Senior Officer, Philadelphia Research and Policy Initiative

Application Deadline: Friday, January 24, 2025

The Philadelphia Program 

Through the Philadelphia program, Pew seeks to enhance civic life in its hometown. We partner with many local institutions in encouraging a thriving arts and cultural community, supporting the health and welfare of the region’s most vulnerable residents, informing discussion on important issues facing the city, and, more broadly, strengthening Philadelphia’s appeal to visitors and residents alike. 

Philadelphia Research and Policy Initiative

The purpose of the Philadelphia research and policy initiative is to enable policymakers to identify and enact policies and practices that improve city government and the well-being of the city's residents by conducting rigorous research regarding important challenges and trends facing Philadelphia. Central to this policy work is the production of timely, well-documented reports on these issues for the benefit of policymakers, the news media and the public at large.

Working directly with stakeholders, the initiative conducts in-depth research, looking beyond the city and region for relevant information from comparable locales. Our approach includes: (1) researching important policy topics and solutions; (2) analyzing administrative, demographic and polling data to benchmark progress; (3) holding policy-oriented convenings; and (4) engaging extensively with policymakers and influential stakeholders before and after convenings to increase the impact of our work and consider promising solutions.

Examples of the initiative’s work are available at www.pewtrusts.org/philaresearch.

Position Overview       
The senior officer develops, in consultation with the project director, aspects of the initiative’s research agenda, and manages and creates growth and learning opportunities for staff, among other duties. The senior officer will manage projects independently and will help to inform the direction of the project’s research agenda.

The senior officer reports to the project director, Philadelphia Research and Policy Initiative and is based in Pew’s Philadelphia office. The position will participate in Pew’s core in-office days on Tuesdays and Wednesdays and will have flexibility to work from home the remainder of each week.

Candidates reflecting the diverse backgrounds of Philadelphia residents are encouraged to apply.

Responsibilities

• Foster a work environment that is diverse, equitable, inclusive, and accessible and in line with Pew and the project’s related goals.
• With project director, lead, develop, oversee, and engage with implementation of the initiatives’ research agenda based on established criteria and develop the scope of research needed to fully explore topics.
• Lead and engage in research conceptualization and methods identification to ensure high-quality publications based on current research practices.
• Identify and lead opportunities for staff development of technical practices. Establish twice annual continuing education for staff on methods, software, and other research-specific skills development.
• Conceptualize and write major policy research reports and shorter issue briefs that are relevant to policy deliberations and easily understood by the public, media and policymakers, often in collaboration with external writers and consultants.
• Implement effective dissemination techniques, including written products and online communications strategies, working with Pew’s Communications department. Serve as a spokesperson for Pew research at public events and research conventions.
• Monitor and identify emerging urban policy issues that are relevant to Philadelphia and to the priorities of the initiative.
• Contribute to and participate in other work tasked to the initiative as well as broader Pew-related projects and activities.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience required; advanced degree preferred.
• Generally, ten years of applicable experience.
• Relevant experience in public policy, the public sector, academia, journalism or with nonprofits preferred, with evidence of increased responsibilities over time.
• Special expertise in at least one city-focused subject area—public safety, transportation, human services, government operations, etc.—or proven knowledge and command of city-related data sources.
• Excellent written and oral communications skills, including experience briefly summarizing the essence of issues