Policy Analyst/Senior Policy Analyst-Immigration Policy

The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP) is a high-caliber strategic policy institute that informs and shapes public policies to reduce poverty, promote equity, and build opportunity in a fiscally responsible manner. It has a national reputation for conducting rigorous research and analysis, developing evidence-based policy ideas and strategies, shaping a broad array of policy debates at the federal and state levels, and influencing policy outcomes on a range of critical issues. It focuses its efforts on improving the lives of people with low or moderate incomes and examines how policies affect particular groups, including people of color, immigrants, people with disabilities, and LGBTQ+ people. The Center is known for its unique capacity to blend rigorous, timely analysis with effective communications that enable policymakers and the media to make use of its work.  

The Center is seeking an immigration policy analyst to support its work promoting the advancement and implementation of immigrant-inclusive federal policies.    

The Center’s immigration work focuses on the intersection of immigration policy and policies related to ensuring people with low or modest incomes have access to public benefit programs and other supports. Our work includes analyzing and advocating for state and federal legislation, policies, and operations and promoting effective approaches that help ensure that immigrants and their families have access to public benefit programs and other supports without experiencing eligibility and/or application barriers. This work is done in close collaboration with policy teams across the Center and in partnership with many national and state partners that focus on immigration and public benefit policies.  

Responsibilities   

• Develop and write analyses on immigration-related policy issues, focusing on the impact on low- and moderate-income people. This includes authoring and contributing to materials on policy and operational issues, blog posts, guidance documents, memos, and policy papers.  
• Interpret, critique, and explain academic and other research and apply it to the Center’s immigration policy work.  
• Stay current on relevant policies being contemplated and/or implemented at the national and state levels.  
• Organize and lead collaborative research processes with the data team and other teams across the Center.     
• Respond to information requests from policymakers, the media, and other national organizations, often on tight deadlines.   
• Help plan and organize webinars, discussions, and other learning opportunities for advocates to improve their capacity to work on these policies.  
• Represent the Center in key collaboratives and relay relevant matters to other Center staff to ensure the Center understands the priorities of organizations focused on advancing equitable immigration-related policies.  
• The position may offer opportunities for public speaking and interactions with the press.

 Qualifications   

•  A bachelor’s degree in a relevant field.  
• Policy Analyst: At least four years of experience working in immigration policy. A graduate degree in a relevant field may be substituted for two years’ work experience.  
• Senior Policy Analyst: At least seven years of experience working in immigration policy. A graduate degree in a relevant field may be substituted for two years’ work experience.  
• Understanding of immigration-related eligibility and enrollment policies for public benefits.  
• Excellent communication skills, including the ability to communicate complex issues to different audiences.  
• Strong writing skills, including the ability to explain technical concepts to a range of audiences (including policymakers, advocates, and the media) and to synthesize data and research into clear, effective arguments.  
• Strong organizational skills, ability to work independently, and ability to stay on track and meet deadlines for multiple assignments.  
• Desire to develop or deepen your understanding of federal immigration policy and racial equity, particularly institutional and structural racism, and their impact on racial and economic disparities.  
• Commitment to the Center’s mission to improve the well-being of people with low incomes and advance equity, including by reducing racial and economic disparities.  
• Ability to travel. (The position will be less than 20 percent travel when travel is once again safe.) 

  The following qualifications are a plus:    

• Experience working for or with advocates, legislatures, or government entities.  
• Experience in analyzing immigration policies and quickly distilling their potential impact (including writing talking points, briefing materials, blogs, memos, papers, etc.)  
• Strong analytical skills, including experience using Excel and analyzing data.  
• Experience with other human service programs such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly known as food stamps) or Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), federal housing assistance, and tax credits.  

Location is flexible while we remain teleworking, though the individual must be available during EST business hours. The Center has a strong preference for a Washington, D.C. candidate for when we return to the office.   

This position reports to the Senior Director for Immigration Policy.  

Terms of Employment: Full-time, exempt. 
Bargaining Unit Status: This is a bargaining unit position.  

Compensation: Salary and title commensurate with experience; excellent benefits, including three health insurance options, dental and vision care, life and long-term disability insurance, retirement, and generous vacation leave, sick leave, and holiday schedules.     

Please upload a cover letter and resume. In your cover letter, please include a discussion of what draws you to the mission of the Center.   

The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities is an Equal Opportunity Employer that values and welcomes diversity in the workplace and strongly encourages all qualified persons to apply regardless of race, color, age, sex, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information, credit information, pregnancy or parental status, family responsibilities, personal appearance, creed, military or veteran status, religion, ancestry or national origin, union activities, disability, or other status protected by applicable law.