We The People Action Fund is hiring! (Policy Analyst - Detroit, MI/Remote)
Terry Blastenbrei
Position Location: Remote, with occasional travel to targeted regions across Michigan. Employees must be based in the State of Michigan.
About We The People: We The People Action Fund (WTPAF) (501c4), along with and through its sister organization, We The People Michigan (WTPMI) (501c3), works to build a multi-racial, working-class constituency across the state that is engaged in community organizing, the development of leaders, and the building of a unified, proactive agenda rooted in economic, racial, and social justice for all Michiganders. In 2018, people from all corners of Michigan came together to outline The People’s Agenda, a vision for a Michigan in which all people have dignity, that is safe and sustainable, and that protects our democracy and acknowledges our history. Since then, We The People Action Fund and We The People Michigan have been organizing across the state in support of this living, evolving vision.
About the Position: We The People Action Fund seeks an entry level, detailed-oriented Policy Analyst. The Policy Analyst will be supervised by a Senior Policy Analyst and work closely with the rest of the Policy Team on policy analysis, research, political education, and Policy Team efforts to support our organizing goals across the state of Michigan.
Primary Responsibilities:
Develop an understanding of WTPMI campaigns and contribute to the ideas, content, communication, and support needed for these campaigns on behalf of the policy team;
Research policy examples across local, state, and federal contexts as needed to inform the strategy and work of our ongoing campaigns;
Develop content for political education/training for our staff and base/members;
Contribute to WTPMI one-pagers, talking points, issue briefs, reports, infographics, data visualizations, and presentations to be used with selected internal or external audiences;
Locate, digest, and synthesize publicly available reports and research on our organizers’ campaigns issues;
Contribute to power mapping research, researching and mapping relationships of corporate and other powerful actors in the state to inform our strategy and campaigns;
Contribute to the WTPAF endorsement process of candidates in state and local elections in collaboration with WTPAF staff and base;
Attend meetings with key partners related to our organizing campaigns, and local or statewide coalitions on behalf of WTPAF.
The ideal candidate would have these knowledge, skills, and abilities:
A deep commitment to the values and vision of WTPAF.
A general understanding of legislative & governance processes, and how to conduct legislative & policy research at the local, state, and federal level, particularly in Michigan’s context.
An understanding of how policy & research can be used for organizing and campaigns.
The ability to develop and maintain strong, collaborative, working relationships with policymakers, researchers, organizers, grassroots leaders, and WTPAF staff.
Demonstrated strong verbal communication and writing skills, and the ability to convey information on complex issues to broad audiences in clear, simple, and accessible terms.
The ability to manage many projects in collaboration with several internal and external team members.
Work well independently, and with integrity and reliability.
Experience in, and commitment to, organizing or movement spaces, contributing to grassroots policy campaigns at any level through community organizing, labor, or other member-based organizing.
Some proficiency in Spanish and/or Arabic reading, writing, and speaking is preferred, but not required.
WTPAF is a diverse team of people, and we believe that our diversity makes us stronger. As we work to build a multi-racial, working-class constituency across the state, we believe that representation from diverse communities is crucial to our shared success. We also recognize that people who identify as women, trans, non-binary folks, and BIPOC are less likely to apply for jobs unless they believe they meet all qualifications. We believe in leadership potential and development and encourage people from these groups to apply if you meet some but not all of these qualifications.
Work Schedule and Conditions: Work schedule is standard business hours with flexibility. Evenings and weekends may be required occasionally during election season or periods of heavy work. There will be occasional travel around the state of Michigan.
Compensation: This is a full-time permanent position with a salary range of $50,000-55,000 annually, commensurate with experience. Salaries are adjusted based on federal COLA at the end of each year, not to exceed 5% (budget permitting); and staff have the opportunity to increase their level and pay each year based on an evaluation of their skills.
Benefits include 100% coverage of health insurance for employees and 75% coverage of eligible family members; 100% coverage of dental and vision for employees and eligible family members; 401(k) with a 5% employer match; and a generous PTO package, including a minimum of 30 paid days off per year for holidays and observances, and 2 weeks paid vacation.
This position is included in the bargaining unit of WTPAF employees represented by the Newspaper Guild of Detroit – CWA Local 34022.
How to Apply: Please submit a cover letter and resume through our jobs page by Monday February 26, 2024.
We The People Michigan is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Women, people of color, persons with disabilities, and LGBTQ people are strongly encouraged to apply.