POLICY ANALYST
JOB DESCRIPTION
ABOUT THE RENNIE CENTER:
The Rennie Center for Education Research & Policy is an independent, non-partisan organization committed to the development of effective education policy through examination of evidence, thoughtful discourse and informed action. Our mission is to develop a public agenda that promotes significant improvement of public education in Massachusetts. The Center is committed to a set of strategies that involve collaborating with diverse organizations in the education reform field to pursue the following activities:
• Independent Research: The Rennie Center produces independent research to promote public discourse on educational improvement and to inform policy discussions of key decision makers and opinion leaders. Our research reports and policy briefs are broadly disseminated to policy stakeholders in the public, private, nonprofit, and media sectors.
• Civic Engagement: The Rennie Center is committed to engaging diverse perspectives and voices in a constructive policy discussion. By convening conferences, forums, meetings, policy briefings, panel discussions, town meetings and other events, we promote constructive dialogue on school improvement and student achievement.
• Shaping an Effective Public Agenda: The Rennie Center is dedicated to enriching the policy conversation with research and evidence from our fieldwork with district leaders. We frequently interact with the media, contributing editorial pieces and providing information for journalists.
• Constructive Activism: The Rennie Center is proactive in identifying timely opportunities for change in which it can lead policy discussion and development process to a new level. Activity in this domain includes convening working groups and drafting policy proposals to meet major educational challenges.
POLICY ANALYST RESPONSIBILITIES:
The Policy Analyst is responsible for monitoring federal, state and local K-12 policy activities and preparing policy analyses for internal and external use. This position will report to the Research Director. The successful candidate for this position will have excellent verbal and written communication skills, as well as skills to perform the following tasks:
• Continually track and organize information relevant to the state legislature, Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, Department of Elementary and Secondary Education and Executive Office of Education priorities from a variety of sources, including pending legislation, media reports, and reports from think tanks, academia, government agencies and advocacy organizations.
• Work closely and collaboratively with the Research Director to produce policy papers that communicate the pros and cons of existing or proposed polices, and summarize empirical evidence related to the policy.
• Assist in the production of other written materials for a variety of audiences (policymakers, school and district leaders, teachers and other stakeholders) including policy briefs, research reports, legislative briefs, press releases and website materials.
• Support the Center’s research projects by assisting with primary data collection (e.g. pulling data from existing databases, identifying schools for promising practices studies, conducting interviews etc.) and secondary data collection (collecting relevant research reports, policy papers and journal articles as well as reading, evaluating and summarizing the findings).
• Work closely and collaboratively with the Executive Director on the design of large- and small-scale events on key education policy issues including inviting the presenters and serving as their primary point of contact.
• Edit and produce e-forums and other online and web-based communications
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:
• Strong communication skills with an emphasis on the ability to write clearly, concisely, and persuasively
• Ability to translate research and policy stances to multiple and varied audiences (policymakers, school and district leaders, teachers and other stakeholders)
• The ability to prioritize competing demands in a changing, highly collaborative environment
• Strong follow-through skills and attention to detail, especially under deadline pressure
• Ability to set aggressive, but realistic, deadlines and meet them consistently
• Passion for public education and an interest in the Rennie Center’s work
• Knowledge of key education reform issues both in Massachusetts and nationally
• Excellent computer skills including Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint. SPSS experience a plus
• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in education policy, public policy or related field; an advanced degree is a plus.
TO APPLY
Please send the following materials to Hiring Manager:
• Resume;
• Recent writing samples (sole authorship preferred);
• Cover letter that describes the fit between your experience and our mission and recent work. (Please consult our web site at www.renniecenter.org).
