People’s Action Institute (PAI) seeks a Policy Associate primarily to support our emerging decarceration/criminal justice reform program.

The ideal candidate is an experienced community organizer with a passion for public policy or an experienced policy staff with a passion for the transformative power of organizing. We are looking for a strategic campaign planner, a great writer and an experienced staff with grassroots, labor, or political organizing experience. This candidate has experience analyzing policy and developing policy related materials, working with a variety of communities across a wide range of issues, and has played a key role in winning campaigns.

PAI is working to build a bold, working-class people’s agenda from urban neighborhoods and suburbs to Native American reservations, college campuses, small businesses and rural areas. People of color, women and LGBTQ people are strongly encouraged to apply. A good candidate for this job will be deeply invested in building lasting community power and the success of PAI local organizations both individually and collectively. There is a strong preference for being geographically based near one of the PAI offices, which are in Chicago, Seattle and Washington. This job will also require regular travel.

Our emerging decarceration campaigns focuses on the power of local prosecutors and school systems in perpetuating mass incarceration, which has both perpetuated the American racial caste system and also made communities less safe. The majority of the Policy Associate’s time will be spent on this campaign, but the associate will also work with the wider policy team across all the issues and departments of PAI.

The Policy Associate will:

• Work with campaign teams to develop and move municipal, state-based and national strategies to win by managing areas of policy work and organizing work.
• Research, analyze, formulate and articulate policy positions that can be distributed externally and used by our campaign staff, affiliate organizations and allies
• Develop maintain, and deepen key relationships with policy experts, academics and practitioners for the benefit of PAI’s policy and campaigns work
• Actively contribute to strategy and development to move campaigns throughout the network and strengthen PAI’s infrastructure
• Prepare written analysis, reports, meeting summaries, and related materials as required
• Strengthen existing organizing and work to develop new campaigns by providing direct policy and research support to PAI affiliate organizations
• Serve as a representative of PAI in national spaces as needed

A strong candidate for this job has…

• Familiarity with criminal justice reform from personal and/or professional experience
• 2 to 4 years of community or labor organizing experience and/or 2 to 4 years of policy analysis and issue advocacy experience
• Ability to take in large amounts of information quickly
• Ability to write well, clearly, quickly and accurately for an organizing or policy audience
• Deep commitment to racial & economic justice
• Experience working in diverse race & class settings
• Sense of humor and ability to work with fun, committed and very busy people
• Ability to juggle and prioritize multiple tasks & responsibilities
• Ability to work both independently and collaboratively
• Willingness to put in the hours to get the job done, including some nights and weekends
• Ability to travel a minimum of eight times per year for PAI events and to provide support to affiliate organizations as campaign work dictates

In addition to the required qualifications, the following are highly desirable:

• Experience with power analysis/mapping, strategy, and/or campaign development
• Comfortable working and communicating via email, g-chat, video conferencing, etc.
• Strong track record of building community leadership and mobilizing people to action
• Bilingual Spanish speaker
• Humility and strong eagerness to learn and grown
• Willingness to hit the ground running and learn from trial and error
• Electoral organizing and/or civic engagement experience

The Policy Associate is a member of both the Policy and Campaigns Departments and reports to the Policy Director.

Salary and Benefits

Salary is based on experience. Please include your desired range in your cover letter. The PAI benefits package includes a very good family medical, dental and vision insurance plan, a 401(k) plan with employer contribution, and paid time off in December in addition to paid vacation.

Application Process

Please send a cover letter, resume, writing samples and references to [email protected] References must include at least one direct supervisor. This position is open until filled. PAI is an Equal Opportunity Employer; women, people of color and LGBT people are strongly encouraged to apply.