Posted on February 15, 2012

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Project Officer/Special Assistant to the President

Lumina Foundation based in Indianapolis is a private, national foundation with the mission to expand access and success in education beyond high school, particularly among adults, first-generation college going students, low-income students and students of color. This mission is directed toward a single, overarching big goal – to increase the percentage of Americans with high-quality degrees and credentials to 60 percent by the year 2025.

Lumina seeks to fill the position of Project Officer-Special Assistant with an energetic professional interested and committed to higher education transformation. The position assists the Foundation in broadening its impact by effectively deploying the President/CEO and Executive Team members as national voices to strategically align Lumina’s work with that of national organizations and leaders including governors, members of Congress, corporate CEO’s, higher education leaders, and national policy organizations. The position supports current strategic projects and those under development through the leadership of the President/CEO and other executives at the Foundation. This position is based in Indianapolis.

Duties include but are not limited to:

• Relationships and Field Knowledge: Manages relationships with state and national leaders, elected officials and their staffs to effectively deploy Lumina executives as speakers, advisers and expert witnesses to advance Lumina’s work to achieve the Big Goal of 60% of the adult population in the U.S. with a postsecondary degree or credential. Manages contacts with practitioners, stakeholders and other funders in the field. Develops knowledge of current and emerging trends, issues, and perspectives in higher education.
• Strategic Scheduling and Staffing: Develops itineraries of meetings and speaking appearances with national audiences and leaders. Prepares background papers and briefing material in preparation for the visits. Works with communications staff on media coverage and speech preparation. Briefs Lumina’s CEO and other executives on current issues in preparation for a specific visit to a state or region. Accompanies CEO or other executives on some trips.
• Communications and Follow-up: Maintains contact with national leaders, elected officials and their staffs to support policy development for increased higher education attainment. Uses social media to disseminate relevant information, stimulate interactive dialogue and promote Lumina as a leader and authority on issues of higher education attainment. Ensures that all deliverables are finalized quickly and accurately after every meeting. Tracks all scheduled meetings, content of the meetings, deliverables and next steps.
• Project Support: Assists with projects that involve research, due diligence, writing and the collection, tracking, reporting and maintenance of data. Responsible and accountable for the success and effectiveness of assigned projects.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required; Master’s degree preferred.
• Concentration of study in public affairs, political science, public administration, communications and/or journalism, or related content area preferred.
• Minimum 2-3 years of experience in public policy or nonprofit advocacy preferably working as part of a team.
• Communications, media relations and/or project management experience highly desirable. Knowledge of higher education systems and issues related to public policy and governance required.
• Organizational savvy; thinks broadly across the organization, anticipates needs, seeks resolutions.
• Ability to prioritize tasks in a complex and fast paced environment.
• Expert written and verbal communication skills required.

Application Instructions

To apply please send a cover letter and resume to:

Shelley Lloyd
Director of Administration
lfecareers@luminafoundation.org

For futher information please contact Laurie Woodhouse at 812.345.1863