ACT · 4 hours ago
Program Director, Policy & Advocacy
Iowa City, IA
Full-time
Hybrid
Director/Executive
$120K/yr - $135K/yr
7+ years expACT is dedicated to helping people achieve education and workplace success. The Program Director, Policy & Advocacy leads the development and execution of ACT’s state and federal policy and advocacy strategy to advance education and workforce outcomes.
Career PlanningEducationNon Profit
No H1B
Responsibilities
Directs ACT’s state and federal policy projects across assigned states, aligning policy priorities with ACT’s mission, products, and long-term goals
Serves as the strategic owner of signature ACT policy platforms, including the ACT Summit—ACT’s national policy convening – with responsibility for agenda development, stakeholder engagement, cross-functional coordination and policy outcomes
Establishes and maintains trusted relationships with state-level policymakers and influencers, including State Departments of Education, Higher Education, Workforce Services, and external advocacy organizations to advance ACT’s policy priorities
Monitors, analyzes and interprets state and federal education and workforce policy trends, legislation, regulations, and assessment/accountability systems to identify opportunities, risks and implications for ACT
Develops and communicates policy positions, recommendations, and thought leadership that inform decision-makers and advance evidence-based practices aligned with ACT’s strategy
Translates ACT research, data, and insights into compelling policy narratives that influence decision-makers and drive action
Collaborates with internal stakeholders (e.g., government relations, research, product, legal, and business units) to ensure coordinated and consistent policy positions and messaging
Represents ACT in coalitions, advisory groups, hearings, and public forums, serving as a subject-matter expert on assessment, college and career readiness, and workforce alignment
Provides strategic guidance to leadership on policy implications that may affect ACT initiatives, partnerships, or market environments
Supports advocacy planning by preparing briefings, analyses, testimony, and background materials for internal and external audiences
Tracks, evaluates and reports on advocacy activities, policy outcomes, and stakeholder engagement to inform leadership decision-making and ensure alignment with organizational goals
Qualification
Required
At least 7 years of progressively responsible experience in education, workforce, public policy, government relations, or advocacy, including experience leading or shaping policy strategy and engaging senior-level stakeholders
Demonstrated experience working with state-level policy environments, including education or workforce systems
Strong understanding of education and workforce policy landscapes, including assessment, accountability, and college and career readiness
Demonstrated ability to influence, advise and engage senior state-level leaders and policymakers
Ability to analyze complex policy issues and translate them into clear, actionable strategic recommendations
Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including briefing and presentation skills for executive and policy audiences
Ability to work collaboratively across internal teams and with external partners
Demonstrates strategic thinking and ability to anticipate policy implications for organizational strategy and market environments
Actively promotes diverse perspectives and engages with a broad range of stakeholders
Adaptable and effective in fast-changing policy and political environments
Self-starter with strong organizational skills and follow-through
Ability to travel (approx. 15-25%) and manage relationships with leaders at the federal and state level
Skills and knowledge required for success in this position attained through experience, education (Bachelor's degree in Education, Public Policy, Public Administration, Political Science, Business Administration, or a related field), or a combination of both
Preferred
Experience in education policy, assessment policy, or accountability systems
Prior work with a state education agency, legislature, governor's office, or advocacy organization
Familiarity with K–12, postsecondary, and workforce policy intersections
Experience supporting or leading coalitions or multi-stakeholder advocacy efforts
Background in translating research or data into evidence-based policy recommendations
Benefits
Company paid life insurance
Medical
Dental
Vision
Flexible health and dependent spending accounts
401(k) retirement savings with company match
Paid holidays
Paid time off
Company
ACT
ACT is an independent, non-profit organization that provides more than a hundred assessment, research, information, and program management
501-1000 employees
Funding
Current Stage
Late StageTotal Funding
$0.03MKey Investors
Amazon Web Services
2022-01-13Grant· $0.03M
Leadership Team
Alex Thome
Chief Product Officer
Stephen Tapp
Non Executive Board Member
Recent News
Corridor Business Journal
2025-10-31
Corridor Business Journal
2025-10-04
2025-08-18
Company data provided by crunchbase