Social Policy Research Assistant

Job Title: Social Policy Research Assistant

 Type: Part-time Internship (20 hours per week)

Pay: $18.00 per hour

Location: Remote

Reports to: Seeding Success – Social Policy Consultant

Application Due Date: Wednesday, December 14, 2022

Anticipated Start Date: Monday, January 9, 2023

Anticipated End Date: Wednesday, May 17, 2023

Summary

Blue Meridian Partners, a pioneering philanthropic model for finding and funding scalable solutions to problems that limit economic mobility, has chosen to invest in Memphis and Shelby County through its Place Matters portfolio. This investment is designed to help our community have access to resources and expertise to plan for equitable recovery from crises in the near-term and economic and social mobility in the long-term. This effort, also known as More for Memphis, will bring together many community members and leaders, nonprofits, businesses, and public institutions to define the challenges of our social and economic systems and policies; and identify sustainable solutions that make a shared vision for a thriving Shelby County a reality.

Description of Role

A primary deliverable of the More for Memphis project will be a social and economic mobility strategic plan for Memphis and Shelby County. This community-engaged planning work, launched in spring 2022, is divided into 6 focus areas, which are looking for Research Assistants:

(1) Education and Youth Development, 

(2) Health and Well-being, 

(3) Economic Development, 

(4) Justice and Safety, 

(5) Community Development, and

(6) Arts and Culture

Research Assistants will be assigned to support a working table executing the planning under one of the above-listed focus areas. Research Assistants will report to a Seeding Success Social Policy Consultant–the primary researcher supporting each focus area working table.

Internship Key Tasks

In support of the Social Policy Consultant, the Social Policy Research Assistant will be assigned the following tasks:

  1. Complete training on Seeding Success’ public policy development process.

  2. Collect and analyze qualitative and quantitative data.

  3. Identify, analyze, and synthesize best practice and academic research on policies for consideration by the Social Policy Consultant for the work group.

  4. Support the Social Policy Consultant in understanding considerations of governance, including budget, cost, implementation schedule, and scalability of programs.

  5. Assist the Social Policy Consultant in drafting documents that permit the partnership in weighing options and trade off costs of policy alternatives.

  6. Collaborate with other Social Policy Research Assistants, Seeding Success Public Policy team, and technical assistance teams.

   

Competencies

  • Willingness to collaborate with high-performing and diverse teams

  • Willingness to support collection and analysis of complex data for planning purposes 

  • Possess excellent communication skills, both written and oral, to a wide range of stakeholders and constituencies

  • Strong research skills, including identifying and reviewing empirical, theoretical, and best-practice literature and analyzing data

  • Openness to learn about community dynamics and issues

  • Demonstrated commitment to the values of diversity, equity, and inclusion

Qualifications 

Candidates should be enrolled in a graduate program and have an interest in public policy, community development, or a related field. In addition, candidates should possess experience (paid or unpaid) working with organizations in public policy, community development, or the nonprofit or government sector. 

Preferred fields of study include: 

  • political science

  • public administration or public policy

  • non-profit administration

  • public health

  • sociology or anthropology

  • urban planning

  • arts administration

  • other related fields

Note

Social Policy Research Assistants should be available to attend video conferences. Flexibility is encouraged as schedules will be created in conjunction with the Social Policy Consultant. 

To apply, please email Careers@seeding-success.org with “Social Policy Research Assistant” in the subject line, and the following materials attached:

  1. Résumé

  2. Brief Writing Sample (related to public policy/social issues preferred; can be from previous academic or professional work)

  3. Top three preferred focus areas (from the above list of 6 focus areas)