HCM Strategists (HCM), a woman-owned and impact-driven consulting firm focused on postsecondary education and career-competitive learning, seeks a creative and motivated person to join our team as a Director, State Policy & Finance. 

We are seeking an individual who is excited about engaging in multidisciplinary approaches to the study of how policy can set the context for and support efforts to increase equity in educational attainment, particularly for Black, Hispanic and Indigenous students and students from low-income backgrounds. A successful candidate comes with experience in state and/or postsecondary education research and analysis, strong writing and analytical skills, and experience in collecting state, system, institutional and/or aggregated student data, using a wide array of research methods and analyzing a broad range of topics. Experience in qualitative research, interviewing, focus-groups and surveys highly desirable. Candidates also should have experience and creative ideas into how research can be used by policymakers, advocacy groups and foundations to drive or incent change.

HCM is a fully remote firm with staff located around the U.S. HCM places students at the center of our work – particularly those who have been not well served by the traditional system of postsecondary education – and focuses on eliminating inequities that continue to place far too many students at a disadvantage in pursuing and completing a postsecondary credential. Our postsecondary clients include foundations, state and national not-for-profit organizations, state government agencies, colleges and universities.

The Director, State Policy & Finance will serve as a key member of the team directing and supporting a variety of work streams. 

Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Provides content-level support on client projects, including, but not limited to: 

• Policy and/or research analysis (may also be engaged in data collection).
• Presenting at, leading, facilitating and/or supporting meetings (e.g., agenda development, note taking).
• Producing near-final written and/or verbal deliverables with limited to no oversight.
• Produces and assists in the quality control and finalization of client deliverables.
• Represents the firm and runs client calls and meetings independently.

• Is a content expert in one or more areas and is viewed as such by clients and identifies, stays abreast and contributes to the firm’s and the field’s knowledge base of current policies, legislation, practices and trends.
• Conducts quantitative analysis and modeling of postsecondary finance and student success policy options, including the identification and use of a variety of state, institutional, and national data. HCM prefers candidates with data visualization skills and experience.
• Manages and facilitates workgroups and task forces comprised of state policymakers and other diverse stakeholders, including planning and leading meetings and building consensus towards solutions to complex policy challenges.
• Represents the firm or client at briefings, hearings and meetings.
• Has an established network within the field and can advance or engage those relationships on behalf of the firm’s work. Actively works to increase that established network.
• Assists in idea creation, problem and solution formulation and business climate assessment.
• Sets expectations, distributes work fairly and evenly, supervises, and oversees the work quality and professional development for Associate Directors as needed. Ensures that employees’ voices are heard and valued. Handles and helps resolve issues or challenges as they arise.
• Other duties as assigned.

Attributes and Core Skills:

• Has postsecondary finance content expertise, with a minimum 7 years working in/with public policy and research, advocacy, communications, philanthropy, and/or educational entities.
• Strong data analysis and modeling skills; familiarity and experience with institutional, state, and/or federal postsecondary data; data visualization skills preferred but not required.
• Knowledge of workforce issues, state funding streams for workforce, economic development and human resources, state tax policy, and/or federal funding streams for higher education and workforce development preferred but not required. 
• Strong interest in HCM’s mission and values, as well as delivering work that advances change that makes educational systems more accessible, affordable, accountable, and equitable.
• Consistently displays the firm’s cultural norms and expectations.
• Strategic thinker and problem solver, able to look across the full scope of a project and make informed decisions.
• Excellent time, task and deadline management.
• Strong and clear communicator, internally and externally, with ability to interface with a client and senior level policymakers directly.
• Ability to interface with and manage a client with developing relationship-building skills.
• Detail- and results-oriented, possessing solid project management skills, with an ability to hold project teams accountable to deadlines.
• Strong organizational skills and ability to track, work and meet deadlines across multiple projects.
• Motivated self-starter with ability to deliver high-quality work products with limited oversight.
• Comfortable working in a remote environment, as a part of a larger team as well as individually.
• Demonstrated commitment to valuing diversity and contributing to an inclusive working and learning environment.
• Strong interpersonal skills, an enthusiastic attitude and enjoys a team-based culture.
• Collaborative and collegial.
• Strategic, innovative creator adept at developing and executing solutions with a proactive, hands-on attitude.
• Proficient in prioritizing tasks and adapting to changes in a dynamic, multi-client environment.
• Experienced in supervising employees and managing teams.     

Equal Opportunity Statement

HCM Strategists is an equal opportunity employer affording all employees and job applicants fair and equal treatment. To advance inclusive excellence, and by the letter and spirit of all applicable federal, state, and local laws, HCM complies with all applicable federal, state, and local laws prohibiting employment discrimination. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, age, color, sex, gender identity, religion, national origin, marital status, family responsibilities, sexual orientation, veteran status, and disabilities.