackers, dashboards, state briefs, decision memos, and executive updates
- Capture lessons and develop repeatable practices, playbooks, and recommendations
- Engage legislators, executive branch officials, coalitions, higher education actors, and partners during high-leverage moments
Requirements:
- 8+ years of progressively responsible experience in education policy, state strategy, public affairs, government, advocacy, management consulting, or a related field
- Significant and direct exposure to state policy and implementation across multiple states
- Established presence, networks, and familiarity with the Western Region political and policy landscape
- Working fluency across K-12, higher education, workforce, assessment, CTE, credentialing, and state legislative and regulatory environments
- Strong record leading complex, multi-state policy work and influencing senior partners and external stakeholders without direct authority
- Exceptional strategic judgment and ability to make tradeoffs and prioritize strategies
- Excellent writing and synthesis skills for briefs, decision memos, state plans, and executive recommendations
- Experience with legislative session rapid response, coalition and stakeholder mapping, implementation planning, and external advocacy
- Proven ability to drive alignment and decision-making across cross-functional organizations
- Bachelor’s degree required
- Ability to travel approximately 6–10 times per year
- Authorization to work in the United States for any employer
- Clear and concise written and verbal communication skills
- Curiosity and willingness to adopt AI-driven solutions and new digital tools
- Learner’s mindset and commitment to growth
- Ability to solve complex problems and make data-informed decisions
- Collaborative and empathetic approach
Benefits:
- Fully remote work option
- Hybrid option for candidates near College Board offices (Tuesday and Wednesday in office)
- Comprehensive compensation and benefits package
- Salary adjusted by location
- Transparent compensation and benefits discussions
- Meaningful career and supportive team
- Opportunity to experiment with and adopt AI-driven solutions and digital tools
- Occasional business travel and in-person meetings
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