Director, Government Partnerships at DonorsChoose

DonorsChoose makes it easy for anyone to help a teacher in need, moving us closer to a nation where students in every community have the tools and experiences they need for an excellent education.

About The Organization

Since 2000, more than 6 million people and partners have contributed $1.5 billion to support 3 million teacher requests for classroom resources and experiences. Projects range from art supplies to build the set for a school musical, books and puzzles affirming students' identities, and bird seed for an at-home science project. We proudly serve all US public schools, public charter schools, and Head Start centers, and we combat systemic inequity by driving a majority of donations to schools that have been historically underfunded due to economic and racial inequity.

GOOD Magazine and the Nonprofit Times have recognized DonorsChoose as a best place to work. Fast Company named DonorsChoose one of the 50 Most Innovative Companies in the World—the first time a charity has made this list. Our dedicated team works from across the United States to bring classroom dreams to life.

About The Role

Teachers at more than 80% of all public schools in the U.S. have created classroom project requests on DonorsChoose. The Government Partnerships Team works to expand the reach of DonorsChoose to even more classrooms nationwide by collaborating with local, state, and federal government agencies. We're a close-knit, collaborative group dedicated to ensuring that government leaders recognize the power of helping teachers secure classroom resources through DonorsChoose.

DonorsChoose is hiring three Directors for this work, who will manage separate portfolios based on region. The regions are:

• Midwest (Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, Wisconsin, Illinois, Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas)
• Southeast (North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas)
• Northeast (Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, D.C.)
  
  

The West region is managed by the Managing Director, Government Partnerships.

What You'll Do

The Director, Government Partnerships leads their assigned geographic region in expanding our government funding footprint. In this role, they will drive revenue growth by spearheading state partnership renewals, expanding key programs in target states, and representing DonorsChoose at regional (and sometimes national) events and conferences to build and maintain valuable relationships. This position is pivotal in advancing DonorsChoose's mission by advocating for policies which secure new revenue ($2-3 million annually) and maintain government funding that channels resources to teachers and students, focusing on maximizing impact and equity.

Key Responsibilities

• Drive Revenue Growth Strategy: Spearhead state partnerships and renewals within your region, including strategic planning, accurate forecasting, persuasive pitching, and contract negotiations to maximize revenue. Leverage expertise in government funding, budgeting, or appropriations to inform broader Government Partnerships team revenue goals. Collaborate across the + Government Partnerships team to develop team revenue goals, as well as align on tactics to meet those goals.
• Lead Regional Advocacy Efforts: Develop and execute a regional strategy to expand DonorsChoose's government funding and influence policies that support the organization's mission. Monitor and analyze state legislation, regulatory developments, and appropriations processes, identifying opportunities to shape outcomes aligned with our goals. Play a critical role in legislative and executive engagement, developing innovative policy proposals and advocacy strategies that reflect the organization's mission and vision. Provide rapid-response analysis of bills and policy proposals, drafting legislative language, amendments, and detailed policy recommendations to advance DonorsChoose priorities.
• Build and Leverage Relationships: Cultivate and strategically leverage relationships with organizations that drive K12 policy, ensuring DonorsChoose is a prominent voice in policy conversations at the state and district levels. Establish and maintain relationships with legislative staff, administrative staff, and other policymakers in your region. Represent DonorsChoose at regional events, conferences, and key industry gatherings to build and nurture valuable relationships.
• Lead Grant Management: Oversee state and government grants in an assigned geographic region from launch to completion. Serve as the primary point of contact internally and externally, making complex decisions to meet partner goals and ensure smooth operations and successful outcomes.
• Drive Policy Innovation: Lead the creation of innovative policy solutions that address systemic challenges and advance equity for teachers and students. Bring an entrepreneurial mindset to policy work, identifying new opportunities, technologies, and markets that align with strategic priorities. Model the organization's commitment to DEI internally and externally by influencing policy priorities that promote equitable advancement for teachers and students.
  
  

Who You'll Work With

You will report to the Vice President, Government Partnerships.

You Will Frequently Collaborate With Three Peers (Directors And Managing Director), As Well As The Manager And Coordinator, On The Government Partnerships Team. Other Departments You Will Work Closely With Include

• Revenue Operations
• Legal
• Finance
• The broader Community Growth and Impact team
  
  

Required Skills And Experience

• 7+ years of professional work experience, with at least three years in government fundraising/partnerships, ideally in the K-12 education context.
• Deep expertise in legislative and regulatory processes, with proven success in advancing policy initiatives and securing government funding.
• Strong relationships with policymakers, agencies, and, ideally, K-12 policy organizations.
• Exceptional ability to translate organizational priorities into actionable legislative strategies.
• Demonstrated experience in developing and executing advocacy strategies that drive equity and impact.
• Experience leading through change with adaptability, flexibility, curiosity, and asset-based thinking
• Entrepreneurial mindset with a track record of innovation and adaptability in a fast-paced environment.
• Excellent communication, negotiation, and relationship-building skills.
• Commitment to the mission and vision of DonorsChoose, with a passion for supporting teachers and students.
  
  

Additional Details

Location and Travel

In this role, you'll have the option to work a flexible hybrid schedule in our NYC office, or to work fully remotely from CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, IL, IN, ME, MA, MD, MI, MN, NJ, NM, NY, OR, PA, RI, SC, TN, TX, VA, WA, or WI.

Ideally, the Director will be based in the region of the portfolio (Midwest, South, or Northeast) that they manage. Candidates based outside of that region must be willing to travel up to 50% of the time within that region, and have some existing ties to or working knowledge of one or more states in that region. DonorsChoose will consider exceptional candidates based outside of their region who demonstrate strong revenue generating and relationship-building acumen.

Candidates who are not in the NYC area should expect to travel to our NYC office on an as-needed basis. This role also involves travel for prospect meetings and conferences and events as needed. All work-related travel expenses will be covered by the organization. Applicants can expect to travel 10-12 times per year.

Compensation

Our compensation philosophy ensures that we are both externally competitive with tech-forward nonprofits of a similar size and internally fair in our pay practices. The salary presented represents the target offer range given the scope and experience expectations for this role.

• The hiring salary range for this role is $106,000 - $122,000 and will be commensurate with experience.
• We have a hiring salary range of $118,000 - $136,000 for specific higher cost of labor locations, which include New York City, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Seattle, Boston, and Washington, D.C.
  
  

Exact compensation details will be commensurate with experience and location. We are open to a variety of experiences, and recognize that the person we hire may be less experienced or more senior than this job description as posted. If that's the case, an updated salary range will be shared with candidates if they move forward in our hiring process. Once employees are hired, the salary range for their role increases to ensure that employees are able to receive performance-based raises and grow in their role.

To Learn More About Benefits

DonorsChoose offers full-time staff 25 paid vacation days per year and 11 paid holidays, a rich employer-paid individual and family health plan, a matching 401(k) plan (up to 5% of base salary), annual professional development stipend, and casual and flexible work environment. To learn more about what it is like to work for DonorsChoose, visit our careers page.

Equity at Donors Choose

DonorsChoose is an organization increasingly representative of the varied races and ethnicities, genders and sexual orientations, religious and political beliefs, and abilities that comprise our nation. DonorsChoose.org focuses on attracting, retaining, and advancing diverse talent because it makes us more effective, high-performing, creative, and resilient.

If you are passionate about our mission, highly skilled in your field, and looking for a place where you can bring all of yourself to work, we want you.