Project Associate, Economic Policy Project

The Bipartisan Policy Center is a Washington, DC-based think tank that actively fosters bipartisanship by combining the best ideas from both parties to promote health, security, and opportunity for all Americans. Our policy solutions are the product of informed deliberations by former elected and appointed officials, business and labor leaders, and academics and advocates who represent both sides of the political spectrum. BPC prioritizes one thing above all else: getting things done.

BPC works to reconcile the competing aims of highly interested advocates, corporations, and policy experts and design politically viable consensus solutions. We seek out individuals and organizations that are deeply vested in the outcome of its policy projects and ask that they check absolutely nothing at the door, bringing all their passion, political perspectives, and interests to the table. BPC believes that the fundamental strength of American democracy is unity forged amid diversity, and we endeavor to represent this pluralism in all of our policy negotiations.

BPC focuses on policy solutions to strengthen our democracy, promote economic growth, opportunity and inclusion, address climate change and create better health outcomes for all Americans.

BPC is seeking a Project Associate to support activities across BPC’s Economic Policy Project (EPP). EPP is committed to developing bipartisan policy recommendations to enhance the prosperity and financial security of the American people. The project also provides timely analysis of the fiscal and economic trends impacting Americans, as well as relevant policy proposals and legislation. EPP’s work in the coming year will have several principal areas of focus:

• Economic Opportunity & Financial Security: EPP currently leads several initiatives to increase Americans’ economic security, including developing bipartisan recommendations to reduce child poverty, raise the after-tax incomes of low-wage workers, build emergency savings, make higher education more affordable, and expand paid family leave. BPC crafted and continues to refine an Opportunity Agenda uniting many of these policies to make the case that there is a bipartisan path for action on critical issues facing workers and families in America.

• Retirement Security: Building on the work of BPC’s Commission on Retirement Security and Personal Savings, EPP continues to develop policies to help Americans build more secure retirements and provides technical assistance to several congressional offices working on relevant legislation. This includes addressing Social Security’s financial challenges, helping Americans make more informed decisions about when to claim Social Security benefits, developing policies to help Americans save for retirement and prevent savings leakage, and increasing retirees’ lifetime income options.

• Fiscal Policy: For years, BPC has been a leader in analyzing government spending programs, tax policy, and the nation’s fiscal challenges. EPP continues to provide up-to-date analysis of U.S. fiscal policy and how, for example, the growing federal debt limits the government’s options to respond to economic and other challenges facing American households. EPP is also a trusted voice on the debt limit, informing policymakers and the public about the risks of a U.S. default and offering policy options to reform the debt limit process. In addition, with many pieces of the individual tax code expiring in the coming years, there is an opportunity to revisit some of those components and think through reforms that could make the system function better for American workers, small business owners, and their families.

The Project Associate position at BPC is a versatile one, involving a variety of responsibilities often simultaneously. These may include:

• Conducting research on economic and fiscal policy issues
• Contributing to the drafting of written materials, including blogs, issue briefs, legislative explainers, white papers, etc.
• Assisting with the selection and management of interns year-round
• Attending stakeholder meetings, taking notes, circulating notes as needed, and managing meeting follow-up activities
• Working events and communications teams on the planning and execution of public and private events
• Building project management skills by tracking project workflow and managing project contacts and grant reporting
• Coordinating with task force members, advisory committee members, and consultants

QUALIFICATIONS 

• A college degree and an additional 1 years of work experience, education, or a combination
• Experience conducting or assisting policy research or analysis
• Demonstrated knowledge of and interest in economic policy
• Ability to communicate clearly and effectively, particularly in writing
• Ability to multi-task on numerous assignments, large and small, in both collaborative and independent situations
• Strong organizational skills

Applicants interested in this position should send a resume, cover letter, writing sample, and transcript (if a recent graduate). Please submit materials as one PDF file.

BPC offers a highly competitive salary and provides generous benefits. Individuals interested in this position should send resume, cover letter, writing sample, and three references in one document.  Candidates must be authorized to work in the United States. BPC does not sponsor employment visas.

BPC is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace dedicated to pursuing and hiring a diverse workforce.

COVID Guidelines

The health and safety of our community is our highest priority. As such, the Bipartisan Policy Center is requiring all newly hired staff members to be fully vaccinated with an FDA authorized and/or approved COVID-19 vaccine, and to receive a booster shot as soon as eligible as a condition of employment. Requests for reasonable accommodation for medical, religious, or other reasons will be considered in accordance with applicable law.

This position is budgeted at $53,000.