Manager, Education Policy & Government Affairs

Summary

The Commit Partnership, the largest regional educational “backbone” organization in the country with more than 70 employees and an annual operating budget exceeding $40 million, is seeking a passionate, strategic, and policy-driven team member to serve as Manager of Early Childhood Education-12th Grade (EC-12) Policy.  

Under the general supervision of the Director of EC-12 Policy, the Manager will work to improve educational outcomes across the early childhood through high school continuum by advancing strategic investments in policies that improve student outcomes, facilitating cross-sector collaboration, and helping shape the state’s educational landscape through thoughtful engagement.

The Manager will play a pivotal role in executing Commit’s EC–12 policy strategy, most notably within the foundational years (ages 3-8), by leading legislative communication, engaging state agencies on rulemaking, and coordinating policy coalitions.

This role is ideal for a mid-career professional with at least 2+ years of direct experience in public policy, advocacy, or government relations, preferably in Texas, who is eager to translate local and regional insights into lasting statewide impact.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Legislative Communication and Engagement 

• Monitor and analyze relevant EC–12 education legislation, with an emphasis on early childhood and elementary policy issues
• Lead development of clear, persuasive policy briefs, testimony, and legislative updates
• Build and maintain constructive relationships with legislative staff and key committee members

Rulemaking Engagement with State Agencies 

• Track relevant state agency rulemaking processes that impact EC–12 education
• Support input during public comment periods and serve as a liaison with agency staff to communicate stakeholder insights and recommendations
• Support Commit’s engagement in state workgroups and advisory committees, when applicable

Advocacy Coalition Collaboration 

• Lead coordination and facilitation of the InvestEdTx public education coalition, including agenda setting, partner communications, and shared policy platform development
• Cultivate trusted relationships with a diverse set of practitioner stakeholders across the state
• Align coalition efforts with Commit’s broader advocacy campaigns, ensuring a coherent, strategic push for student-centered policy reforms

Policy Research and Development  

• Stay informed on state and national trends in early childhood education, educator workforce issues, assessment and accountability, curriculum and instruction and other areas impacting student outcomes. 
• Collaborate with Commit team members working directly with school systems to identify potential policy solutions and support their work with policy expertise.
• Translate complex policy concepts into actionable recommendations for feedback from Commit team members and external audiences. 

Performs other duties as assigned.

Salary Range

$80,000 - $94,000

Education and Experience Required

• Bachelor's degree required 
• At least 2+ years of experience in public policy, government relations, or advocacy. 

Preferred

• 3–5+ years of experience in legislative advocacy, education policy, or nonprofit/government relations 
• Prior experience working in or with Texas state agencies, legislative offices, or school districts 
• Proficiency in using policy analysis tools, stakeholder management systems, or legislative tracking software 
• Experience synthesizing data for storytelling in education, policy, or equity contexts 
• Familiarity with Commit Partnership’s ecosystem or similar collective impact initiatives 

Qualifications and Skills Required

• A track record of successful engagement with elected officials and staff and/or state agencies. 
• Experience coordinating coalitions or stakeholder groups across diverse sectors. 
• Exceptional communication skills (written and verbal), especially when translating research and data into advocacy messaging. 
• Familiarity with Texas’ public education landscape, key performance metrics, and policy levers that influence EC–12 outcomes. 
• A strong student-centered and a commitment to inclusive stakeholder engagement. 
• Strong project management skills, attention to detail, and follow-through. 
• Passion for Commit’s mission and the role education plays in economic mobility 

Work Environment

The Manager generally works in an office environment but may occasionally be required to perform job duties outside of the typical office setting. The noise level in the work environment is usually quiet to moderate. The employee is not exposed to any adverse environmental conditions. 

Job Requirements

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. 
 

About The Commit Partnership:

Our Mission

We believe that through our actions, Dallas County – which educates 10% of Texas and 1% of the nation– can be an inclusive and prosperous region where economic opportunity is shared equitably. That’s why our true north goal is that by 2040 at least half of all 25-34-year-old residents of Dallas County, irrespective of race, will be provided the opportunity to earn a living wage.

To increase living wage attainment, we must equitably increase educational success aligned with high-demand jobs, maximizing the cumulative impact from early education all the way to college, career, and/or military readiness and accessing and completing a strong postsecondary education. Our staff aligns community stakeholders around this shared future roadmap – analyzing data to lift up strategic initiatives that improve policies, practices, and funding that grow our community’s capacity to serve every student more effectively.

Our Story

Founded in 2012, this partnership is the nation’s largest educational collective impact organization, composed of backbone staff and over 200 partners across Dallas County and the state of Texas working collaboratively to solve systemic education challenges. Our staff aligns community stakeholders around a shared future roadmap – analyzing data to lift up strategic initiatives that improve policies, practices, and funding that grow our community’s capacity to serve every student more effectively.

Together, we work to advocate for excellent and equitable public education that ensures all students – regardless of race, place, or socio-economic status – have the power to determine their future and earn a living wage. We do this work through several ventures including Early Matters Dallas, North Texas Tutoring Corps, Dallas County Promise, Texas College Bridge, Dallas Thrives, Commit’s Policy Team, the Texas Impact Network, and several coalitions.

True North Traits

Our True North Traits creates a mission-driven environment and champions us to do our best work each day.

Systemic Impact: You understand the barriers and lived experiences that our students face and are skilled at delivering systemic solutions at scale that address these needs. You achieve significant, sustainable results that increase equitable outcomes through your work (including the reallocation or improvement in public funding), and you recognize the difference between activity and impact.

Judgment: You exhibit a relentless “students first” focus by thinking strategically about what data must be collected, analyzed, visualized, and activated (and what steps must be taken, in what order) to cause resources to be reallocated and actions to be taken to systemically overcome the root causes hindering achievement of the Partnership's mission.

Communication: By listening to understand before seeking to be understood, you’re able to build trust and facilitate collaboration across lines of difference, recognizing that both are essential to our success. You are also able to find common ground with diverse stakeholders and can tailor the organization's message to different audiences as needed to influence meaningful change.

Innovation: You can create or meaningfully contribute to the design and execution of a systemic and transformational strategic plan to solve complex problems, often at scale, that improves organizational effectiveness and/or closes equity gaps for our students and families.

Equity and Inclusion: You intentionally create spaces where relevant stakeholders have a seat or voice at the table, ensuring that each person at the table's thoughts and perspectives are shared, valued by all others at the table, and reflected in our work. You're excited to help build and/or contribute to teams where everyone feels welcomed, respected, valued, and highly supported.

Joy: You recognize that people are central to our work, striking a balance between people and process, and you inspire others with your optimism and thirst for substantive change in service to the mission.

Integrity: You admit mistakes openly, share learnings widely, and elevate bad news quickly, also capable of making difficult decisions in all situations to ensure the success of the organization.

The Commit Partnership is an Equal Opportunity Employer that seeks to hire individuals with backgrounds similar to that of the stakeholders they serve. As an organization that embraces equity and inclusion, all employment decisions are based on business needs, job requirements and individual qualifications, without regard to race, color, religion or belief, national, social or ethnic origin, gender, age, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, marital, civil union or domestic partnership status, or any other status protected by federal, state, or local laws.

Commit does not sponsor visas of any kind.

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