Application Guide

How to Apply for Illinois Manager, Policy and Community Engagement

at Teach Plus

🏢 About Teach Plus

Teach Plus uniquely centers teacher leadership as the primary driver of educational equity and school improvement, rather than relying solely on top-down policy approaches. As a national nonprofit, it empowers experienced teachers to shape policy and practice directly, making it ideal for professionals who believe educators should lead systemic change. Their Illinois focus on turning improvement-status schools into the fastest-improving in the state offers a tangible, high-impact mission.

About This Role

This role serves as the strategic architect for building and sustaining policy coalitions in Illinois while designing statewide alumni engagement that transforms former participants into active advocates. You'll be the face of Teach Plus in Springfield, cultivating relationships with policymakers and stakeholders to advance equity-focused education policies. The position directly impacts student success by developing teacher leaders' policy competencies and organizing capacity.

💡 A Day in the Life

You might start your day facilitating a virtual workshop for teacher leaders on policy advocacy strategies, then spend midday meeting with Illinois legislators' staff to discuss equitable school funding. In the afternoon, you could be mapping stakeholder relationships for an upcoming campaign while coordinating with alumni to testify at a state board hearing, ending with drafting coalition communications to maintain momentum on shared priorities.

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Interview Prep

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🎯 Who Teach Plus Is Looking For

  • Has 3+ years of experience building and maintaining diverse coalitions in education policy or advocacy settings, with specific examples of navigating Illinois' political landscape
  • Demonstrates a track record of designing and implementing alumni or stakeholder engagement strategies that resulted in measurable advocacy actions
  • Possesses deep knowledge of organizing frameworks (like Marshall Ganz's public narrative or Midwest Academy's strategy chart) and can articulate how they've applied them in education contexts
  • Shows evidence of successfully managing complex projects with multiple stakeholders while maintaining strong relationships across ideological differences

📝 Tips for Applying to Teach Plus

1

Quantify your coalition-building impact: Instead of saying 'built relationships,' specify 'expanded the Illinois Education Equity Coalition from 15 to 42 organizations in 18 months'

2

Reference Teach Plus Illinois' specific policy priorities (like their work on teacher diversity or school funding) and suggest how your experience aligns

3

Include a brief (1-2 sentence) statement about your 'asset-based belief in collective action' with a concrete example from your work

4

Demonstrate your understanding of Illinois education stakeholders by naming 2-3 key organizations or policymakers you'd prioritize engaging

5

Show how you've designed learning experiences for adults by describing a specific workshop or program you developed for educators or advocates

✉️ What to Emphasize in Your Cover Letter

["Your philosophy on teacher-led policy change and how it aligns with Teach Plus's core belief that excellent teachers should shape education systems", 'Specific examples of building trust with diverse stakeholders (e.g., teachers, policymakers, community organizations) in politically complex environments', 'Experience designing engagement strategies that moved people from passive participants to active advocates, with measurable outcomes', "Knowledge of Illinois education policy landscape and how you would approach coalition-building around Teach Plus Illinois' current priorities"]

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🔍 Research Before Applying

To stand out, make sure you've researched:

  • → Teach Plus Illinois' current policy priorities and recent advocacy campaigns (check their website and Illinois-specific reports)
  • → Key education stakeholders in Illinois (IL State Board of Education, Advance Illinois, legislators on education committees)
  • → The structure and impact of Teach Plus's teacher leadership programs (Policy Fellowship, Change Agent program)
  • → Recent education policy debates in Illinois (teacher licensure, funding equity, pandemic recovery initiatives)
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💬 Prepare for These Interview Topics

Based on this role, you may be asked about:

1 Describe how you would map power dynamics among Illinois education stakeholders to advance Teach Plus's policy goals
2 Walk us through how you would design an alumni engagement strategy that moves teachers from program participants to policy advocates
3 How would you handle a situation where coalition partners disagree on policy priorities while maintaining relationships?
4 What organizing strategies have you found most effective for education advocacy, and how would you adapt them for Illinois?
5 How would you measure the success of your policy and community engagement work in this role?
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⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • Focusing only on policy expertise without demonstrating community engagement or organizing experience
  • Using deficit-based language about schools, communities, or teachers (contradicting their asset-based approach)
  • Presenting as an individual expert rather than a coalition-builder who elevates others' voices

📅 Application Timeline

This position is open until filled. However, we recommend applying as soon as possible as roles at mission-driven organizations tend to fill quickly.

Typical hiring timeline:

1

Application Review

1-2 weeks

2

Initial Screening

Phone call or written assessment

3

Interviews

1-2 rounds, usually virtual

✓

Offer

Congratulations!

Ready to Apply?

Good luck with your application to Teach Plus!

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