Director | Education, Labor, and Worker Justice

About CLASP

The Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP) is a national, nonpartisan, anti-poverty organization advancing policy solutions that work for people with low incomes and people of color. We advocate for public policies and programs at the federal, state, and local levels that reduce poverty, improve the lives of people with low incomes, and advance racial, gender, and economic justice. Our solutions directly address the barriers that individuals and families face because of race, ethnicity, low income, gender, immigration status, and involvement with the carceral system.

Over more than 50 years we have kept our vision alive through our trusted expertise on policy and strategy, deeply knowledgeable and committed staff, partnerships with directly impacted people and grassroots leaders, and bold, innovative, and inclusive approaches to economic, racial, and gender justice.

At this extraordinarily important moment for the United States, CLASP is actively defending against unprecedented and relentless assaults on the people and policies at the core of our agenda. We are doing so through a mix of congressional advocacy built on our vision, relationships, and deep knowledge; administrative advocacy to fight against the unabating attacks on programs and policies; state-level change, by generating impactful ideas in collaboration with state officials and advocates; and a powerful vision put forward together with on-the-ground leaders.

About the Education, Labor, and Worker Justice Team

CLASP is uniquely positioned within the broader policy advocacy world in our focus at the intersection of jobs, postsecondary education, workforce, adult education, and public benefits – and because we center the experiences of workers and students with low incomes and communities of color in our policy advocacy. Key to our effectiveness is our ability to toggle between federal and state policy and implementation, our core commitment to workers paid the lowest wages—often, women of color—and our trusted relationships with public officials, advocates, and grassroots organizers.

The Education, Labor and Worker Justice (ELWJ) team is laser-focused on ensuring that all jobs are good jobs and all workers—and would-be workers—have ongoing access to education and training opportunities with a focus on those engaged in work paying low wages. The team works to dismantle and reform systemic and institutional failures in the labor market and workforce system that perpetuate widening gender and racial wage and wealth gaps.

The ELWJ team leverages CLASP’s deep expertise on worker benefits, worker protections, worker voice, worker rights advocacy, labor standards enforcement, and racial equity with our crucial role in advancing job creation, workforce development, and postsecondary education policies that uplift people with low incomes who have been historically marginalized by systemic racism, economic exclusion, and immigration-related barriers. The Team Director will lead the ELWJ team.

CLASP has a long-standing commitment to workforce development, foundational skills development, and postsecondary education as key strategies to advance economic mobility, increasing credential attainment, advancing skills, and providing work experience to individuals who face structural barriers to employment. Staff play a leadership role in advancing crucial policies for workers and students of color and those in industries that pay low wages. Working closely with coalition partners, CLASP has been central to shaping the national conversation on addressing the changing nature of low-wage work and addressing systemic barriers to employment and education.

Position Summary

The Director will play a central leadership role in shaping and advancing CLASP’s vision for racial, gender, and economic equity through transformative worker- and student-centered policy solutions. As a key member of the organization’s Leadership team, the Director will collaborate with colleagues to set CLASP’s strategic agenda and cultivate a strong, equity-driven organizational culture. They will mentor staff, set clear performance expectations, develop staff leadership, and foster a collaborative, mission-aligned work environment.

The Director will serve as a leading voice for CLASP’s advocacy on worker benefits, labor protections, job quality, and workforce equity—engaging with funders, policymakers, and national and grassroots partners. They will guide strategy and partnerships that elevate the voices of workers and dismantle systemic labor market barriers for people with low incomes who have been historically marginalized by systemic racism, economic exclusion, and immigration-related barriers. This role includes thought leadership on federal and state policy, cross-team collaboration within CLASP, and strategic fundraising that advances the organization’s mission. The Director will bring a bold vision for inclusive economic justice, leveraging CLASP’s expertise to expand access to good jobs, high-quality postsecondary education, and equitable labor standards enforcement.

Requirements

  • Substantial experience at a leadership level as an advocate for postsecondary education, workforce development, good jobs, and/or job quality policies that center people who have been historically marginalized by systemic racism, economic exclusion, and immigration-related barriers, whether in an advocacy organization, as a legislative staffer, through leadership on these issues within government or with an employer, through lived experience, or several of the above.
  • Deep policy knowledge and recognized expertise in relation to paid family leave/paid sick days, subsidized jobs, expanding worker power and ownership, worker protections, and related policies strongly preferred.
  • Demonstrated ability to effectively recruit, supervise, and lead a diverse team that includes both senior and junior members.
  • Skilled at managing and motivating teams, supporting staff growth, and creating a culture of accountability and care.
  • Proven ability to identify and develop advocacy strategies.
  • Demonstrated experience in effective writing and speaking to a variety of audiences.
  • Successful record of initiating and cultivating relationships with partners. Existing relationships with job quality advocates, labor unions and other worker advocates, Hill staff, legal advocates, civil and immigrant rights leaders, and public officials working on job issues are a plus.
  • Demonstrated success in fundraising and managing relationships with funders is strongly preferred but not required.
  • Demonstrated commitment to improving the lives of people with low incomes, to racial justice, and to CLASP’s vision, mission, and values.
  • Demonstrated commitment to addressing racial discrimination and immigration policies that limit access to quality jobs and economic advancement.
  • Centers equity with an understanding of barriers faced by people with low incomes impacted by systemic injustice.
  • Brings significant leadership and people management experience and thrives in collaborative, team-oriented environments.
  • Demonstrates a strong intersectional analysis in their work, with particular awareness of the issues and hurdles impacting people with low incomes who have been historically marginalized by systemic racism, economic exclusion, and immigration-related barriers.
  • Skilled in leading partnerships with community-based advocates.
  • Collaborative leader who enjoys working closely with other leaders and experts as part of a tight-knit team
  • Brings experience in national advocacy and strategic partnerships, broadly, with advocacy experience with Congress.
  • Passionate, creative, and effective advocate and leader to build on CLASP’s history and this extraordinary moment in time to get major new policies enacted and implemented.
  • Has experience with federal advocacy and strong relationships with key partners across labor, education, and equity movements.
  • Effective communicator, fundraiser, and mentor with a track record of supporting staff and securing resources.
  • Bachelor’s degree required and a minimum of 10 years of related experience or a master’s degree or other advanced degree and 7 years of related experience.
  • At least 5+ years of experience supervising and managing diverse teams, with a demonstrated commitment to inclusive and effective leadership. Proven ability to effectively lead staff at various career stages—including both senior and early-career professionals—in a hybrid work environment.
  • Candidates must be based in the Washington, D.C. area or be willing to relocate.

UNION ENVIRONMENT AND POSITION STATUS

CLASP is a unionized organization, but this position is not part of the bargaining unit. Employees are represented by CLASP Workers United (OPEIU, Local 2). CLASP values collaboration, fair labor practices, and constructive engagement with the union. We have just finalized our first Collective Bargaining Agreement, which will be in effect until May 2027.

Compensation:

Salary Range: $150 – 160K

Salary is commensurate with experience. CLASP offers exceptional benefits, including several employer-paid health insurance options, dental insurance, life and long-term disability insurance, long-term care insurance, a 403(b)-retirement program, flexible spending accounts, and generous vacation, paid sick leave, paid family and medical leave, and holiday schedules.

Application Process: Please apply here and include a cover letter with your submission. Applications will be accepted until the position is filled. NO PHONE CALLS, PLEASE.

CLICK HERE TO APPLY