Job Description
Who we are:
The nonprofit Urban Institute, we believe in the power of evidence to improve lives and strengthen communities. Our employees are empowered to influence policy, open minds, shape decisions and offer solutions. We encourage intellectual honesty, innovation, diversity, and mutual respect, and our analysis elevates the debate, wherever it takes place.
Urban’s greatest asset is our people. We strive to attract and cultivate a vibrant, creative, and diverse community. Our employees drive Urban’s mission through entrepreneurship, innovation, leadership, effective communication, results-orientation, and relationship cultivation. Our success depends on engaging individuals who possess and value these attributes.
Within the Urban Institute, the Metropolitan Housing and Communities Policy Center (Metro) conducts research on how housing and place shape people’s lives. We believe that housing and place matter. Quality, affordable housing anchors families, and the communities where people live can influence nearly everything in their lives: where they work and how they get there; the quality of schools that their children attend; their health and safety; and even their longevity.
The Community Engaged methods (CEM) working group is a cross-center initiative that highlights the need for intentionally and explicitly including studied communities in the research as contributors, participators, and/or reviewers in the research process. CEM staff create toolkits, workshops, and other resources that center community voice and power sharing to support staff internally at Urban, and externally to our stakeholders and clients.
Responsibilities
- Provide substantive expertise on and participating in participatory research/policy/program methodologies and approaches
- Develop or participate in developing research topics, proposals, and research designs
- Maintain project budgets, timelines, manage grant/contract relationships and deliverables
- Develop and maintain partnerships with nonprofits, government agency offices, funders and other entities to support implementation and evaluation of innovative policies and programs
- Assist in developing subcontracts, managing subcontractor performance. Assist with delivering training and technical assistance services to implementation partners and subcontractors as needed
- Supervise and/or participate in data collection and analysis, in particular co-design of data collection and co-analysis with a variety of community-engaged partners
- Interpret data from a policy perspective
- Supervise and mentor early career staff
- Translate research for policymakers and other stakeholders
- Participate in writing final reports, presenting results to clients and stakeholders, drafting blogs and other technical assistance or guidance documents
What you’ll bring:
The successful candidate will have:
- Masters or PhD in Public Policy, Social Work, or other field closely related to programs and policies intended for residents of low-income or under resourced communities
- OR
- 6+ years working in local/federal government or a community-based nonprofit evaluating or implementing programs and policies in collaboration with community residents, program participants, or other organizations and individuals with personal, lived experience
- Experience with participatory research or policymaking, including participatory action research, community based participatory research, participatory budgeting, and human centered design
- Experience with applied research or working with direct service providers offering housing, social services, youth programming, or other related services
- Knowledge of policy and programs related to any of the following: low-income or public housing, welfare, homelessness, food insecurity, or other topics related to social determinants of health and public health
- Strong oral communication and writing abilities
- Excellent organization skills and the ability to work effectively on multiple projects at once
- Ability to create infographics, power point presentations, and other compelling visual materials
- Familiarity with NVivo, Dedoose, R and/or similar analytical software or programming experience a plus
What you’ll experience:
Working in the Nation’s Capital, the epicenter of public policy among a network of policy experts, you can expect to have an impact on policy areas you care about and work with great colleagues who are smart, mission-driven, and collaborative. You will blend academic rigor with on-the-ground collaboration, be encouraged and supported to fulfill your potential through meaningful work that matters, and enjoy a welcoming workplace free from harassment, discrimination, and intolerance.
Also, we offer a comprehensive benefits package that includes: medical, dental, disability, and life insurance coverage, competitive paid time off allowance, and eligibility to participate in a generous retirement savings plan and reimbursable commuting expense program.
The Urban Institute is committed to Equal Employment Opportunity without regard for race, ethnicity, gender, protected veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or any other protected status under applicable law.
The Urban Institute is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer Minorities/Women/Disabilities/Veterans.