The Education Trust in Tennessee seeks a Higher Education Policy Fellow who believes data and research-driven policy are critical to supporting students, district leaders, state policymakers, and other stakeholders. The Fellow will join a staff committed to fulfilling our mission of closing opportunity gaps that disproportionally affect students of color and students from low-income backgrounds.

The fellow will support an ambitious, equity-driven policy agenda and immerse themselves in Tennessee’s education policy and advocacy landscape. Fellows are integral team members with the staff’s trust to support and lead projects that increase their professional skills and experiences based on their expertise and interests. A successful fellow will have multiple externally published products for their portfolio, deeper expertise in our policy agenda priorities (e.g., teacher diversity), and relationships with partners, stakeholders, and institutions in Tennessee and beyond.

Ed Trust is committed to advancing policies and practices to dismantle the racial and economic barriers embedded in the U.S. education system. Through our research and advocacy, Ed Trust improves equity in education from preschool through college, engages diverse communities dedicated to equity and justice, and increases political and public will to build an education system where all students will thrive.

The Higher Education Policy Fellow position is available June 2024 through May 2025 and is a full-time role (37.5 hours per week). Based out of our Nashville, Tennessee office, the Fellow will be required to report to the office in person at least two days per week in line with our current telework policy. The Higher Education Policy Fellow will report to the Higher Education Policy Analyst and will serve as a member of Ed Trust Tennessee’s policy & research team.

Key responsibilities include:

• Collecting, managing, and analyzing local, state, and national higher education data to support policy, research, and advocacy efforts in an accessible format
• Utilizing data and research to produce written products (e.g., fact sheets, memos, reports, blog posts, and presentations) to advance our policy agenda
• Collaborating with partners, stakeholders, and institutions across the education policy landscape
• Monitoring and analyzing education policy windows related to Ed Trust priority issues to inform policy strategy
• Conducting data and research inquiries from a variety of internal and external stakeholders

• Shared belief in Ed Trust’s mission and a commitment to improving educational equity, with a focus on racial equity
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills leveraged to translate complex data, research and policy to a variety of audiences
• Interest in addressing opportunity gaps in postsecondary access and success
• Willingness to receive and act upon constructive feedback
• Ability to organize, prioritize tasks, and meet deadlines
• Attention to detail and ability to multitask
• Ability to take initiative and be self-directed
• Comfort working both independently and collaboratively

• Experience and/or strong understanding of quantitative and qualitative data collection, management, analysis, and visualization, including advanced Excel, Tableau, and STATA
• Experience and/or strong understanding of federal, state, and local contexts and levers that affect the Tennessee Higher Ed/P-12 education policy landscape
• Desire to work in an equity-driven and student-centered organization
• The fellow may be in the last year of pursuing their Bachelor’s degree, in a Master’s degree program, or a recent graduate student focused on education policy or a related field.

This salaried position falls in Level A of our salary structure for our Washington, DC office. New hire offers typically fall between the minimum and mid-point of the range and are rarely offered at the top of this range: $48,000 - $60,000. Offers will be commensurate with skills, experience, and internal equity.

The Education Trust prioritizes the health and well-being of its employees and, to that end, offers a highly competitive benefits package. Fellows are eligible for medical, dental and vision insurance covered at 100%, with significant coverage also offered for spouses, domestic partners, and dependents. Fellows accrue sick leave and vacation leave, and we follow the federal government for most holiday closures. To ensure staff have synchronous opportunities for rest and renewal, the office is closed for a week-long summer break and a week-long winter break. Fellows are also eligible for our Employee Assistance Plan.

At The Education Trust, the health and safety of our employees is of the utmost importance. As such, all Education Trust employees are required to be fully vaccinated and remain up to date on their vaccinations for COVID-19. Any new interns should be fully vaccinated and up to date on their COVID-19 vaccinations prior to their first day of work. Requests for accommodation due to medical or religious reasons will be reviewed by Human Resources.

The Education Trust is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes candidates from diverse backgrounds.

To Apply: Please complete the application in ADP, including uploading your resume and responding to the short answer questions in lieu of a cover letter.