Public Policy Researcher Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Timeline: The Partnership will begin reviewing applications on July 9 and then consider them on a rolling basis.

The Partnership for Public Service is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to building a better government and a stronger democracy. Central to this mission is our work to connect the government with those it serves by protecting it from harm and reimagining the way it works on behalf of the public.  

Building on our over 20 years of experience, we:

• Prepare civil servants to navigate an increasingly complex federal environment
• Educate and engage the public about the value of government and how eroding its capacity hurts communities nationwide 
• Collaborate with a range of stakeholders to advance bold reforms that seek to make our federal institutions more effective, responsive and accountable to the American people
• Equip and advise government leaders at the federal, state and local levels to develop critical skills for effective public service.

Our staff, diverse in experience and perspective, is mission-driven, creative, collaborative, optimistic and inclusive. Our work is strategic, fast-paced and guided by our values: 

• Passion for public service and our work toward more effective government 
• People who promote a culture of learning, leadership, collaboration, inclusion and respect 
• Persistence to drive change, take strategic risks and deliver results 
• Promise to be trustworthy, nonpartisan and fiscally responsible 

 We hire smart and friendly people who are great at what they do and good to one another in the process. 

The Senior Manager will lead a portfolio focused on federal government hiring, human resources (HR) and workforce issues for the Public Policy and Stakeholder Engagement team. This role requires a combination of policy analysis and policy development skills, as well as an ability to think strategically about advocacy and stakeholder engagement. The work the Senior Manager leads is critical to the Partnership’s mission of building better government and stronger democracy, its longstanding reputation as experts on federal government operations and personnel and its Government for a New Era initiative.

The Senior Manager should be willing to test assumptions and explore new ways of tackling long-standing workforce challenges. They will have an opportunity to develop creative and bold approaches to making the U.S. federal government more effective, accountable and responsive and to turn the increased energy around state capacity and government reform into meaningful change.

This role requires someone with significant knowledge of federal personnel systems and statutes (Title 5, etc.) and an eagerness to engage with policymakers, advocates and other subject matter experts to develop actionable policy solutions and build momentum for bold reforms. Strong candidates will have a proven track record of making sense of complicated policy issues, shepherding ideas from policy brainstorming to implementation and collaborating with a range of partners to gain perspective and increase impact.

The Senior Manager will analyze and respond to real-time policy developments that affect public servants and government operations, while also managing a robust policy portfolio focused on bold, forward-looking reform. Specifically, the Senior Manager will be responsible for charting out and managing the Policy team’s workplans to reimagine federal hiring, HR and other workforce issues. The role will include deep policy research and creation, stakeholder engagement, project management and coordination across teams. They will need to balance ambition with team capacity and align efforts to team and organizational priorities.

This position requires strong project and program management skills, excellent verbal and written communication, developing and maintaining stakeholder relationships and the ability to work collaboratively in a fast-paced, ambiguous work environment.

This position will report to a Director for Public Policy and Stakeholder Engagement. The Senior Manager may directly or indirectly supervise interns, associates, associate managers and/or managers.

This job operates in a hybrid (remote + office) environment in Washington, DC. The successful candidate must be a permanent resident in the Washington, DC, Maryland or Virginia area. The person in this role is expected to work in the office, on average, three days per week – with Wednesday as the required day in-office. This position requires consistent use of office equipment such as computer, telephone, printer/scanner and MS Office.

In assessing employee performance at the Partnership, we consider collaboration, results and demonstration of our values.

This is a full-time exempt position with regular work hours Monday-Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET. Occasional evening or weekend activities may be required. The Partnership allows some flexibility in work schedules.

If travel occurs, it is usually during the business day. Some out of the area and/or overnight travel may occasionally be required.

The starting salary range for this position is $95,000 - $125,000. The Partnership offers a compensation package that includes a competitive salary; medical, dental and vision coverage; life insurance; long- and short-term disability insurance; a 401(k) program with a 4 percent employer match; opportunities for training and development; commuter benefits; 15 days of annual leave per year, 10 days of sick leave per year, plus all federal holidays and the day after Thanksgiving off; and use of an on-site exercise facility.   

The Partnership adheres to all federal, state and local employment laws. Partnership for Public Service is an equal opportunity employer and will not discriminate against any applicants for employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, caste, national origin, citizenship, immigration status, veteran status, disability; or on any other basis prohibited by law.