Lead Researcher, Alaska

Through field-leading policy research, advocacy, and strategy development, the Lead Researcher, Alaska, will lead Sightline's Alaska strategy in two program areas: Housing + Cities and Democracy + Elections. For Housing + Cities, they will work to create housing abundance in Anchorage as a solution to multiple pressing challenges: affordability, economic opportunity, and climate change. They will develop and drive pro-housing policy at the local level, with a core goal to lift exclusionary zoning rules that limit affordable home choices, to promote policies that increase the supply of housing at all levels and bring down the cost of living.

For Democracy + Elections, they will develop and deploy expertise on electoral upgrades to make the case for reforms, especially unified, all-candidate primaries and ranked choice voting, along with other specific reforms at the state and local levels that Sightline has identified as promising. They will implement strategies for using information and communications to help educate and make the case for reforms, typically providing educational resources, data, and case-studies to support cross-partisan coalitions. Near-term priorities include informing Alaskans and those outside the state about the effects of the state’s electoral method and advising efforts in Anchorage and Juneau to adopt reforms such as ranked choice voting. To that end, the Lead Researcher, Alaska, will develop a mastery of Sightline’s democracy reform research and contribute to it, including systems such as unified primaries and ranked-choice voting, proportional representation, and election consolidation. The Lead Researcher, Alaska, will research and develop arguments and resources highlighting the benefits of these reforms for voters; write articles, talking points, and policy memos; give presentations; conduct outreach to opinion leaders; serve as a resource to the media; and sometimes lobby public officials. They will cultivate relationships with leaders and partners across many types of diversity, including racial, ethnic, economic, geographic, and political.

The Lead Researcher, Alaska, will report to the Senior Director, Housing + Cities, and coordinate with the organization’s Democracy + Elections team. They will be part of a high-functioning, collaborative cadre of researchers, communicators, and advocates, supported by a strong administrative and fundraising team.

Essential Responsibilities

• Conduct original, field-leading policy analysis and research with practical relevance that advances the Housing + Cities and Democracy + Elections programs’ goals and supports Sightline’s mission.
• Produce thorough, clear, accurate, and compelling long-form articles, policy memos, and other written products, including in collaboration with the Housing + Cities team and Democracy + Elections team.
• Cultivate strategically valuable relationships with policymakers, peer organizations, advocates, media outlets, and other external audiences and effectively represent Sightline externally.
• Contribute to setting the strategic direction of the Housing + Cities and Democracy + Elections programs by identifying and vetting promising policy opportunities.
• Support Sightline’s legislative and advocacy goals, including by working with policymakers and allies and tracking and advancing relevant bills.

Desired Skills and Experience

• At least eight years of professional experience in policy development, research and analysis, and/or strategy development.
• Excellent analytical skills and an ability to quickly sift through large amounts of information to identify key points and develop practical, strategic, and compelling arguments.
• Top-notch written and oral communication skills, including an ability to succinctly and accurately convey complicated information to diverse audiences.
• Excellent time management and organizational skills.
• Comfort and skill working independently to manage project workplans, set and meet deadlines, and prioritize effectively among competing responsibilities.
• Demonstrated experience quickly mastering new subject matter areas, developing compelling arguments, and effecting change.
• A track record of building respectful and effective relationships and collaborating with people across differences, including racial, ethnic, gender, cultural, and political differences.
• The ability to be self-directed and self-motivated while working well in a team.
• An eagerness to learn and incorporate feedback.
• Commitment to advancing equity in your work. Familiarity with or experience working on issues of social and/or environmental justice preferred.
• Experience working in housing or democracy preferred but not required.
• Experience working with government preferred but not required.
• Commitment to Sightline’s mission and values.

Sightline believes in mentoring talent and providing opportunities for growth. If you are somewhat underqualified or overqualified for the position as described or have relevant experience and transferrable skills different from those listed here, but still feel you could be a good fit, we encourage you to apply.

As part of our commitment to equity and in an effort to reduce bias, Sightline has established salary bands for each position level. The salary range for the lead researcher level is $106,000-$125,000 (plus 10 percent retirement, as noted below). Sightline is committed to supporting team members along their career paths by encouraging learning and providing mentoring and training. Employees can earn annual merit raises and periodic promotions.

We offer a robust package of benefits including a 401(k) plan with employer contribution of 10 percent of salary (added to—not subtracted from—pay so, for example, a $106,000 salary at Sightline is equivalent to a $116,600 salary at an organization that makes no employer contribution to retirement).

Benefits also include:

• Full medical, dental, and vision insurance for the employee and partial coverage for dependents
• Four weeks of paid vacation annually
• Twelve paid holidays annually
• Two weeks of paid health, wellness, and care leave annually
• A guarantee of 12 weeks paid parental leave
• A three-month paid sabbatical every seven years
• A monthly remote-work stipend

Since Sightline is a nonprofit organization, employees are also eligible to apply for the federal Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program. Sightline’s staff members work hard but enjoy balanced lives and a collegial organizational culture.