OrganizationThe Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) is a nonpartisan, nationwide, nonprofit organization of public officials who head departments of elementary and secondary education in the states, the District of Columbia, the Department of Defense Education Activity, the Bureau of Indian Education, and five US extra-state jurisdictions. CCSSO provides leadership, advocacy, and technical assistance on major educational issues. CCSSO seeks member consensus on major educational issues and expresses their views to civic and professional organizations, federal agencies, Congress, and the public.SummaryThe Senior Associate will support a new grant-funded project on how state education agencies are using federal COVID-19 relief funds to better support students, educators, and school systems. Through this project, the Senior Associate will help develop a series of member-facing supports and external communications to share promising practices and models of how states are using COVID relief funds. This individual must have strong written communication skills and be able to take complex data and turn it into consumable, compelling, and actionable information for state members and other key audiences.Essential Functions and ResponsibilitiesSupport the Chief of Staff and Program Director to execute a comprehensive strategy for internally tracking and reporting how states are spending COVID relief funds so CCSSO can identify promising practices and share exemplars with CCSSO members and key stakeholders.Create a series of membership-facing supports that share promising practices and exemplars across states and drive effective decision-making, in coordination with CCSSO's federal relations, communications, and member services teams. Supports may include but are not limited to written publications, presentations, and blog posts.Collaborate with CCSSO's communications team to create a series of external communications and outreach strategies that share promising practices and exemplar use of funds in consumable, compelling, and actionable ways among key audiences.Work collaboratively with internal CCSSO teams to achieve the goals of the project. Teams will include but are not limited to the federal relations and policy team, communications team, member services team, and appropriate programmatic teams.Education and/or ExperienceBachelor's degree in journalism, public relations, political science, or another related field.Minimum three years of experience in journalism, public relations, advocacy, policy, or related work. Five (5) years' work experience preferred.Knowledge, Skills, and AbilitiesStrong writing skills are necessary. Other forms of communications experience are a plus.Skilled at translating complex policy and data sets into compelling, easy-to-digest publications or other forms of communications.Curiosity and a drive to make complex initiatives more understandable.Ability to thrive in a fast-paced work environment.Collaborative team player.Physical DemandsThe physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.While performing the duties of this Job, the employee is regularly required to sit and talk or hear. The employee is frequently required to use hands to finger, handle, or feel. The employee is occasionally required to stand, walk and reach with hands and arms. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 10 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus.Work EnvironmentThe work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Teleworking is allowed but essential job duties might include occasional visits to the DC office; therefore, the individual holding this position must be available as needed to work in-person, in the DC metropolitan area. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.The noise level in the work environment is usually quiet.This position is grant funded for two years from October 1, 2021 through September 30, 2023.Equal Opportunity Employer of Minorities, Females, Protected Veterans, and Individual with DisabilitiesXJ6