California State Policy Analyst

MISSION OF NATIONAL SKILLS COALITION  

National Skills Coalition is a broad-based coalition working toward a vision of an America that grows its economy by investing in its people, so that every worker and every industry has the skills to compete and prosper. We engage in organizing, advocacy and communications to advance state and federal policies that support these goals – polices that are based on the on-the-ground expertise of our members and allies.

  

POSITION SUMMARY  

Support the development and promotion of network of state coalitions working to advance policies that build an inclusive economy and increase racial equity through high-quality skills training, cross-system collaboration, digital inclusion, industry partnerships, and workforce development system investments. Help to achieve this by working with state coalitions to change policies and change the conversation.  In collaboration with NSC Staff, national partners, and local coalition leads, elevate the expertise, solutions, and voices of workers, businesses, and the organizations that support them to change state policies and the conversation.  Assist State Strategies Director in coordinating NSC staff capacities (policy analysis/development, coalition building, communications, and policymaker engagement) to provide customized technical assistance to state coalitions toward policy impacts. Help State Strategies Director and other staff develop peer learning opportunities across coalitions.

West Coast State Network Manager will devote a significant portion of time to supporting the Worker Equity Initiative and Skills for CA, two initiatives focused on advancing worker equity in the state. 

 

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES 

 Network Development and Support

Stakeholders: Support maintenance and growth of the state networks by listening, synthesizing, and acting on diverse input to identify stakeholder priorities, actions, and strategies that can support network building and engagement, especially for those voices, stakeholders, and communities who are underrepresenting or missing from the coalition and policy conversations

Marketing: Work with state strategies director, communications staff, and other NSC staff as appropriate to develop online and print materials and presentations that support and raise visibility of network activities and partners

Convenings: Oversee logistics for in-person and virtual network convenings

Data and Metrics: Manage database to track state network activities and report on metrics 

Policy

Policy Analysis: Develop and maintain strong working knowledge of federal and state policy publications and resources in order to connect federal and state policy advocacy.

As needed, perform analysis in partnership with state policy team.

State-Facing Team Support: Support NSC’s staff-facing team in achieving policy impacts by maintaining systems for tracking strategies and associated staff activities and by providing support for internal state-facing meetings

Peer Learning: Assist in the creation and implementation of ongoing opportunities, including annual state policy forum, for coalitions to share policy development efforts.  

Advocacy

State Prospects: Develop and maintain calendar of state legislative sessions, budget cycles and gubernatorial addresses to inform advocacy strategies and timelines. Research states’ policy and political landscape to inform advocacy strategies as needed.

Technical Assistance: Assist state strategies director in assessing the needs of state coalitions for technical assistance and in coordinating NSC staff capacities to provide more intensive technical assistance resources, including peer learning, focusing on policy implementation or utilizing existing levers to reach state coalition goals.

Peer Learning: Assist in the creation and implementation of ongoing opportunities, including annual state policy forum, for coalitions to share advocacy efforts.

 

To perform the job successfully, an individual should demonstrate the following competencies:

 CORE COMPETENCIES

Project Management: Brings together every component of a project, including resources or planning, that are needed to complete it in a timely manner, responding to and balancing stakeholder needs and priorities.

Partnership Development: Ability to develop, maintain, and strengthen collaborative partnerships with others inside or outside the organization, to build a network that can offer information, assistance, and support.

Strategic Thinking/Management: Creates and communicates a long-term vision, balances short- and long-term goals, keeps own and team’s work aligned with overall goals, creates, and adjusts strategic plans.

Organizational Awareness: Using knowledge of the organization and the organization’s business environment to turn data into insight.

 

ORGANIZATIONAL CORE COMPETENCIES

Interpersonal skills: Exhibits respect and understanding of others to maintain professional relationship.

Problem Solving: Solves problems while ensuring rules and directives are followed.

Communication Skills: Ability to effectively engage and communicate with target audiences.

Initiative: Takes independent action, seeks out new responsibilities, acts on opportunities, generates new ideas, practices self-development.

Attention to Detail: Committed to accuracy and excellence, looks for improvements continuously, monitors quality levels, finds/owns/acts on quality problems.

 

QUALIFICATIONS: To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required.

Education & Experience:

Knowledge of workplace development policy and policymaking

Knowledge of workplace development field, practitioners

Commitment to workforce development as a key strategy for improving the economic success of people and industries

Strong written and verbal communication skills and ability to communicate with and relate to a diverse set of stakeholders

Strong interpersonal, collaborative skills

Proactive, problem solving orientation

Ability to develop and manage task-oriented workplans in order to implement key strategies and track progress toward deliverables

Ability to manage multiple projects with deadlines

Attention to detail

Comfortable working in a fast-paced environment

Effectively uses technology to communicate/collaborate with colleagues and manage work 

  

COMPENSATION: Salary range for this position is $85,000 - $100,000; salary depends on relevant experience and new staff rarely start at the top of the range.  Excellent benefits package, including employer-paid health and dental, retirement plan, life and disability insurance and generous vacation policy.

 

National Skills Coalition is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Women and people of color are strongly encouraged to apply.