Senior Policy Analyst

 The Washington State Budget and Policy Center (B&PC) is hiring a full-time Senior Policy Analyst to lead B&PC’s fiscal policy work. This is an exciting opportunity for someone who has experience working to advance racial and economic justice and tribal sovereignty, conducting research and analysis, and building and maintaining relationships with external partners.  

B&PC works to ensure people in Washington have economic security and dignity, that Washington's tax code is equitable and balanced, and that our state budget invests in communities and disinvests in programs that are harmful and racist. Commitments to equity, anti-racism, tribal sovereignty, and economic justice – and a willingness to help our organization make progress on advancing these commitments – are vital for this role. 

General Scope of Work 

 The Senior Policy Analyst will work as a member of the policy team and work closely with the communications team. Specific responsibilities may include, but are not limited to:  

Policy development, research, and analysis 

• Serve as B&PC’s lead developer, researcher, and primary point of contact on policies related to revenue and the state budget. This work happens in close collaboration with other analysts and members of the team. 
• Turn research findings into digestible reports, presentations, and other materials. Provide policy analysis and technical assistance to a variety of audiences. 
• Track, analyze, and help develop state legislative, budget, and administrative proposals; keep relevant people and groups updated; and develop and deliver written and oral testimony on proposals relevant to B&PC’s progressive revenue policy work to state and local governments and work groups.  
• Conduct quantitative data analyses, particularly on data related to the state budget, revenue proposals and policies, and general economic conditions of the state. 

 Coalitions and partnerships 

• Identify, build, and maintain relationships with state and national partners, allies, state and administrative staff, and legislators.  
• Represent B&PC on coalitions and in advocacy spaces; serve as an organizational spokesperson in the media; help engage the public on the impacts of proposed and enacted policies and state budget decisions.  
• Work with partners focused on grassroots power-building to determine and advance B&PC’s policy and research agendas as they relate to revenue. 

 Organizational engagement 

• Engage in organization-wide conversations related to supporting the growth of organizational culture. 
• Support B&PC in living up to its anti-racist commitments and theory of change. 

 The general scope of work may change based on time of year and organizational priorities. 

Qualifications  

Please note that both professional and volunteer experience is valued. In addition, we do not expect candidates to come with all of the desired skills, and we are committed to supporting new hires with training as needed.    

 Must Have: 

• 5 years of work experience in policymaking/analysis/research, organizing, and/or advocacy, preferably with a focus on progressive revenue and the state budget.  
• An advanced degree in a related field will be counted as 2 relevant years of experience.  
• A PhD in a related field will waive the work experience requirement.  
• A commitment to challenging and understanding how racism, white supremacy, and settler colonialism show up in state policymaking. 
• Proficiency with data management and analysis in Microsoft Excel. 
• Excellent written and oral communications skills, including the ability to communicate technical information clearly to non-policy-oriented audiences. 
• An ability to travel to Seattle, Olympia, and other parts of the state as needed for in-person meetings or events (travel expenses are reimbursed and as public health guidance allows). 

Nice to have (optional): 

• Expertise or experience in any of the following areas: state, federal, or tribal government policies and budgets; human services, health care, housing, education, tax policy or public finance. 
• Familiarity with legislative processes and how research, communications, and outreach work together to shape public policy debates. 
• Proficiency with a statistical analysis software such as SPSS, STATA, or R (including experience with requesting and cleaning data). 
• Experience producing data visualizations using Adobe Creative Suite or other design tools. 
• Experience centering the knowledge of impacted communities by prioritizing community input, evaluating ideas with partners at the beginning of (and throughout) research and policy development, and advancing messaging and narratives that highlight community assets/strengths. 
• Fluency in a language other than English that is prevalent in Washington state (for example, Spanish, Mandarin, Cantonese, Vietnamese, or Russian). 

Location

Candidates may be based anywhere in Washington state. Position will require occasional in-person work in Seattle, Olympia, and elsewhere within the state.

Other Details

This position works weekdays during regular business hours; however, limited evening and weekend work may be required. B&PC prioritizes an organizational work week and scheduling policy that allows for employee rest, well-being, and flexibility and that meets the needs of each staff member, while balancing organizational and team needs.   

To support staff well-being, B&PC has a 32-hour work week. Staff have the option to work Monday through Thursday or to work a modified schedule of 6.5 hours per day, Monday through Friday.   

Currently, B&PC staff work primarily remotely. We plan to maintain a hybrid work environment with remote work options in the future. This position does require occasional in-person work at B&PC’s Seattle-based office, as well as some events and convenings in Olympia and other parts of Washington state, so candidates should be based in Washington state. Our office is located in downtown Seattle, with service from bus routes, light rail, and trains.   

Please note that B&PC requires employees to receive COVID-19 vaccination (defined as a two-dose vaccine series or a single dose of a one-dose vaccine approved by the FDA) and encourages employees to receive vaccine boosters as they become available. 

B&PC offers a comprehensive benefits package including health, vision, and dental insurance, life and long-term disability insurance, retirement, employee assistance program, and flexible spending accounts. We also offer four weeks of paid vacation and one week of personal days per year, as well as 12 paid holidays and generous sick leave. Each B&PC staff member has a dedicated professional development budget of $1,000 per year. Work-related travel expenses (outside the Seattle area) are reimbursable.   

To support staff well-being, B&PC has a 32-hour work week. Staff have the option to work Monday through Thursday or to work a modified schedule of 6.5 hours per day, Monday through Friday.   

Please send a resume, cover letter, and one writing sample (no more than 4 pages) to jobs@budgetandpolicy.org. 

Put “LAST NAME, FIRST NAME, Senior Policy Analyst” in the subject line of the email. In your cover letter, please highlight 1) why you’d like to join our team, 2) up to three of your top skills that match our qualifications, and 3) how you incorporate racial equity and tribal sovereignty into your work. The writing sample should be related to policy and research and no more than 4 pages. 

Deadline to apply is Sunday, May 19, 2024. This deadline may be extended as needed. 

After an initial screening of applicant materials, we anticipate the following steps in the process. Please note the timeline may change based on candidate and hiring committee availability. We will keep candidates informed of changes. This process will be conducted virtually. We plan to provide a stipend to candidates for time spent in interviews.

• Phone screen with the Operations Manager (30 minutes) – early June 
• Interview with hiring committee (1 hour) – mid June 
• If needed: Final interview with hiring committee (1 hour) – mid to late June 
• Reference checks – end of June 

If you’re excited about this role but your experience doesn’t align perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we still encourage you to apply. B&PC values a diverse workforce and an inclusive culture. We encourage applications from Black, Indigenous, and People of Color; immigrants; people with disabilities; people of any sexual orientation or gender identity; and people with low-income backgrounds and other diverse life experiences. We value the lived experiences that our staff bring to bear on the work as deeply relevant expertise.