Policy Analyst

Put your strong research and communication skills and passion for education and equity to work to answer questions and generate recommendations and solutions that help create equitable access to and opportunity in education for underserved young people.

Bellwether is looking for an Analyst to join our Policy and Evaluation Team. Bellwether Analysts provide research, analysis, and communication support for specific Bellwether projects. Our work is national in scope, and our flexible working style allows our professionals to work where they have built their lives. As a result, Bellwether is able to hire the best person for each role, regardless of geography. This role can be based anywhere in the United States.

About Bellwether Education Partners

Bellwether Education Partners is a national nonprofit focused on dramatically changing education and life outcomes for underserved young people. We do this by helping education organizations accelerate their impact and by working to improve policy and practice.

Our Policy and Evaluation team conducts analyses that inform leaders, organizations, and the broader field on ways to improve their work for America's underserved young people. We produce quantitative and qualitative analyses of contemporary education issues, conduct traditional and innovative evaluations, and generate new ideas and solutions for the sector. We offer recommendations to improve outcomes for underserved youth across the P-20 landscape that are informed by rigorous analytical methods; our extensive understanding of the local, state, and federal policy landscape; and our experience working with a wide range of educational and early childhood systems, leaders, and practitioners.

About This Position

Bellwether's Policy and Evaluation team undertakes both field-facing work, such as published reports or slide decks, and client engagements, where we work with education organizations to help them answer their most pressing questions. In both contexts, Analysts provide critical support to project teams by identifying high-quality resources; collecting and organizing data; reviewing and summarizing documents such as research reports, legislation, policies, and regulations; identifying questions and issues in the data and research; and, in collaboration with project managers and senior leaders, contributing to the insight generation that leads to high-impact recommendations for the client and/or field. The mix of field-facing work and client engagements at Bellwether requires Analysts to be creative problem-solvers, flexible and dynamic in their working style, and proactive, independent, and resourceful.

Analysts work on two to four projects at a time as members of small teams. While Analysts are responsible for components of the research and insight generation process for their various projects, they are accountable to project managers and senior leaders who, in turn, guide their work and invest in their professional development.

In this context, the Analyst's primary responsibilities and duties will be to:

• Collect, organize, and perform summary analyses of quantitative data from public sources (e.g., NCES, state data systems, etc.).
• Gather, evaluate, review, and summarize qualitative data and documents, including research reports, legislation, and regulations.
• Schedule and participate in interviews of experts and other stakeholders, and then organize the interview data and identify key themes.
• Help draft deliverables such as reports, memos, and slide decks to share findings with colleagues, clients, and the field.
• Serve as a thought partner, engage in team problem-solving, and share knowledge and insights on emerging trends and changes in education policy.
• Collaborate with project team members to develop high-impact insights and recommendations in response to real-world questions brought to us by clients and/or challenges facing the broader field.
• Build knowledge of education policy issues by staying up to date on education policy and practice, including major legislation and research that impacts the field.

Qualifications

Excited? We are, too. You should apply if you have:

• A passion for and commitment to improving education and life outcomes for underserved young people in the United States.
• An understanding of and commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
• General familiarity with, and curiosity and willingness to learn more about, U.S. education policy and practice, including major legislation; local, state, and federal roles in education; and recent history of education policy.
• Exemplary research, writing, critical thinking, and communication skills.
• Careful attention to detail and commitment to producing the highest-quality work.
• Solid time-management and organizational skills and the ability to meet deadlines and manage workflow across multiple projects.
• Strong problem-solving skills, comfort with ambiguity, a willingness to ask questions, and the ability to work both independently and as part of a team.
• At least an undergraduate degree and one to three years of relevant professional experience.
• Comprehensive computer skills, including database searching, slide creation, word processing, proficiency in Microsoft Excel (this position does not require proficiency in statistical data packages), and proficiency in Google suite.

Compensation

Bellwether Education Partners provides competitive compensation and an attractive benefits package that includes a performance bonus based on individual and organizational success, health care coverage, and a 401(k) plan with an employer matching contribution policy.

Salary range starts at $76,000.

To Apply

Use your application (a custom letter of interest and a current résumé) to show us how you've got the skills we've listed or why the skills you have are the ones we actually need. We'll review applications as we receive them until the position is filled.

Bellwether is committed to building a team that reflects the varied backgrounds and experiences of the students we seek to serve. It is important to us that you use your application materials to clearly surface ways in which your background and experiences align with Bellwether's core values, including our commitment to diversity and inclusion.

Bellwether Education Partners is committed to providing equal opportunities. It is our policy to ensure that all individuals with whom we are in contact are not discriminated against on the basis of age, race, ethnicity, color, disability, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, or veteran's status. Further, as described above, Bellwether is committed to building a diverse team and strongly encourages individuals from all backgrounds to apply.