Those who insist that we cannot solve America’s education problems without first solving poverty have it exactly backwards: we will never solve poverty until we guarantee a great education for all our children. This belief inspires the work of the Connecticut Coalition for Achievement Now (www.conncan.org), which has emerged in the past five years as the pacesetting model of effective state-level education reform. To learn about opportunities to join the ConnCAN team, see the job postings below: 
 

• Chief Operating Officer
• Internships
• Work for RI-CAN: The Rhode Island Campaign for Achievement Now
  • RI-CAN Community Relations Manager
  • RI-CAN Government Relations Manager

 
Position: Chief Operating Officer

ConnCAN has distinguished itself with an energetic “we won’t fail” culture, a national-caliber team working on state-level problems, and a focused and committed board. As Chief Operating Officer, you will ensure that ConnCAN stays on the cutting-edge of public policy advocacy. This is an extraordinary job and we are looking for an extraordinary candidate.
 
The COO will provide strong and focused internal leadership, serve as campaign manager during the legislative season, represent the organization at key functions and events, and set a consistently high standard across all aspects of ConnCAN’s work.
 
You will both lead and serve the members of ConnCAN’s team, ensuring that this diverse collection of talent is directed toward a singular purpose: to fix Connecticut’s public schools by fixing public policy. You will work in deep collaboration with, and report to, the CEO, who serves as the public voice and face of the organization, its lobbyist-in-chief and head strategist.
 
The ideal candidate will possess boundless energy, a great sense of humor, a strong passion for the public elements of our campaign, a command of and connections to the national education reform movement, a high tolerance for the ups and downs of our advocacy efforts, and extremely strong management skills.
 
Every candidate must be absolutely dedicated to fixing poverty by reforming public education.

Responsibilities 

• Manage the government affairs, communications, research, development, and operations teams.
• Serve as a mentor to the staff and ensure that they are growing in their respective roles.
• Lead internal strategy development and connect these strategies to team and individual plans.
• Partner with the CEO and the board of directors to ensure that the organization’s goals are reached every year—no excuses.

 
Salary is highly competitive. Interested candidates should send a cover letter and resume to marc.magee@conncan.org.
 
Download the job description here.
 
Internships
We offer internships throughout the year on an ad hoc basis. If you'd like to apply for an internship, please send a cover letter and resume to sarah.ganley@conncan.org.
 
 Work for RI-CAN: The Rhode Island Campaign for Achievement Now
 
ConnCAN’s success over the past five years as the pace-setting model for state-level education reform advocacy is the inspiration behind a new initiative to bring ConnCAN-style campaigns across the country, starting with Rhode Island.
RI-CAN: The Rhode Island Campaign for Achievement Now (pronounced rye-can) will launch in November 2010 with founding director Maryellen Butke at its helm. RI-CAN will do in Rhode Island what ConnCAN does in Connecticut: build a movement of Rhode Islanders creating the political will to enact smart public policies that will ensure every Rhode Island child has access to a great public school. If you're interested in joining the RI-CAN team, see the available positions below: 
 
Position: Community Relations Manager
 
RI-CAN has an energetic “we won’t fail” culture and a national-caliber team working on state-level problems. As a key member of the founding three-person in-state team, the Community Relations Manager will build a movement of education reform advocates on the ground in Rhode Island. The Community Relations Manager report to the RI-CAN Executive Director.
 
Responsibilities

• Citizen outreach and mobilization. Cultivate activists in key legislative districts; recruit and design a “teacher cabinet” to bring the voice of reform-minded teachers to the debate; create buy-in to the RI-CAN agenda within the Rhode Island community.
• Events. Coordinate turnouts to legislative hearings and rallies; run movie screenings, book talks and other events to coalesce the Rhode Island education reform movement; orchestrate school tours bringing people inside the world of Rhode Island public education.
• Strategic partnerships. Cultivate relationships with important nonprofits, schools, special interests and other groups to partner on campaigns; represent RI-CAN at other organizations’ events including tabling for signature drives and speaking opportunities.

 
Qualifications

• Good listener, able to understand people’s motivations, desires and interests.
• Outgoing personality, relationship builder and a love of schmoozing.
• Persuasive and persistent, with boundless energy and a positive outlook.
• Experience planning events is a plus.
• Previous teaching or education reform experience is a plus.
• Able to work a flexible schedule including nights and weekends.
• A bachelor’s degree from a competitive college or university. Master’s degree a plus.
• Strong commitment to education reform and RI-CAN’s mission to close the achievement gap.
• Sense of humor, strong work ethic, “roll-up-my-sleeves” attitude, and willingness to do “whatever it takes.”

 
Salary is competitive and commensurate with experience. RI-CAN offers a comprehensive benefits package. Interested candidates should send a cover letter and resume to maryellen.butke@ri-can.org.
 
RI-CAN is an equal opportunity employer.
 
Download the job description here.
 
 
Position: RI-CAN Government Relations Manager
 
RI-CAN has an energetic “we won’t fail” culture and a national-caliber team working on state-level problems. As a key member of the founding three-person in-state team, the Government Relations Manager will coordinate the inside strategy to pass laws and administrative reforms to fix Rhode Island public schools. The Government Relations Manager will report to the RI-CAN Executive Director.
 
Responsibilities

• Policy formulation. In consultation with 50CAN national policy and research team, formulate policies for legislative campaigns applying local knowledge of legislative and administrative landscape.
• Lobbying. Build relationships with key lawmakers, staffers, lobbyists, and state government officials. Take meetings and give briefings on behalf of RI-CAN with public officials.
• Political strategy. Craft inside strategy to turn public mobilization and media pressure into votes in the statehouse by working with caucuses, leadership, strategic partners and rank-and-file lawmakers. Gather political intelligence.

 
Qualifications

• Killer political instincts.
• Working knowledge of the Rhode Island political process.
• Outgoing personality and a love of schmoozing.
• Adaptable and able to think quickly.
• A bachelor’s degree from a competitive college or university. Master’s degree a plus.
• Strong commitment to education reform and RI-CAN’s mission to close the achievement gap.
• Sense of humor, strong work ethic, positive, “roll-up-my-sleeves” attitude, and willingness to do “whatever it takes.”

 
Salary is competitive and commensurate with experience. RI-CAN offers a comprehensive benefits package. Interested candidates should send a cover letter and resume to maryellen.butke@ri-can.org.

RI-CAN is an equal opportunity employer.
 
Download the job description here.