Senior Policy Analyst

Senior Policy Analyst

Royal Oaks, Michigan

ABOUT THE ORGANIZATION AND THE OPPORTUNITY

Priority Application Deadline: Sunday, March 3rd at 11:59p.m. EST

The Education Trust (Ed Trust) Midwest seeks a Senior Research and Data Analyst to support our Policy and Research team in our Michigan office. The Senior Analyst will join a staff committed to fulfilling our mission of closing opportunity gaps that disproportionately affect students of color and students from low-income backgrounds in Michigan, specifically. 

The Senior Analyst serves as a primary content expert on K-12 Education Policy for the Midwest team, contributing to the development of policy recommendations at the state level to advance educational equity.  The Senior Analyst also develops research briefs, data tools, presentations, and other communications that will advance, promote, and elevate the organization’s key education policy priorities. A focus of their work will be using large data sets to analyze and report on the current state of education opportunities and outcomes for historically underserved groups of students in Michigan, with an emphasis on Quality Assurance checks to ensure the accuracy and effective communication of data and research findings. The Senior Analyst leads projects with minimal oversight and collaborates with internal teams to inform their work with research-based recommendations. This position may also require some relationship-building with researchers, funders, and partners outside The Education Trust. 

 The Education Trust – Midwest is the Michigan-based office of The Education Trust (Ed Trust). EdTrust is committed to advancing policies and practices to dismantle the racial and economic barriers embedded in the U.S. education system. Through our research and advocacy, Ed Trust improves equity in education from preschool through college, engages diverse communities dedicated to equity and justice, and increases political and public will to build an education system where all students will thrive.   

This role is based in our Royal Oak office and is available full time beginning on June 1, 2024. Part-time work prior to June 1 will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Currently the Ed Trust-Midwest staff uses a hybrid work model that is primarily remote, with mandatory in-person workdays in Royal Oak, MI two times per month and additional external and internal in-person meetings as needed. This model is subject to change and may require additional in-person work on a weekly basis at the Royal Oak office. Only candidates who are residents of Michigan or Ohio (or willing to establish residency in one of those states) will be considered.  Candidates based in Michigan (or willing to move to Michigan) are strongly preferred. The Senior Policy Analyst reports to the Director of Policy and Research.

ABOUT THE SENIOR ANALYST ROLE

The responsibilities and objectives for the role include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Develop and conduct data analysis (may include quantitative and/or qualitative), policy analysis, extensive Quality Assurance, and literature reviews related to trends in remedying disparities in opportunity to learn and improving student outcomes
• Develop and conduct rigorous analyses – primarily using publicly available data - that examine socioeconomic and race-based patterns in opportunity and success, including the development of metrics
• Manage and implement multiple projects that identify promising policies for advancing educational equity
• Serve as a spokesperson for Ed Trust by sharing and elevating analyses and policy recommendations publicly with various audiences--including the media, advocates, and policymakers -- that inform and align with Ed Trust’s policy priorities of eliminating educational disparities and enhancing student outcomes
• Elevate EdTrust-Midwest’s policy priorities by developing key relationships and representing the organization in external meetings with external stakeholders, peer organizations, policymakers, leaders, funders, and other advocates
• Produce reports, briefs, blogs, and other resources to further inform policymakers, educators, journalists, and other public audiences of Ed Trust’s agenda
• Collaborate internally across Ed Trust to support fundraising and grants management, strategic communications, as well as offering any relevant assistance to other teams
• Respond to rapid response inquiries about policy and/or data analyses from staff, and collaborate with the ETM team to respond to policymakers, advocates, the media, and the public

IDEAL SKILLS AND CHARACTERISTICS

• Shared belief in Ed Trust’s mission and a commitment to improving educational equity, with focus on racial equity
• Dedication in contributing to and maintaining an equitable working environment
• Advanced knowledge and experience in Excel and/or software for statistical analysis
• Demonstrated ability to manage and manipulate education data and conduct descriptive analyses
• Demonstrated ability to center equity and issues that affect students of color and students from low-income backgrounds in work products and analytical processes
• A deep understanding of the key federal and state policy issues that affect low-income students and students of color in education, and how to improve these policies through appropriate policy levers
• Strong project management (including time management) skills
• Excellent analytic and communication skills, both oral and written
• Demonstrated capacity to set priorities; work on multiple detail-oriented tasks, often on a time-sensitive basis; and work effectively both individually and as part of a team
• Problem-solving ability
• Willingness to receive and act upon, as well as provide, constructive feedback
• Continuous learner

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

The ideal candidate will possess the following qualifications and experience:
 

• At least a bachelor’s degree in education, public policy/administration, or a related field plus some (e.g., 4+ years) experience analyzing policy and developing policy recommendations in education or a related field, preferably on topics of equity. A master's degree in public policy, public administration, education or a related field is strongly preferred.
• Knowledge of education policy, particularly on issues of education equity
• Demonstrated experience developing policy recommendations based in data and research

COMPENSATION

This position falls in Level C of our salary structure for our Washington, DC office. New hire offers typically fall between the minimum and mid-point of the range and are rarely offered at the top of this range: $65,680 - $82,100. Offers will be commensurate with skills, experience and internal equity. 

The Education Trust prioritizes the health and well-being of its employees and, to that end, offers a highly competitive benefits package. Medical, dental and vision insurance are covered at 100% for the employee, with significant coverage also offered for spouses, domestic partners, and dependents. We provide sick leave, vacation leave, and personal leave, and we follow the federal government for most holiday closures. To ensure staff have synchronous opportunities for rest and renewal, the office is closed for a week-long summer break and a week-long winter break. Among other offerings, we provide an Employee Assistance Program at no cost to the employee, and a generous 7% contribution opportunity on a 403(b)-retirement plan.

VACCINATION FOR COVID-19

At The Education Trust, the health and safety of our employees is of the utmost importance. As such, all Education Trust employees are required to be fully vaccinated and remain up to date on their vaccinations for COVID-19. New hires should be fully vaccinated and up to date on their COVID-19 vaccinations prior to their first day of work. Requests for accommodations due to medical or religious reasons will be reviewed by Human Resources. 

QUALIFIED CANDIDATES, PLEASE APPLY

The Education Trust is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes candidates from diverse backgrounds. 

To apply:

• Resume
• Cover letter: Please use this opportunity to tell us why you want to work for EdTrust-Midwest.  Tell us about your passions and fit for this particular role. Your cover letter should not be a restatement of your resume.
• Writing Sample: Please submit a writing sample of no more than three pages. The writing sample can be sections from a longer document, but please note that we only consider the first three pages of the document if the submission is longer than three pages. Your writing sample should demonstrate your ability to analyze a topic, synthesize and summarize complex information, and, to the extent possible, articulate relevant equity implications.