Associate Policy Analyst, Community and Housing

The Analyst will produce analyses on a variety of development, housing, and tax policy topics, as well as develop recommendations for federal, state, and local leaders and decision makers. With a mix of technical skills and policy insights, this position will help spearhead implementation and further study of the community recommendations of ON TO 2050 – metropolitan Chicago’s new comprehensive regional plan. Immediate initiatives include: completing research on new solutions for disinvestment; developing strategies to respond to and direct the effects of e-commerce, assessing policies relevant to housing choice in the face of changing housing demand;and leading a series of analyses on development change and its import for the region. Longer-term assignments will include helping to shape and carry out other aspects of CMAP’s policy and programming agenda, as highlighted in ON TO 2050.

Responsibilities
– Lead stakeholder processes to develop policy recommendations and programs.
– Conduct literature reviews, best practices research, quantitative analysis, and stakeholder interviews to prepare short and long reports, issue briefs, memos,and other material to advance and expand on the recommendations of ON TO 2050.
– Make presentations to CMAP committees and interact directly with stakeholders, including housing, land use, and other planning professionals and elected officials.
– Represent CMAP on task forces, working groups, and at partner organization meetings.
-Aid quantitative and qualitative analyses of potential transportation strategies, specifically related to development impacts.

Knowledge, Skills,and Abilities
– Ability to lead stakeholder processes.
– Ability to synthesize multiple points of view.
– Excellent data management skills and the ability to generate and present findings from these data.
– Ability to prepare technical information on issues of public policy and housing and development, and to effectively communicate that information clearly to external and internal audiences orally, in writing, and in presentations.
– Ability to maintain a focus on the big picture while leading moderately complex research projects and produce reports and issue briefs that are factual, original, compelling, and persuasive.
– Competence with ESRI GIS software, desktop computer databases, and spreadsheet analysis.
– General knowledge of the relationship between land use and transportation.

Education and Experience
– An undergraduate degree in Public Policy, Planning, Economics, or a directly related field is required; a Master’s degree is strongly preferred.
– Two to five years of non-intern experience in a research-driven policy, planning, or analytical role is required.
– Ability to work effectively in an environment using Microsoft Office Suite, with adaptability to other software.