Who: Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning
What: This Associate role will produce analyses and develop recommendations on a variety of topics relevant to ON TO 2050, with special emphasis on work related to issues of economic development, climate, transportation, and/or equity and inclusive growth. Immediate assignments could include analysis of the 2020 Census and its impact on the region’s Economically Disconnected Areas, policies to promote infill and community reinvestment, or implementation activities supporting the Fees, Fines, and Fares project. Longer-term assignments will include research and analysis to implement other aspects of CMAP’s policy and programming agenda depending on both agency need and the skills and interests of the selected candidate.
Responsibilities:
Assists project managers and participates on project teams, helping to achieve desired outcomes and meet required deadlines, conduct analyses and investigations, prepare planning and policy recommendations and reports, and prepare data visualizations. Manages one or more staff-led and/or consultant-led projects including project scoping and startup; managing project sponsor, stakeholder, and partner relations and outreach; managing and assigning tasks to project team; monitoring project timeline and task completion; providing feedback on performance; and preparing and reviewing deliverables; and assists in other project-related tasks. Contributes empirical research, data collection, data quality assurance, and data contextualization through analysis, data visualization, and written plan content to policy analysis and development projects, and assists in other project related tasks. Supports outreach for policy analysis projects, including strategy development, coordinating, planning, attending, and leading meetings with external partners and stakeholders, including agendas, meeting notices, meeting notes, and / or minutes and correspondence. Works to support external consideration of projects with Government Affairs and Communications staff and contributes effectively to various efforts to promote policies and projects to broader audiences (e.g., through policy analysis of legislation, editing and distillation of content, visualization, video, or social media development). Contribute research, analysis, and content to reports regarding new policy directions for CMAP's regional plan development and policy analysis of relevant legislation or administrative initiatives. Able to work independently to perform more responsible, varied, and difficult and complex projects than the Assistant Policy Analyst position, including managing the successful achievement of project deadlines, managing workload and schedule, and ensuring effective completion of tasks and projects to which they are assigned. Contributes to other work plan items as assigned, such as research and development of new policy topics and approaches or plan implementation. Attends internal department meetings as well as external committee meetings, outreach events, and workshops as assigned. Supports fellow employees and others to further the advancement of CMAP’s mission. Builds and maintains positive relations with external partners, stakeholders, and communities. Occasionally travels throughout the region or to Springfield, Illinois. Qualifications:
- Thorough knowledge of public policy, urban and/or regional planning practice, and an understanding of environmental, social, land use, and transportation considerations in planning.
- Strong working understanding of the data provided by the Census Bureau and its limitations.
- Skill in general principles of research, data collection and analysis, and technical writing and data visualization.
- Skill in the use of personal computers, associated software packages, hardware, and peripheral equipment.
- Skill in utilizing spreadsheets and statistical and geospatial analysis.
- Ability to work with limited supervision.
- Ability to compile and communicate information effectively in oral and written form.
- Ability to analyze and systematically compile technical information and to prepare technical reports.
- Ability to document research and work collection and processes.
- Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with colleagues, community or civic leaders, public sector officials and staff, partner agencies and organizations, and the general public.
