Policy Analyst - Early & Elementary Education Policy - New America

New America is a nonprofit, nonpartisan public policy institute that invests in new thinkers and new ideas to address the next generation of challenges facing the United States. The Education Policy Program uses original research and policy analysis to solve the nation’s critical education problems, serving as a trusted source of objective analysis and innovative ideas for policymakers, educators, and the public at large.

New America’s Early and Elementary Education Policy program seeks a policy analyst who will work to help ensure that all children have access to a system of high-quality early learning opportunities from birth through third grade that prepare them to thrive in school and in life. The successful candidate will play a central role in advancing priorities and key projects for the Early and Elementary Education Policy program. The policy analyst will conduct research projects to identify policy solutions and effectively communicate those solutions to policymakers, educators, the media, and other key audiences through regularly writing blog posts, policy briefs, and participating in public events.

The policy analyst should bring to the role a mix of analytical, communication, and project management skills. They must be a strong researcher and writer who is able to synthesize complex bodies of knowledge for policymakers and the public. The ideal candidate is intellectually curious, entrepreneurial, committed to creating more equitable early childhood outcomes, and able to help form new ideas in early education policy.

Responsibilities:

• Research and report on a wide array of policy issues across the birth through third-grade continuum with a focus on birth through school entry.
• Conduct research and analysis of federal, state, and district education policy and its intersection with the needs of our youngest learners.
• Gather and use evidence of effective programs to develop new policy proposals and recommendations.
• Author and assist in publishing policy briefs, reports, and other documents for the general public, policymakers, media, and other stakeholders.
• Regularly contribute content to New America’s education blog and digital magazine.
• Assist the program team in conducting events, including panels, convenings, and symposia.
• Collaborate with colleagues across the Education Policy Program and with related programs in New America.
• Develop relationships with other organizations and experts working on similar issues.
• Attend external events and meetings on behalf of the Education Policy Program.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Qualifications and Skills:

• Commitment to educational equity.
• Proven strengths in cultural competencies, specifically as it relates to race and racial injustice in education.
• Ability to proactively engage and support workplace dialogue around equity, diversity, and inclusion subject matter.
• One to three years of professional early care and education policy and/or research experience required. Additional experience working in local or state government early learning offices, early childhood advocacy, and/or other early childhood education settings preferred. Experience working on policy related to child care, Head Start, or pre-kindergarten preferred.
• Knowledge of early care and education policy issues, particularly those related to workforce, systems, and quality improvement.
• Knowledge of policies and practices pertaining to dual language learners and/or children with disabilities preferred.
• A master’s degree in public policy, education policy, or related fields, or a bachelor’s degree and an equivalent level of knowledge and experience.
• Strong qualitative research and data analysis skills are required. Quantitative analysis skills such as descriptive statistics and creating easy to read charts and graphs desired.
• Strong writing and editing abilities that span a variety of different styles and audiences: blog posts, in-depth policy research, opinion journalism, and more.
• Excellent organizational skills—candidates should have the ability to prioritize work and manage time on multiple projects and tasks to meet deadlines.
• Demonstrated ability to work both independently and collaboratively—candidates should be self-motivated, but also enthusiastic team players open to feedback and collaboration.
• Very strong interpersonal skills and the ability to build relationships with stakeholders, including all levels of staff and external partners. 
• Creativity to identify what new projects are needed to advance the work, take advantage of policy windows, and meet the needs of the early care and education field.
• Keen attention to detail.
• Curiosity, eagerness, and ability to develop new knowledge and skills.
• Some travel may be required.

This is a hybrid position with two days per week in a physical office environment in Washington, DC.

How to Apply:

Please submit your resume, a cover letter discussing your experience pertinent to the position, a list of references, and a writing sample of no more than 2,000 words. Formal writing related to early care and education policy is preferred. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Salary is commensurate with experience. The salary range starts at $63,000. Excellent benefits.

Originality and Transparency:

At New America, we value authentic voices and intellectual property rights. All application materials, including, cover letters, writing samples, and any other submissions, must be solely your own original work. The use of AI text generation tools like ChatGPT, language models, or other artificial intelligence writing assistants is strictly prohibited for any part of your job application. Submissions found to contain AI-generated content will be immediately disqualified from consideration. Applicants have a responsibility to be fully transparent about authorship and any tools or resources utilized. We celebrate human ingenuity and want to hear your genuine thoughts and experiences. 

No phone calls or emails, please.

New America is an equal opportunity employer committed to hiring a diverse workforce at all levels of the organization thereby creating a culture that allows us to better serve our clientele, our employees and our communities. We value and encourage the contributions of our employees and strive to create an environment where everyone can reach their full potential and drive outstanding results. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, national origin, age, sex, religion, disability, sexual orientation, marital status, veteran status, gender identity or expression, or any other basis protected by local, state, or federal law. This policy applies with regard to all aspects of one’s employment, including hiring, transfer, promotion, compensation, eligibility for benefits, and termination. This is a bargaining unit position.