Position: Deputy Director (Texas)
Reports to: State Director (Texas)
Supervision: Director of Immigration Policy, Senior Health Policy Associate, Youth Civic Education and Engagement Coordinator
Collaborate: CDF-Texas leadership team, and heads of CDF-Texas departments, national office staff
Liaise: CDF-Texas coalitions, campaigns, partners, funders
Organization Overview
The Children’s Defense Fund (CDF) envisions a nation where marginalized children flourish, leaders prioritize their well-being and communities wield the power to ensure they thrive. CDF’s Leave No Child Behind® mission is to ensure every child a Healthy Start, a Head Start, a Fair Start, a Safe Start and a Moral Start in life and successful passage to adulthood with the help of caring families and communities
We serve and advocate for the largest, most diverse generation in America: the 74 million children and youth under the age of 18 and 30 million young adults under the age of 25, with particular attention to those living in poverty and communities of color. CDF partners with policymakers, aligned organizations and funders in this service. The Children’s Defense Fund is the only national, multi-issue advocacy organization working at the intersection of child well-being and racial justice by wielding the moral authority of programmatic proximity and community organizing to inform public policy. For more information visit www.childrensdefense.org.
Position Summary
The Deputy Director works with the CDF-Texas leadership team to drive the organization’s vision across departments and projects. This includes overseeing CDF-Texas’ strategic role within coalitions, campaigns, and partners, shaping legislative and policy strategies, and expanding CDF-Texas’ programmatic reach to families and youth. The Deputy Director will also manage policy and program team leads, identify internal opportunities for collaboration, and sustain organizational cohesion. Working with the State Director, the Deputy will share responsibilities for internal management and operational tasks in order to allow the State Director to have adequate time and capacity to focus on external matters such as fundraising, public relations, and partnerships. This individual will also support the annual strategic planning process, including creation of the annual budget and grant coordination to ensure the organization has the funding and resources to execute strategies that improve the lives of children and families. Most imperative, the Deputy Director will help align the Texas office’s work with CDF’s strategic vision in order to activate Texas families, youth, and communities and address their needs.
Responsibilities
Strategic Organizational Development and Management:
- Ensure CDF-Texas has a well-functioning team, a strong overall strategic vision, and work that is responsive to the needs of Texas families, youth, and their communities
- Structure and lead departments, teams, and work groups internally and with partner organizations to meet overall goals
- Track progress, evaluate success, and course correct as necessary across teams
- Work with the State Director to ensure CDF-Texas has the funding and resources to execute strategies that carry out the organization’s mission. This will include a shared responsibility for some portion of grant writing and reporting
- Partner with the State Director in essential internal leadership activities, including liaising with human resources, administration, and budget planning
- Partner with the Communications Director to ensure CDF-Texas’ voice, messaging, and external facing presence are accurate, appropriate, and effective for engaging with a range of stakeholders—the public, policy makers, the media, and funders
- Cultivate and maintain strong relationships with partners, funders, and other major stakeholders
Legislative and Policy Advocacy:
- Develop and execute the organization’s strategic vision for legislative and policy priorities
- Guide policy team activities based on legislative targets, Capitol insight, and best practices within the Texas legislative landscape
- Cultivate relationships with coalitions, funders, elected officials, and other external stakeholders to advance our policy priorities
- Develop a shared strategic vision and work plans with key partners, and develop a structure for executing those plans
- Provide strategic direction on activating grasstops and grassroots networks
- Mentor, coach, and manage policy team leads to deliver on organizational goals
Movement Building:
- Develop and execute the organization’s vision to activate Texas families and children to advocate for themselves and their families
- Collaborate with policy team leads to identify opportunities to engage constituents and grassroots supporters in advocacy and expand CDF-Texas’ network of everyday advocates
- Guide the strategic direction and development of the YOUthTX program to amplify youth advocates across Texas
- Guide base-building, engagement, and long-term campaign growth efforts where appropriate, such as on the SickOfItTX campaign
- Collaborate with outreach and enrollment teams to move families served from clients to advocates
Education and/or Experience
- Professional degree in public policy, public/non-profit administration, law, social work, or other relevant fields preferred
- Years of experience will be considered in place of advanced degree
- 5-10 years of experience in issue advocacy, a legislative office, and/or a campaign with 3-5 years of experience in a leadership position
Preferred Qualifications
- A demonstrated interest and deep commitment to social justice, racial justice, and improving the quality of life for children and families, especially those who are marginalized
- A strong understanding of CDF-Texas’ mission, programs, and priorities
- Experience working in a legislative office, on a campaign, and/or in direct services
- Spanish language is a plus
Competencies
- Ability to develop and execute an organizational strategic vision internally and with external partners
- Ability to manage and oversee a team of policy experts across multiple issue areas
- Ability to understand policy issues and advocate for policy improvements within the Texas legislature and state administration
- Ability to apply organizing principles and tools to a long-term campaign to engage, cultivate, and activate grassroots advocates
- Ability to build and care for relationships with staff, coalitions, grasstops/grassroots networks, media, partners, and other stakeholders to deliver on organizational goals
- Ability to effectively speak with various audiences including the public, media, policy makers, partners, stakeholders, and funders
Personal Characteristics
- A “get it done,” results-driven, proactive attitude, capable of working independently and under pressure, ability to take initiative, set priorities, efficiently and effectively organize work, and manage multiple tasks simultaneously
- Strong interpersonal skills and ability to collaborate well with a wide range of stakeholders
- Orientation to and background of servant leadership
- Passion for CDF's mission and purpose and ability to communicate this passion to others
- Ability to serve as an advocate and exemplar for the vision, values, and mission of the Children’s Defense Fund
- Demonstrated strong relational skills
Type of work environment associated with the job