Summary

Description

Political Director

Location: Albuquerque, New Mexico (remote) 

Salary Range: $150,000 – $175,000
 

Organization Overview

Launched in 2018, NewMexicoKidsCAN: The New Mexico Campaign for Achievement Now is a local non-profit organization that advocates for community-informed, student-centered, and research-backed education policies. Connecting policy, instructional practice, and politics, we work to reimagine what is possible in New Mexico’s public schools so all students become the future community, civic, and business leaders our state needs.

NewMexicoKidsCAN is part of 50CAN: The 50-State Campaign for Achievement Now, a nonprofit organization that helps local leaders advocate for a high-quality education for all kids, regardless of their address. 50CAN operates campaigns in Connecticut, Delaware, Colorado, Georgia, Hawaii, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio and Tennessee.

To learn more, visit www.nmkidscan.org.

Position Overview

NewMexicoKidsCAN and NewMexicoKidsCAN Action Fund (our affiliated 501(c)(4)) are seeking a Political Director to lead our electoral work across the state and support ongoing advocacy efforts to transform education in New Mexico. This leader will develop a comprehensive electoral strategy, oversee candidate recruitment, and support campaign execution for various elections across the state, including Governor, New Mexico Legislature, Public Education Commission and local school boards. They will also engage with key stakeholders in the New Mexico education ecosystem to support NMKidCAN’s policy and advocacy goals. The Political Director will report to the Executive Director and work closely with coalition partners, vendors, consultants, and other stakeholders.

This role is ideal for a driven, experienced and strategic political operator who is deeply committed to improving educational outcomes for New Mexico students through smart electoral investments and strong political partnerships. Key responsibilities include:

Political Strategy

• Develop and refine a statewide, multi-cycle political strategy to drive long-term impact and dramatically improve New Mexico’s education system

• Partner closely with the Executive Director to align electoral strategy with advocacy strategy and broader NMKidsCAN goals

• Evaluate electoral landscapes across local and state offices to inform strategic focus and resource planning over time

• Provide strategic insight to align policy and advocacy initiatives with political and electoral contexts across the state

• Analyze evolving political landscapes to anticipate key challenges and inform strategic adjustments over time

Electoral Leadership

• Oversee candidate recruitment for priority offices including state legislative seats, PEC, and school boards

• Build trusted relationships with candidates, elected officials, campaign staff, and political stakeholders to advance political strategies

• Create race-level plans that integrate grassroots engagement, data-informed outreach, and locally responsive policy platforms

• Provide ongoing strategic advising, network connections, and hands-on support to candidates to ensure effective campaign execution

• Manage relationships with consultants, vendors, canvassing operations, polling firms, and other partners to facilitate strong campaign support for all priority races

• Set clear goals, closely track progress, and proactively mobilize resources to drive winning results

Partner Engagement & Advocacy Support

• Represent NewMexicoKidsCAN Action Fund within education and political coalitions, and multi-organization electoral partnerships

• Maintain strong bipartisan relationships with New Mexico elected officials and candidates

• Coordinate closely with coalition partners to align strategy, share insights, and execute joint political priorities

• Support advocacy and lobbying efforts to advance policies that align with the NewMexicoKidsCAN priorities and vision

• Ensure close communication and tight alignment across the NewMexicoKidsCAN team and coalition partners during high-intensity campaign cycles

• Prepare political analysis, race assessments, and strategic recommendations for internal and external stakeholders

Qualifications

Strong candidates will demonstrate:

• A passionate commitment to transforming educational quality and equity in New Mexico

• Proven campaign leadership experience, including achieving electoral wins in competitive or structurally challenging political contexts via direct campaign management, campaign advising, IE programs, or statewide political operations

• Experience leading electoral strategy and delivering outcomes across multiple election cycles and contexts over time

• Experience managing consultants, campaign staff, or cross-functional teams

• Proven ability to build trusted relationships with political leaders, candidates, staff, and partners

• Willingness to work in a nonpartisan environment and an ability to maintain strong relationships with candidates and elected officials on both sides of the aisle

• An entrepreneurial orientation, with demonstrated experience juggling multiple initiatives, meeting tight deadlines, and driving tangible results in a fast-paced environment

• Alignment with 50CAN’s core values of plussing it, optimism, relentlessness, candor and humility

• Oral and written fluency in Spanish preferred

Compensation and Benefits

The salary range for this role is $150,000-$175,000, with final starting salary determined based on experience, qualifications and demonstrated skills. NMKidsCAN offers competitive benefits including comprehensive health, dental, and vision benefits with 100% employer-paid premium option, a 5% 401K match, a generous paid-time off policy and a $100 monthly office stipend.

Work Environment

This position is 100% remote, with in-person responsibilities including attending political events, campaign activities, and community/coalition gatherings. Most in-person responsibilities will be in the Albuquerque/Santa Fe area, with about 10% travel to other regions of New Mexico. 50CAN also hosts two national events, an annual staff retreat and annual CAN Summit, that all staff attend. This position will occasionally include evening or weekend work commitments.

To Apply

To apply, please complete our online application (hyperlink: https://shorturl.at/dT6s7). We will accept applications through February 22nd, 2026, and we strongly encourage early submissions. 

The application asks for a resume and, in place of a cover letter, responses to each of the following questions in 250 words or less:

1. What compels you about the work of NMKidsCAN, and about this position specifically?

2. What past experiences have best prepared you for this role?

3. What professional values are most important to you? How have those values shaped your behavior and decisions in your career so far?

NMKidsCAN celebrates diversity and does not discriminate based on race, religion, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, veteran status, disability status, or any other applicable characteristics protected by law.