<< Back to Careers

About CLASP

The Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP) is a national, nonpartisan, anti-poverty organization advancing policy solutions that work for people with low incomes and people of color. We advocate for public policies and programs at the federal, state, and local levels with the goals of eliminating poverty, improving the lives of people with low incomes, and advancing racial and economic justice. Our solutions directly address the barriers individuals and families face because of race, ethnicity, low income, and immigration status.

CLASP’s policy work is carried out by five teams, focusing on Child Care and Early Education, Education, Labor and Worker Justice, Immigration and Immigrant Families, Income and Work Supports, and Youth and Young Adults.

Position Description

CLASP seeks a Policy Analyst to support one or more CLASP teams in their understanding of the historical context that has created today’s inequities and policies and in effectively incorporating this knowledge into their policy analysis, advocacy, and technical assistance. The Analyst will also have the opportunity to participate in policy analysis, advocacy and technical assistance on specific topics to be determined based on their own interests and the policy environment at the time of the Fellowship. The Policy Analyst will report to the Deputy Executive Director for Racial Equity and will in partnership with the policy teams.

In 2021, CLASP staff, working in partnership with academics, CLASP board members, and community partners, developed a Racial Equity Policy and Advocacy Framework, as a tool for CLASP policy teams to use in their work from high-level planning to individual projects. One of the key steps identified as part of this framework is “Analysis of Policy in Historical Context, With Attention to Root Cause.” This project would result in teams more consistently having the skills and knowledge to incorporate a historical perspective on their issue area with respect to how disparities and inequities are rooted in anti- Blackness, xenophobia, and other forms of racism. This project would prepare the fellow for a career in policy advocacy and technical assistance. The fellowship tenure is 24 consecutive months, with an expected time commitment of approximately 37.5 hours per week.

Responsibilities

• Support CLASP teams in their understanding of the historical context that has created today’s inequities and policies and in effectively incorporating this knowledge into their policy analysis, advocacy, and technical assistance.
• Participate in policy analysis, advocacy and technical assistance on topics related to the work of the CLASP policy teams. Specific activiiesto be determined based on the interests of the Fellow and the policy environment at the time of the Fellowship.
• Serve as a capacity-builder with policy teams by leading relationship and other asset mapping efforts of CLASP partners.
• Help increase institutional knowledge and capacity for staff by participating in the creation and implementation of racial equity trainings and culture building activities.
• Serve as a project manager for racial equity initiatives, both internally and externally
• Co-author racial equity external communications with racial equity team members, including blogs, articles, Op-Eds, etc.

Qualifications

• PhD in any field of the humanities or humanistic social sciences. Read more about eligible fields here.
• The successful candidate will have a passion for driving change on behalf of, and in partnership with, students, workers, and families with low incomes as well the commitment, skills, and experience to work with others to make that change happen.
• A strong desire to learn and expand their policy and advocacy skills through individual and collaborative projects and research.
• Interest in developing an understanding of the historical roots of today’s inequities, and incorporating this understanding into advocacy.
• Demonstrated commitment to CLASP’s mission of reducing poverty and improving the lives of people with low incomes.
• Commitment to understanding the structural implications of income and inequities based in racial and ethnic discrimination on communities, families, and individuals.
• Commitment to promoting equity through policymaking.
• Ability to flexibly apply existing skills and knowledge to new content areas, tasks, or projects—and to do so with increasing independence.
• Demonstrated written, oral, and digital communication skills with the ability to write for multiple audiences (e.g., policymakers, advocates, and the general public).

How to Apply

Information on the Leading Edge Fellowship Program: https://www.acls.org/Competitions-and-Deadlines/Leading-Edge-Fellowships

All applications must be submitted through the ACLS Online Fellowship Application System (ofa.acls.org)

Application Deadline

• 9:00 pm EST, March 13, 2024

Duration

• Starts in September 2024. The fellowship tenure is 24 consecutive months, with an expected time commitment of approximately 37.5 hours per week.

Location

• Washington DC (1310 L St, NW)
• Hybrid (4 days in office per month expected)

Compensation

• $70,000 per year, plus health insurance and professional development funding

CLICK HERE TO APPLY