Senior Policy Analyst

Location: Based in Washington DC (hybrid schedule optional)
Salary range: $65K - $90K, based on experience
Included Benefits: Flexible work environment, health care coverage, sick leave

Application Deadline: Applications are processed on a rolling basis

Who We Are

We are seeking a senior policy analyst to support our next phase of growth and impact, and the senior policy analyst is a key role. We help cities, school systems, public agencies, and mission-driven organizations identify where they may contribute to gaps in inequality and find key levers for improving equity and opportunity for all. We are committed to the mission of helping public service organizations build initiatives, conditions, and competencies to improve outcomes and opportunities for those whom our institutions and systems have historically underserved. 

 

Who You Are

You are a leading player on our small and growing team. Your role focuses primarily on supporting Opportunity Consulting’s programmatic needs (80%), with a smaller percentage of your time (20%) in support of operational and administrative functions. You are deeply analytical, 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.

 

Job Description

The senior policy analyst will participate in the leadership of Opportunity Consulting projects by working with the company leadership and with clients to execute high-quality work. The senior policy analyst will support qualitative and quantitative analysis of inequality among our clients, including synthesizing findings across multiple data collections, writing reports, contribute to proposal development, and support day to day project operations. The analyst will have an opportunity to be part of a small and growing team of a young company with collaborative leadership and supportive working environments. Responsibilities will include: 

Essential Responsibilities/Functions

• Lead projects including managing client engagement, overseeing project design, research and development; project teams and workflows; and collaborating with Opportunity Consulting leadership to execute the company mission and vision in project work. 

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

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

• Conduct research, quantitative and qualitative analysis, and evaluation of policies, and practices related to K-12 education, municipal policy, housing, workforce, and other policy domains. 

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

• Review and analyze data to draw conclusions and make recommendations based on the research and policy analysis results.

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

• Support senior management staff by providing project support and staffing support as needed.

 

Qualifications

• Education - Advanced degree in public policy/administration, education, social science, or a related field is preferred

• 5+ years of experience leading and managing projects and clients in related fields

• Knowledge - familiarity with social science research design and qualitative and quantitative methods

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

• Leadership & Project Management - possess strong organizational and project management skills: 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); be able to organize, 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

• Strong orientation toward advancing equity and social justice issues

• Communication - very strong writing and editing skills, including the ability to absorb and summarize complex and highly technical information

• 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.

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

• Must be based in the Washington, DC area

To Apply

To apply, please send your resume and cover letter outlining your relevant experience by April 30, 2022 to info@opportunityconsulting.com.  Place “Senior Policy Analyst” in the subject line and attach your resume and cover letter as one PDF.

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We are most interested in finding the best candidate for the job, and that candidate may be one who comes from a less traditional background. Studies have shown that women and people of color are less likely to apply for jobs unless they believe they meet every one of the qualifications as described in a job description. We would encourage you to apply, even if you don't believe you meet every one of our qualifications described. If you are unsure whether you meet the qualification of this position, please feel free to contact us to discuss your application. 

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