Job Purpose/Summary
The Senior Director of Public Affairs is responsible for identifying, advancing, and securing public funding to support the organization. This role leads the organization’s public affairs efforts with an emphasis on public funding strategy, coalition-building, relationship development (government and community stakeholders), and the creation of targeted messaging and materials. Success in this role is measured by progress toward sustainable public funding outcomes. The role requires a working understanding of Nevada’s biennial legislative structure, interim committee process, sustained relationship-building with legislative staff, executive agencies, and coalition partners outside of session.
Duties and Responsibilities
Government Relations & Public Funding Strategy:
•Identify and assess public funding opportunities across state, local, and agency sources, includingappropriations, contracts, and formula funding streams.
•Prepare funding-focused advocacy materials, including budget requests, fiscal impact summaries,issue briefs, and testimony drafts.
•Track, analyze, and summarize legislative, budgetary, and interim committee activity, translatingcomplex developments into clear guidance for internal stakeholders and partners.
•Coordinate advocacy strategy across legislative sessions and interim periods bybuilding/maintaining relationships with elected officials, legislative staff, applicable agencies andeducation leaders with the goal of securing public funds in close coordination with contractedlobbying firms, executive leadership and other partners.
Strategic Communications & Messaging:
•Develop public affairs communications designed for elected officials, public agencies, andcoalition partners in collaboration with the Director of Marketing & Communications to ensureconsistency between public affairs messaging and broader organizational communications.
•Draft and oversee production of advocacy-focused materials such as policy briefs, one-pagers, factsheets, stakeholder updates, and public statements tied to funding priorities.
•Provide strategic review and approval of materials intended for political or public-sector audiences,ensuring clarity, discipline, and alignment with funding objectives.
•Inform earned media and public awareness efforts related to funding and legislative priorities,recognizing when visibility supports and when it detracts from outcomes.
Grassroots Advocacy & Coalition Engagement:
• Organize and manage grassroots advocacy efforts, including training and mobilization of students, alumni, staff, and coalition partners at appropriate points in the funding and legislative process, while maintaining the understanding of Nevada’s regional dynamics to include engagement across the counties (statewide advocacy).
• Manage the CISpeaks program, ensuring participants are prepared, supported, and strategically deployed.
• Support coalition-building efforts with advocacy organizations, education partners, and aligned nonprofits to advance shared funding goals.
• Maintain systems to track engagement with elected officials, agency leaders, legislative staff, and coalition partners.
• Periodically provide testimony, present to committees and participate in meetings with elected or appointed officials.
Board & Governance Engagement:
• Serve as the primary staff liaison to the Board of Directors’ Government Affairs Committee. This includes preparing committee materials and briefings related to public funding strategy, legislative developments, and advocacy activities.
• Engage committee members and their peers as appropriate to support funding and advocacy efforts.
• Seek strategic guidance and, where required, approval from the Government Affairs Committee and Board leadership prior to the organization taking formal positions on policy or advocacy issues.
• Support Board members’ external advocacy through preparation of talking points, background materials, and guidance.
Cross-Functional Organizational Support:
• Advise executive leadership on public affairs considerations related to funding, messaging, and external positioning which includes preparing and training leadership and staff for external engagements through briefings, talking points, background memos and written guidance.
• Support engagement with legislative and executive branch staff, recognizing the continuity and influence of staff roles across legislative cycles.
• Represent CIS of Nevada at meetings, briefings, and convenings as assigned, recognizing that not all effective public affairs work is externally visible.
• Travel within Nevada as needed to support advocacy, funding, and stakeholder engagement efforts.
Qualifications and Competencies:
• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent professional experience in public policy, communications, political science, education, or a related field.
• Minimum of three years of experience in public affairs, government relations, advocacy, or strategic communications.
• Demonstrated strength as a writer and strategist, particularly for public-sector and funding-focused audiences.
• Working knowledge of legislative processes and public funding mechanisms at the state and/or local level including working in a biennial legislative environment strongly preferred.
• Proven ability to balance behind-the-scenes preparation with selective public-facing engagement.
• Strong organizational skills and sound political judgment with a willingness to be a positive representation of CIS in the community.
Work Environment & Physical Demands:
• Work environment is indoors and climate controlled. May be exposed to outdoor weather conditions.
• Moderate noise levels as found in a business office and classroom setting.
• Occasional travel required.
• Use of personal vehicle is required.
• Must be able to pass a criminal background check, possible fingerprinting and drug screen.
Communities In Schools of Nevada (heretofore CISN) will not be responsible for misconduct on the part of other parties, not employed by CISN of Nevada and on non-CISN properties.