The Urban Institute
Director, State and Local Housing Policy (Biotech)
At the nonprofit Urban Institute, we believe in the power of evidence to improve lives and strengthen communities. Our employees are empowered to open minds, shape decisions and offer solutions. We encourage intellectual honesty, innovation, diversity, and mutual respect, and our analysis elevates the debate, wherever it takes place.
Urban's greatest asset is our people. We strive to attract and cultivate a vibrant, creative, and diverse community. Our employees drive Urban's mission through entrepreneurship, innovation, leadership, effective communication, results-orientation, and relationship cultivation. Our success depends on engaging individuals who possess and value these attributes.
Urban has a long and distinguished history of knowledge-building and analysis on housing markets and housing policy. Our work is grounded in our experts' wide-ranging experience through work at Urban and in the public, philanthropic and nonprofit sectors. Our team's expertise spans domains, including housing market conditions and trends, homeownership and housing finance, housing discrimination and neighborhood segregation, zoning and land use regulations, affordable housing development and rental assistance programs, housing instability and homelessness.
Urban is seeking a Director of State and Local Housing Policy to work alongside our scholars, leveraging the breadth and depth our housing expertise to: advise states and localities on strategies to move the needle on vexing challenges; design and deliver new evidence and tools that support decision making and program implementation; and partner with other private, nonprofit and philanthropic actors that produce, preserve and finance housing to align strategies towards common goals.
The Director of State and Local Housing Policy will work closely with scholars across Urban to develop new projects, share insights from research, engage “on the ground” in selected cities, and build relationships with key stakeholders on such issues as: how regions can support a vibrant and healthy local housing market that offers both rental and homeownership opportunities, produces more housing, stabilizes individuals and families struggling with homelessness, preserves affordable housing, provides access to opportunity neighborhoods, and preserves the character and vibrancy of local communities.
Priority projects in the near term address the racial homeownership and home equity gap, worsening affordability challenges in hot markets, gentrification and displacement, and NIMBY opposition to regulatory and other housing policy reforms.
Responsibilities:
We are seeking a talented senior housing policy expert to bring a high-level of expertise in state and local policy tools and solutions. The successful candidate will have experience working successfully with government, non-profit, corporate and philanthropic leaders on housing policy issues, and a proven track record of applying research in policy development and implementation and as a “translator” of the research needs and priorities of decision makers. More specifically, the successful candidate will:
In addition, the successful candidate should exhibit:
Working in the Nation's Capital, the epicenter of public policy among a network of policy experts, you can expect to have an impact on policy areas you care about and work with great colleagues who are smart, mission-driven, and collaborative. You will blend academic rigor with on-the-ground collaboration, be encouraged and supported to fulfill your potential through meaningful work that matters, and enjoy a welcoming workplace free from harassment, discrimination and intolerance.
In addition, we offer a comprehensive benefits package that includes: medical, dental, disability, and life insurance coverage. Competitive paid time off allowance, and eligibility to participate in a generous retirement savings plan and reimbursable commuting expense program.
The Urban Institute is committed to Equal Employment Opportunity without regard for race, ethnicity, gender, protected veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or any other protected status under applicable law.
The Urban Institute is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer Minorities/Women/Disabilities/Veterans.