Chief of Strategy: Children First PA

The Chief of Strategy (CoS) is a senior leadership role that serves as strategic backbone of Children First advocacy efforts. Reporting directly to the Executive Director, the Chief of Strategy drives organizational effectiveness of our policy agenda by aligning our talented staff, policy priorities, and processes across all departments, all while enabling the Executive Director and senior leadership team to work at the highest level of impact.

This is a role for a seasoned, mission-driven leader who combines the strategic political instincts of a senior adviser with the operational discipline of a strong manager. The Chief of Strategy will be the connective tissue of the organization: facilitating cross-departmental collaboration, stewarding the execution of the strategic plan, and ensuring that the day-to-day advocacy work of Children First is coordinated, coherent, and effective.

• Serve as a trusted adviser and thought partner to the Executive Director, helping shape advocacy and political strategy and translating policy priorities into actionable plans.
• Supervise strategic operations and policy staff in implementing the activities associated with supporting the policy agenda of Children First.
• Facilitate biweekly leadership meetings with policy directors and the Executive Director, developing agendas, synthesizing key decisions, and tracking follow-through.
• Lead monthly cross-departmental strategy sessions that integrate policy, research, legislative, and mobilization priorities into a unified organizational agenda.
• Assist in the development, implementation, and ongoing refinement of Children First’s strategic plan, in partnership with the Board of Directors, senior staff, and external consultants.
• Partner with the Deputy Director of Operations to develop and implement organization-wide policies that streamline processes, improve efficiency, and support effective advocacy strategies.
• Coordinate scheduling and policymaker engagement across departments, reducing duplication of effort and ensuring cohesive external relations.
• Coordinate agency wide communications calendars, improving integration of e-blasts and commentary into advocacy strategy broadly, in collaboration with the Communications Director.
• Utilize policy knowledge across a range of issues, to develop strategies that foster cross-team collaboration in advocacy campaigns and ensure staff are working in concert toward shared goals.
• In partnership with the Executive Director, policy directors, and Communications Director, develop and execute strategies for the effective rollout and dissemination of research and policy products.
• Create and lead coalitions to advocate for Children First’s policy goals; support management of existing coalitions.
• Coordinate city and state mobilization efforts across departments, integrating parent and youth advocates into legislative and budget-season campaigns.
• Provide substantive input into grant proposals and reports in partnership with the Grants Officer and policy directors; ensure timely and high-quality delivery to funders.
• Represent Children First in stakeholder and coalition settings as appropriate, supporting the Executive Director in maintaining key external relationships.
• Strategic Agility – Ability to see the big picture and develop strategy and aligned tactics to achieve outcomes. Ability to critically assess a situation, information, etc., and (re) calibrate strategy accordingly.
• Advocacy Knowledge – Professional experience understanding and advancing legislative goals and leading coalitions, including the ability to develop strategies and tactics that persuade legislators and elected officials, and the ability to organize, mobilize, and facilitate widespread community participation.
• Drive for Results – Can be counted on to exceed goals successfully; is constantly and consistently one of the top performers; very outcome focused; steadfastly pushes self and others for results.
• Supervision/Management – Managing and supervising a team with a spirit of collaboration and empowerment to help achieve team goals.
• Stakeholder Relationship Management Skills – Ability to cultivate, manage, and grow…