Program Coordinator, State Engagement

The Hunt Institute's mission is to provide unbiased research, technical expertise, and learning opportunities that equip and empower educators and policymakers to drive equitable reforms and become audacious champions for education. Since its establishment in 2001, the organization has emerged as a recognized and credible leader in the movement to transform American public education and a go-to source for reliable, objective, and timely information.

The Institute works at the intersection of education policy and politics, supporting state and national officials and empowering them to drive education reform. Its mandate is to inspire and equip elected officials and senior policymakers to make informed decisions that improve the lives of all children. The Institute's primary audience consists of governors, legislators, and other elected and state-level policymakers.

About the role

The Hunt Institute seeks a Program Coordinator for State Engagement (PC-SE) to support its growing state-based work. As The Institute expands its State Legislators Retreat (SLR) model, this position will play a critical role in supporting the program development, coordination, and implementation of The Institute's SLR model in states across the country. The PC-SE will also support the Hunt State Policy Fellows (HSPF) program, a cohort-based leadership program for local elected officials currently operating in various states.

The PC-SE will serve as a key program support for State Legislators Retreats and supporting state engagement convenings/programs such as legislative policy dinners and site visits. The Program Coordinator will support agenda development, identifying and preparing resource experts, timeline of material development, and coordinating the full project timeline. In this role, the PC-SE will help execute The Hunt Institute's state engagement programs from start to finish, fostering bipartisan collaboration among legislators, policymakers, and resource experts during both the planning and implementation phases.

Key responsibilities include communicating with resource experts and their administrative colleagues, creating and updating agenda templates, and assisting with the planning and management of assigned programs. The PC-SE will also support outreach efforts by connecting with legislators' staff, resource experts, and policymakers to encourage event participation, assist with recruitment for cohort models, and enhance overall engagement strategies. The PC-SE will also support policy tracking for state legislative and local leaders, maintain tracking systems, and monitor elections relevant to leaders engaged by the State Engagement Team.

The PC-SE will be based out of The Hunt Institute's office in Cary, North Carolina. The current hybrid schedule is three days in the office each week, and two days' work from your home office within 45 minutes of our Cary, NC office. Occasional evenings and weekends may be required. Office hours: 8:30am-5:00pm.

Priority will be given to applicants who apply by March 4, 2026.

What you'll do

• Contribute to the design and development of major Institute policymaker convenings around the country, including State Legislators Retreats, Hunt State Policy Fellows meetings, and other learning experiences for state legislators and local policymakers.
• Serve as a critical support to the State Engagement team, taking regular meeting notes, providing content support and tracking, and managing key dates and deadlines.
• Develop and regularly update program management documents and work with the State Engagement team to ensure everything is on track.
• Communicate with external partners, policymakers, and other stakeholders to support their attendance at and participation in Institute programming.
• Develop materials (grant reports, issue briefs, key takeaways, PowerPoint presentations, web content, etc.) to support The Hunt Institute's strategic plan and mission.
• Participate and support meetings with external partners and policymakers, as directed by the Director of State Engagement
• Provide meeting summaries and analysis of major issues impacting education around the country.
• Identify and recommend…