Director of Fostering Youth Success Alliance (FYSA)

Position Summary: The Fostering Youth Success Alliance (FYSA) Director is a resourceful and highly skilled professional who is able to lead a large-scale statewide coalition focused on the needs of youth in foster care. This is a contract-based position. The FYSA Director reports to the Director of Public Policy and will be responsible for developing and implementing a strategic policy and research based legislative agenda; managing statewide coalition members; advocating for coalition priorities at the state, city and federal levels; organizing and training student advocates; and supervising the day-to-day operations of the alliance.

Launched in December 2013, The Fostering Youth Success Alliance, housed within the Office of Public Policy at Children's Aid, is a statewide alliance that is working to improve the socioeconomic, health, housing, and educational outcomes for youth in care and aging out of care in New York State by collaboratively advocating for effective policies. The director will supervise a policy assistant and also support the child welfare policy and advocacy strategy priorities on behalf of Children's Aid at the city, state, and federal levels.

Through strategic advocacy coordination, critical legislative analysis, and quality research, the Fostering Youth Success Alliance Director will play an integral role in the Office of Public Policy to ensure that youth in and aging out of foster care can reach their fullest potential.

Advocacy

• Coordinate the day-to-day management and operations of FYSA, including monthly steering committee and working group meetings.
• Engage lead advocates and stakeholders in meetings, events, and activities related to budget, legislative, or policy issues.
• Recruit and train youth advocates to represent the interests of the coalition.
  
  
  
  • In partnership with the Assistant Director of Public Policy, support the implementation of an engagement strategy to ensure youth advocates can participate in FYSA's budget, legislative, and policy agenda in meaningful ways.
  • Develop materials that will aid in educating and mobilizing staff, volunteers, parents, and youth on key budget, legislative and policy issues (i.e. written testimonies, letter writing, marketing and communication plan, social media campaigns etc.).
  • Plan events to engage youth with a foster care background and advocates to highlight the needs of foster youth and time-sensitive issues.
  • Cultivate and maintain relationships with government agencies and legislators on behalf of FYSA and Children's Aid.
  
  
  
  

Policy & Legislative Analysis

• Track and analyze budget, legislative, and policy updates relevant to FYSA and Children's Aid, including pertinent city, state, and federal hearings, budget information, and advocacy alerts related to child welfare.
• Actively develop and facilitate the strategic direction, policy and legislative agenda for FYSA in collaboration with the steering committee.

Research and Writing

• Contribute to the thought leadership in the child welfare space by supporting research and identification of solutions for budgetary, legislative or regulatory issues.
• Author and/or organize materials including language for budget and legislative testimonies, letters of support, briefing materials for Children's Aid leadership, and other FYSA mobilization activities.
• Lead content development for related donor proposals, deliverables, and reports; manage FYSA budget.

Supervisory

• Management and oversight of policy assistant, consultants, youth advocates and interns.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor's Degree required; Master's Degree preferred. Policy-related graduate degree and/or at least five years of experience in policy, youth development, child welfare or government.
• Policy and/or legislative background in child welfare and anti-poverty areas is required.

Key Competencies:

• Experience in managing or coordinating large-scale initiatives with proven results.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to work as part of a team.
• Strong project management, organizational skills, with experience supervising staff and teams.
• Excellent attention to detail, creative, and takes the initiative to solve or anticipate problems.
• Ability to travel overnight up to 25% of position time.
• Strong relationships with government agencies and elected officials at all levels a plus.
• Commitment to and passion for Children's Aid's mission and work and youth with a foster care background.

It is the policy of Children's Aid to provide equal employment opportunity to all employees and applicants for employment and is dedicated to maintaining a work environment that is free from harassment and discrimination. Children's Aid will not tolerate discrimination, harassment, or retaliation on any basis, including race, creed, color, national origin, ethnicity, alienage or citizenship status, gender/sex (including pregnancy), disability, religion, source of income, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, familial status, caregiver status, military status, marital or partnership status, status as a victim of domestic violence, sexual violence or stalking, predisposing genetic characteristics, arrest or conviction record, credit history, unemployment status or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local law. Children's Aid is committed to complying with applicable state and local laws governing non-discrimination in employment. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including, but not limited to, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.

Children's Aid will conduct a prompt and thorough investigation of all allegations of discrimination, harassment, retaliation, or any violation of the Equal Employment Opportunity Policy in a confidential manner and will take appropriate corrective action, if and where warranted. Children's Aid prohibits retaliation against employees who provide information about, complain about, or assist in the investigation of any complaint of discrimination or violation of the Equal Employment Opportunity Policy.

The incumbent is expected to work a schedule, whether in-person or hybrid, as determined by the department's needs to facilitate effective collaboration with the team. This flexibility is essential for maintaining seamless communication, fostering teamwork, and ensuring the smooth operation of the department's processes. The position's requirements are subject to periodic review and adjustment based on organizational needs and changes in work dynamics.