Policy Associate II 

(Education)

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Who We Are

Opportunity Consulting, a company focused on equity in public policy and working with cities, school systems, public agencies and organizations to identify where they may contribute to gaps and inequality and find keys for reversing these trends and improving equity. We build the competencies We center voices of those most impacted in our work through focus groups, interviews, surveys, and community-wide meetings.

 

Who You Are

You are a dynamic player on our small team. You are detail-oriented, process literate, and committed to the mission of improving opportunities for all. There is no typical day, so you enjoy wearing multiple hats. You are motivated to speak up, solve problems, follow through, and contribute your talents to the greater goals. You enjoy a highly collaborative team environment and are effective at managing your own time. As you gain experience, you take on increased responsibility.
 

Position

We are looking for an individual with interest in research and analysis to improve K-12 education policy and practice and to support a growing portfolio of education-focused projects, including on school improvement, student-centered learning, professional development, and school district needs assessments and equity reviews. The policy associate II will support a portfolio that includes both research and consulting tasks, work directly with clients and produce published materials. 

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Opportunity Consulting is a good fit for professionals who are responsible, curious, and possess a strong bias for action. 

 

Requirements​

• Manage and coordinate projects, including developing work plans, mapping project deliverables, creating materials necessary for moving projects forward, scheduling of meetings, and production of meeting minutes.

• Produce policy and research reports and briefs for both internal and external audiences.

• Participate in research, quantitative and qualitative analysis, and evaluation of policies and practices related to K-12 education, or other topics occasionally.

• Facilitate client meetings focused on school and system improvement. 

• Collect and synthesize information from a variety of sources, including literature reviews, interviews, and focus groups, administrative data, and other sources.

• Experience working in an urban or suburban school setting is preferred.

• Review reports and other written products for accuracy, completeness, and quality of content.

• Plan and organize learning events to include workshops, webinars, meetings and other professional convenings.

 

Qualifications​

• Minimum two years of full-time experience working in related field

• Past teaching experience or experience in out-of-school time programs is a preference

• Knowledge - Familiarity with educational policy topics such as school segregation, school choice, teacher recruitment and retention, school finance and related topics

• Strong interest in equity and social justice issues

• Data literacy - preference for some comfort reviewing data, conducting basic data analysis, drawing conclusions, connecting data and research to policy and practice, and using data to guide decision-making

• Organization - possess strong organizational skills: the ability to both see the big picture (i.e., identify goals and objectives) and be detail-oriented (i.e., develop a timeline, assign tasks with appropriate deadlines)

• Project Management - be able to prioritize and manage multiple projects, and have the flexibility to adapt and adjust project plans as circumstances change and opportunities emerge; be able to work directly with various project leads and senior management staff

• Communication - very strong writing and editing skills, strong verbal communication skills

• Flexibility – willingness to gain expertise in multiple content areas, willingness to quickly pivot as the needs of senior management staff change, willingness to be flexible with your work product to meet the needs of the office

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and other commonly used computer software applications

 

Location:

Must be based in the Washington D.C. area. Position is flexible with hybrid remote work available (each week will include some days in the D.C. office and others can be worked remotely).

 

Compensation:

The base salary range for this role for incoming team members is $56,000 to $68,000 annually. While the final offer amount will be determined by multiple factors — including previous experience and content knowledge — and may vary from the listed range, Opportunity Consulting is committed to transparency, and all offers are aligned with our compensation philosophy. We do offer annual performance bonuses, based on individual and company performance.

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To Apply:

Click here to upload your resume and cover letter outlining your relevant experience.

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