Research and Policy Policy Analyst
Job Description
Overview
Advocates For Children of New York, Inc. (AFC) seeks a Policy Analyst to help advance our city and state education policy priorities. The Policy Analyst will work with AFC staff to analyze data, monitor changes in policy, develop maps and other materials to support policy advocacy, support budget analysis and advocacy, draft policy letters and data briefs, and advocate for AFC’s education policy goals.
AFC is a not-for-profit social justice organization that works to ensure a high-quality education for students who face barriers to academic success, focusing on students from low-income backgrounds. AFC works on behalf of children and youth who are at greatest risk of academic failure due to poverty, race, ethnicity, disability, homelessness, immigration status/limited English proficiency, or involvement in the child welfare or juvenile justice systems. We use uniquely integrated strategies to advance systemic reform, empower families and communities, and advocate for the educational rights of individual students.
Responsibilities
Responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following tasks:
- Analyze, organize, and interpret large datasets and identify key findings to advance AFC’s education policy goals.
- Track, monitor, and analyze proposed legislation, regulations, and policy developments.
- Draft policy fact sheets, letters, action alerts, press releases, memos, data briefs, case examples, and other written materials to advance AFC’s policy priorities.
- Create citywide and district-specific data highlights and maps to support AFC’s policy advocacy.
- Conduct research on issues of education policy by reviewing existing literature and web resources and interviewing experts and stakeholders.
- Prepare materials for meetings with policymakers, including maps and case examples.
- Respond to requests for information from policymakers, advocacy groups, and the media.
- Develop cost estimates and provide support for AFC’s budget advocacy.
- Advocate for AFC’s policy goals with New York State and New York City policymakers.
- Maintain and update database of policymaker contacts and perform other administrative tasks as needed.
- Participate in committees and collaborative efforts to benefit the office as appropriate.
Qualifications:
- Experience conducting quantitative analysis and reporting conclusions and trends accurately; prior experience with education data preferred.
- Superior proficiency analyzing data in Excel, including tables, pivot tables and charts, VLOOKUP, array formulas, etc.; experience with other statistics software (e.g., Stata, SPSS, or SAS) a plus.
- Proficiency with GIS and geospatial data.
- Knowledge of education policy issues, particularly those that are most central to AFC’s target populations, preferred.
- Excellent written and oral communication skills, including ability to adapt style for length and intended audience.
- Strong interpersonal skills.
- Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
- Highly detail-oriented.
- Ability to identify, analyze, and creatively resolve layered and complex problems.
- Strong organizational skills, ability to set priorities, and comfort with working on multiple different issues and projects at the same time.
- Willingness to travel occasionally.
- Strong commitment to advancing AFC’s mission and policy priorities.
- BA or BS degree required. We will also consider candidates with a Master’s degree or equivalent in public policy or a related field.
Compensation
The salary depends on experience and includes generous benefits.
AFC is an affirmative action employer that actively encourages applications from a broad spectrum of people, including people of color, with disabilities, and of diverse religions, national origins, gender identities, sexual orientations and socioeconomic backgrounds.
