Policy Analyst

DC Department of Human Services (DHS) have two job openings to use data analytic skills to make life better for DC residents. DHS is looking for Data Scientists to provide leadership and direction on predictive projects to better serve residents with economic security programs (like food stamps and cash benefits). They’re also looking for a Policy Analyst to conduct complex data analysis and research for programs that support people experiencing homelessness. Candidates for either role should be excited to improve the quality of services for District residents!

Applications are due by July 30th.
Job ID: 10922

This position is located in the Department of Human Services (DHS), Family Services Administration (FSA). The mission of FSA is to provide protection, intervention, and social services to meet the needs of vulnerable adults and families to help reduce risk and promote self-sufficiency.  FSA includes the homeless services-individuals division; homeless services-families division; youth services division; and community services division.

As a Policy Analyst, the incumbent will serve as an expert and lead for data analysis, research, and policy analysis of FSA’s homelessness programs, policies, best practices, service delivery, and program implementation. The incumbent is expected to provide leadership and direction in identifying, designing, and executing various quantitative and qualitative data and policy analyses for FSA to improve the quality of services provided to the District residents.

Duties & Responsibilities:  The incumbent in this position will be responsible for conducting various qualitative or quantitative analyses using specialized software/programming (such as SPSS, SQL Server Management Studio, R, Tableau, Microstrategy, etc.) to generate reports with sophisticated graphics, tables, and charts for presentations and for policy development; conducting regular and ad-hoc statistical and quantitative analysis involving data and multiple databases to support policy development and analysis; compiling and extracting data and conducting data scrubs as needed to improve the quality of data for policy analysis; assisting with quantitative data for performance and budget oversight hearings; developing and maintaining data reports and dashboards for policy analysis; participating in the development of proposals for regulations and policies; conducting complex analysis of the anticipated effects of alternative policies and programs (i.e. cost benefit analysis or cost projection); and translating insights from academic research and evidence-based practices into concrete recommendations for improving FSA programs, policies, and operations.  The incumbent will also promote data-driven decision-making across FSA, provide technical assistance to the agency’s leadership in interpreting and utilizing data to support policy development, and help develop and track metrics and performance measures to assure program requirements are accurately administered.  In addition, the incumbent will help lead a quality assurance review process and make recommendations for systems and procedural changes to support policy development, and identify potential problems in program administration, documentation, or systems operations as well as proposed solutions to increase effectiveness, efficiency, and economy of operations.

The incumbent will build strong working relationships with all FSA programs to develop cross-agency strategies for best practice in policy analysis, data tracking, management, and utilization. The incumbent will work with senior level staff, agencies, and offices in developing and evaluating long-range plans, trends, and proposals in relation to the Administration’s overall strategic direction and will monitor implementation.  The incumbent will also provide in-depth analysis of specific issues or problems which affect the homeless population and other low-income families.  The incumbent will evaluate issues, analyze organizational and operational problems, develop methods, and address those issues and recommend optimal policy solutions.

Qualifications and Education: Applicants must have at least one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to the next grade level in the normal line of progression. Specialized experience is experience which is in or directly related to the line of work of the position and has equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position.