Assistant Policy Director

City of Boston; Boston (MA); On-site; USD 95,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health benefits

Transit subsidies

Paid time off

Job summary

City of Boston seeks an Assistant Policy Director to advance workforce development and worker protections. You will align policy priorities with funding opportunities, develop resources, and support grant proposals and implementation to deliver good quality jobs for Boston residents.

You will collaborate across departments, monitor program effectiveness, ensure regulatory compliance, and advocate for policy improvements that benefit workers’ health, safety, and economic opportunity.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required; Master’s degree or equivalent work experience preferred.
• Minimum five years of professional policy or workforce development experience.
• Strong policy analysis abilities, with both quantitative and qualitative skills.
• Proven proposal writing and grant-management capabilities.
• Excellent written and verbal communication and collaboration skills.

Responsibilities

• Align policy priorities with funding opportunities and develop funding plans.
• Design and implement programs supporting policy priorities and measurable results.
• Coordinate stakeholders and partners for funding proposals and implementation.
• Monitor, evaluate, and improve policies and programs with data-driven insights.

Skills

Policy analysis

Proposal writing

Communication

Interpersonal skills

Organizational skills

Education

Bachelor’s Degree

Master’s Degree or equivalent work experience

Tools

Office software

Job description

About the Department

The Worker Empowerment Cabinet advances the well‑being of Boston workers in the public and private sectors. Our goals include: (1) setting the City’s future policy and vision for workers, (2) regulating, overseeing, and improving workplace conditions and health for workers, and (3) expanding economic opportunities for workers through quality jobs, skills training, and career pipelines.

Under the direction of the Chief of Worker Empowerment, the Assistant Policy Director will play a key role in advancing workforce development and worker protection initiatives. This role involves aligning policy priorities with funding opportunities, developing and securing resources for new and existing programs, and supporting grant proposal preparation and implementation. The Assistant Policy Director will collaborate with various departments and stakeholders to monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of current programs, ensure compliance with funding requirements, and identify opportunities for policy improvements. Additionally, the role includes monitoring policy issues affecting Boston residents and providing actionable recommendations to enhance workforce development strategies and workers’ protection, health, and safety.

Position Duties

Program Development:

• Collaborate with staff to align policy priorities for the Worker Empowerment Cabinet, including but not limited to workforce development, labor, alternative education, worker protections, youth employment, and economic development.
• Assist in designing, developing, and implementing programs that support policy priorities and achieve measurable results in the Cabinet’s goal of providing access to good quality jobs for all Boston residents.
• Align projects and programs with funding opportunities and develop sustainable funding plans for new and existing programs.
• Coordinate with stakeholders, including government agencies, advocacy groups, and community organizations, to develop implementation partnerships and ensure alignment on funding proposals.

Program and Grant Oversight:

• Support monitoring and evaluation of programs and initiatives to assess their effectiveness.
• Support the management of grant–funded projects by ensuring compliance with reporting and regulatory requirements.
• Coordinate program planning for current funding sources, using research to inform the design of upcoming RFPs.
• Perform research to improve the quality of oversight and technical assistance provided to grantees.
• Work with various departments to ensure compliance with all funding source reporting requirements.
• Collaborate with city, state, and local community partners to identify policy and program directions aligned with Cabinet objectives. Grant Management and Oversight:

Stakeholder Engagement and Advocacy:

• Establish and cultivate effective working relationships with internal and external stakeholders, including government agencies, advocacy groups, community organizations, and key influencers, to ensure alignment on policy objectives, support workforce development initiatives, and identify implementation challenges and ecosystem gaps and needs.
• Serve as designee on various advisory and planning councils, such as the Boston Private Industry Council, Boston Public Schools, state workforce development agencies, and the U.S. Department of Labor. Build and maintain relationships with policymakers, thought leaders, and other key influencers.

Policy Analysis and Program Improvement:

• Monitor and analyze the education, labor, and workforce policy landscape to identify trends, challenges, and opportunities to improve the well‑being of Boston workers and the overall health of the city’s labor market.
• Assess the performance of Cabinet policies and programs, identify opportunities to enhance implementation and address gaps based on field needs, and ensure alignment with stakeholder input and policy priorities.
• Contribute to the organization and administration of shared resources useful to Cabinet staff. Disseminate new publications and write periodic memos on new resources.
• Perform other related duties as required.

Minimum Qualifications

• Completion of a Bachelor’s Degree, as well as a Master’s Degree in a relevant field, or equivalent work experience in a public planning organization or community-based organization in lieu of a Master’s Degree.
• Five or more years of professional experience in a public policy or workforce development organization.
• Proficiency in policy analysis (statistical and qualitative)
• Proficiency in proposal writing
• Excellent communication, interpersonal, and organizational skills
• Proficiency in office software.

BOSTON RESIDENCY REQUIRED

Terms:

Union/Salary Plan/Grade: Non-Union/MM2-9

Hours per week: 35

Benefits

At the City of Boston, we provide our employees with a wide array of benefits and resources that foster both their professional and personal development. Our goal is to make City government a place where everyone is empowered to make a positive impact for the communities in which we live, work, and play.

For full‑time positions, employees may be eligible for the following benefits depending on the nature of their employment and applicable Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) for the position. View the Collective Bargaining Agreements page to learn more.

Benefits Available to City Workers

• Retirement & Savings Opportunities: Membership in the Boston Retirement System (BRS), a benefit pension plan providing lifetime income to vested employees when they retire, along with deferred compensation options to help you build a secure future. Visit boston.gov/retirement to learn more.
• Health Insurance & Benefits: The City offers competitive medical, dental, and vision coverage, plus flexible spending (FSA), dependent care accounts, and life insurance for our employees. Visit boston.gov/insurance to learn more.
• Other Benefits: City employees enjoy a benefits package featuring paid time off and leave, subsidized transit (MBTA and Bluebikes), educational assistance, and employee wellness programs. Visit boston.gov/life-city-boston to learn more.
• Salary information: To view salary plans and understand how salaries work at the City of Boston, go to boston.gov/salary.

Part‑time employees who are scheduled to work for 20 hours or more per week may also be eligible for benefits on a pro‑rated basis. Please refer to the applicable Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) to learn more about any benefits available for this position.

If you have any questions about the benefits offered for this position, please contact the Office of Human Resources at 617-635-3370 or [e-mail].

Agency Information

Employer

City of Boston (MA)

Address

1 City Hall Plaza, Room 612

Boston, Massachusetts, 02201

Phone

617-635-3370

Website

https://www.boston.gov