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Start Strong NJ is a statewide child care advocacy campaign composed of advocates, early care and education professionals, business and community leaders, and policy researchers working together to secure long-term, research-informed policy solutions to New Jersey’s child care crisis. Launched in 2024 by a group of New Jersey philanthropic partners and nonprofit organizations, Start Strong NJ aims to ensure that every family can access safe, nurturing, high-quality, and affordable child care — and that New Jersey’s early education workforce and system are supported to thrive.

Campaign leadership is anchored by:

• Advocates for Children of New Jersey (ACNJ)

• New Jersey Association for the Education of Young Children (NJAEYC)

• The Burke Foundation

• The Turrell Fund

Start Strong NJ partners share a unified policy agenda that lays out both short- and long-term reforms needed to expand affordability, strengthen the early childhood workforce, and secure sustained public investment in child care. With the incoming gubernatorial administration presenting a generational opportunity to shape New Jersey’s child care future, the Start Strong NJ campaign is launching a robust statewide effort to educate policymakers, engage voters and stakeholders, and build broad support for meaningful, sustainable child care solutions.

 

To advance this work, Start Strong NJ seeks a full-time Campaign Director — a dynamic, strategic, and collaborative leader who can guide the campaign’s strategy, operations, partnerships, and communications. The Campaign Director will work closely with campaign co-chairs at ACNJ and NJAEYC and serve as the central coordinator across all partners, ensuring that strategy, advocacy, communications, research, and mobilization efforts are aligned and effective.

 

The Campaign Director will be employed by the Community Foundation of New Jersey and accountable to campaign leadership organizations and funders, who will jointly support and monitor performance. The Director will also manage and collaborate closely with a strategic communications consultant to execute the campaign’s public visibility and messaging strategy.

 

Key Activities and Responsibilities

Strategic Campaign Leadership, Planning, and Coordination

• Inform, co-develop, and drive campaign strategy and implement a clear, compelling, and achievable roadmap aligned with Start Strong NJ’s long-term vision.

• Develop and manage a campaign workplan that identifies objectives, responsible lead organizations, timelines, deliverables, and performance metrics.

• Facilitate alignment across partner organizations by ensuring consistent communication, role clarity, mutual accountability, and shared ownership of goals.

• Build out internal campaign structures (e.g., core partners, advisory groups, working groups) and support transparent, inclusive decision-making processes.

• Facilitate regular partner meetings; convene and support specialized workgroups to maintain momentum and troubleshoot challenges.

• Provide real-time coordination across all workstreams—advocacy, policy, communications, research, grassroots engagement—to maintain coherence and eliminate duplication.

• Track progress and deliverables, troubleshoot barriers, and ensure timely completion of commitments.

• Help oversee the campaign’s annual budget consistent with the campaign plan and funder commitments.

Engagement and Partnership Development

• Build and sustain meaningful relationships with a wide range of stakeholders—including child care providers, advocacy and community organizations, funders, employer partners, grassroots leaders, and early childhood experts.

• Identify gaps in representation and actively recruit underrepresented voices, including families, front-line providers, and business leaders.

• Create flexible on-ramps for participation, ensuring partners can engage at levels aligned with their interests, capacity, and expertise.

• Support and manage campaign-wide communications channels (e.g., listserv, newsletters, regular updates) to keep partners informed and connected.

• Design inclusive engagement opportunities such as listening sessions, community forums, roundtables, and strategy workshops to gather insight and build momentum.

 

Campaign and Media Management

• Oversee development and execution of the statewide child care campaign, serving as day-to-day manager for messaging, branding, media strategy, and digital presence in partnership with the communications consultant.

• Coordinate campaign communications strategies with policy and advocacy priorities to ensure consistent and compelling storytelling.

• Identify media opportunities, manage rapid response, and support message consistency and discipline by drafting talking points, supporting spokespersons, and preparing materials for press, hearings, and public events.

 

Representation and External Engagement

• Serve as a core spokesperson for Start Strong NJ, alongside campaign co- chairs and partner leadership.

• Represent the campaign at statewide conferences, policy forums, community events, legislative hearings, and other strategic gatherings.

• Participate in relevant coalitions, task forces, and working groups that align with campaign goals.

 

Funder Reporting and Development Support

• Report directly to representatives from the lead Start Strong NJ partners (ACNJ, NJAEYC, Burke, and Turrell) to ensure alignment, transparency, and accountability.

• Prepare updates, track deliverables, and contribute to written reports, presentations, and funder communications.

• Participate in bi-monthly Start Strong check-ins to share progress, identify challenges, and coordinate needs.

• Support fundraising activities by gathering data, stories, and other materials for proposals or stewardship communications.

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Education, Advocacy and Government Engagement – (Not a lobbying role)

• Build and maintain relationships with legislators, legislative staff, agency leaders, and members of the governor’s administration.

• Engage policymakers in conversations about Start Strong NJ priorities, regulatory opportunities and system improvements, and the overall importance of high-quality, affordable child care for families.

• Support engagement with the incoming gubernatorial transition committees as appropriate.

• Support partners in preparing for legislative action, budget advocacy, and administrative engagement.

 

Qualifications

• Advanced degree in a relevant field or equivalent professional experience.

• A minimum of 10 years of leadership experience managing complex initiatives or campaigns — ideally in public policy, advocacy, or social-impact settings. Strong preference for candidates who have led communications-driven campaigns that produced concrete policy wins for early educators, families, or children.

• Demonstrated ability to unite diverse stakeholders and lead collaborative, high- performing teams.

• Strong strategic thinking skills and the ability to translate broad goals into detailed, actionable plans.

• Excellent writing and public speaking abilities, including translating technical issues into compelling messages for non-experts.

• Strong organizational skills, with exceptional attention to detail and follow- through.

• Ability to manage multiple simultaneous projects in a fast-moving, dynamic policy environment.

• Analytical comfort with both qualitative and quantitative data to inform decision- making.

• Demonstrated success in partnership-building, convening, and facilitation.

• Ability to self-direct while contributing to a team-oriented, collaborative environment.

• Experience in political or strategic communications preferred.

• Knowledge of New Jersey politics and policymaking preferred.

• Experience with grant reporting and philanthropic funders preferred.

 

Compensation and Benefits
This is a full-time, exempt position. The salary range is $185,000 to $215,000, commensurate with experience. Employee benefits will be provided through the Community Foundation of New Jersey. The Community Foundation is committed to equal employment opportunity and inclusive hiring. We encourage applications from individuals of all backgrounds, identities, and communities.