The East Bay Alliance for a Sustainable Economy (EBASE) advances economic, racial, and social justice by building a just economy in the East Bay based on good jobs and healthy communities. We address the root causes of economic injustice by developing strategic alliance among community, faith, and labor to build power and create change with low-income workers and communities of color.
Position summary:
The Research and Policy Associate provides strategic research and analysis to the organization’s comprehensive jobs and economic justice campaigns in Oakland and the East Bay. The work of the Research and Policy Associate includes both qualitative and quantitative research to reframe the debate and help move campaigns forward. The Research and Policy Associate will participate in EBASE campaign and policy development and implementation. The Research and Policy Associate reports to the Revive Oakland Campaign Director.
Campaign research and policy development
Specific tasks vary depending on the needs of the campaign, but likely require the Associate to:
• In coordination with the campaign team, develop a research plan and timeline to support the goals of the campaign
• Track the agendas, meetings, and legislation of government agencies as related to EBASE’s campaigns. Track the current debates about particular issues and policy solutions, such as living wages, local hire policies, or other labor standards
• Conduct web and media searches to identify applicable solutions
• Gather and assess best-practice policies and programs for application to campaigns, Interview advocates and organizers to understand on-the-ground application of policy solutions
• Industry and corporate research
• Identifying and answering research questions that enable EBASE to assess potential new campaigns
Data collection, analysis, and reports
The Research and Policy Associate utilizes data and research to reframe the debate about our local and regional economy, and integrate the research component into EBASE’s comprehensive campaigns. Depending on the campaign or project, the Research and Policy Associate may be involved in:
• Identifying relevant data sources for a particular research project
• Analyzing data from the U.S. Census Bureau on poverty, income, and employment, or the California Employment Development Department on wages, workers, and employers
• Supporting organizers in developing, conducting, and analyzing worker and resident surveys
• Writing research briefs and policy papers that illustrate the meaning of the data to a variety of audiences
Coalition Building and Public Speaking
• Summarizing key findings to the campaign team and coalition partners through memos and presentations.
• Being a spokesperson to the media and other public audiences on the main findings of the report.
• Making presentations to staff, board members, coalition partners, allies, and decision makers on the data and conclusions.
• Representing EBASE at meetings with allies and supporters, coordinating and attending actions, and
supporting the work of the campaign and the organization as a whole.
Required experience and qualifications
• 2-3 years of prior research work experience
• Demonstrated commitment to worker and resident organizing, economic justice, and social justice movements
• Experience as a researcher in the public sector, labor movement, or other social, economic or racial justice movements
• Strong verbal communication skills and experience making presentations to multiple audiences, including testimonies to government agencies and/or trainings to community organizations
• Strong writing skills for a policy-making audience
• Ability to work well in a team and take initiative
• Detail-oriented and accountable to both team goals and individual work plan goals
• Experience and comfort working in multi-cultural, multi-racial, multi-lingual settings with a diverse set of organizations
• Proficiency in basic qualitative research skills including web and media searches and interviews
• Proficiency in using Microsoft Excel to execute complex formulas and to create illustrative graphs and charts
• Tenacity in performing investigative research, including identifying and pursuing interviews with key public agency staff and stakeholders
Preferred qualifications
• Masters degree in public policy, urban planning, or similar program or equivalent experience
• Direct experience working in low-income, immigrant, and communities of color
• Experience in local government policymaking, budgeting, local hire, living wage, or workforce development
• Familiarity with data analysis programs such as SAS, GIS, or IMPLAN is a plus, but not required.
Compensation and Benefits
The salary for this position is between $35,000-$45,000, depending on experience, plus a generous benefits package. EBASE provides an excellent working environment that encourages team work and recognizes high quality work.
Email cover letter and resume to: info_at_workingeastbay.org, or mail to EBASE, Research and Policy Associate Search, 1814 Franklin St., Suite 325, Oakland, CA 94612. Applicants will only be contacted if they are requested for an interview.
Application deadline: Friday, December 19, 2014. The position will be open until filled and starts immediately. Please note that the EBASE office is closed beginning December 22, 2014 and will re-open on Monday, January 5, 2015.
EBASE is an affirmative action employer, and strongly supports the social goals of affirmative action. We therefore make special efforts to recruit individuals from groups that are historically under-represented in professional environments, or that suffer broader societal discrimination.
