Policy Associate

uchicago; Washington (District of Columbia); On-site; USD 70,000 - 83,000; Full time

Job summary

The University of Chicago's Development Innovation Lab seeks a Policy Associate to advance research findings, foster relationships, and identify opportunities for collaboration and impact across climate, food security, and agriculture.

You will work with the Agriculture, Water, or OFD teams, supporting speeches, policy briefs, and multilateral engagement with institutions such as the World Bank and IMF, translating cutting-edge economics research into real-world policy actions.

Qualifications

• Minimum requirements include a college or university degree in related field.
• <2 years of work experience in a related job discipline.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with project teams to develop and execute communication strategies.
• Oversee or support the preparation of speeches, presentations, and other high-level communications.
• Draft policy briefs, white papers, and presentations for senior policymakers.
• Support multilateral engagement with organizations such as the World Bank and IMF.
• Translate research into policy recommendations and identify opportunities for policy-relevant research.

Skills

Strong writing

Public speaking

Policy communications

Research and editing

Education

Master's degree in Economics, Public Policy, or related field

Bachelor's degree in related field

Job description

Department

SSD Development Economics Center: Staff and Temporary Employees

About the Department

The Development Innovation Lab at the University of Chicago uses the tools of economics to develop innovations with the potential to benefit millions of people in low- and middle-income countries. It was founded and is led by Nobel laureate Michael Kremer. DIL brings researchers in different fields together with governments, firms and non-profit organizations to identify, test, refine and scale innovations.

Job Summary

The job writes a variety of communications for the University. Works with moderate/high levels of guidance to research, compose, and edit communications, publications and/or reports.

The Policy Associate will help advance the research agenda of the Development Innovation Lab (DIL) by fostering relationships, communicating research findings, and identifying opportunities for collaboration and impact. This role will also play a crucial role in supporting engagement with policymakers, multilateral institutions, bilateral donors, academic partners, and implementing partners to scale innovations related to climate change, food security, and agriculture.

Policy Associate will work at the intersection of cutting‑edge economic research and high-level policy application. This position is instrumental in expanding DIL's influence in the global development community and translating innovative research into real‑world impact. This is an ideal position for a candidate who is interested in making significant contributions in the field of development economics and policy.

The Policy Associate will be assigned to one of several teams at DIL — including the Agriculture team, Water team, or the Office of the Faculty Director (OFD) — and will work closely with Lead Researchers or with Faculty Director Michael Kremer's Chief of Staff. Core responsibilities include policy support in outreach and communications, writing, public speaking and presentations, project development, multilateral engagement with organizations such as the World Bank and IMF, and human resources. OFD Associates may also support correspondence, logistics, calendar management and coordinating with the other teams reporting directly to the Faculty Director.

The ideal candidate possesses strong writing skills, technical knowledge of development economics, policy, and the ability to work efficiently across many projects and teams. This position is well‑suited for someone interested in a career at the intersection of research and policy.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with project teams to develop and execute communication strategies.
• Oversee or support the preparation of speeches, presentations, and other high‑level communications.
• Support the team in crafting compelling narratives that showcase DIL's impact to diverse audiences.
• Support the development of comprehensive policy strategies aligned with DIL's research agenda.
• Draft high-impact policy briefs, white papers, and presentations for senior policymakers.
• Provide policy guidance to the team.
• Support the translation of DIL's cutting‑edge research into policy recommendations.
• Identify opportunities for policy‑relevant research and advise research teams accordingly.
• Contribute to research projects with significant policy implications.
• Support the team in cultivating and maintaining relationships with stakeholders in multilateral organizations, governments, and major donors.
• Help prepare DIL team members for high‑profile policy events and global conferences. As needed, participate in these events.
• Support strategic discussions with policymakers.
• Coordinate work by research professionals, program associates , and other project staff.
• Contribute to the team’s workload, ensuring high‑quality outputs and adherence to deadlines.
• Support the fostering of a collaborative environment that encourages innovation and professional growth.
• Assists in the research, verification, writing and editing publications, which can includes technical/scientific material for manuals or journals.
• Uses knowledge of writing with moderate to high levels of guidance to write in‑depth pieces.
• Performs other related work as needed.

Minimum Qualifications

Education:

Minimum requirements include a college or university degree in related field.

Work Experience:

Minimum requirements include knowledge and skills developed through < 2 years of work experience in a related job discipline.

Preferred Qualifications

Education:

• Masters degree in Economics, Public Policy, or a closely related field.

Experience:

• Demonstrated experience in policy roles, preferably in international development.

Preferred Competencies

• Strong network, and experience, within multilateral institutions, government agencies, and/or the development sector.
• Experience influencing policy at national or international levels
• Excellent leadership and team management skills.
• Demonstrated expertise in development economics and a strong understanding of empirical research methods.
• Ability to assess the quality of economic evidence and cost effectiveness for economic innovations.
• Knowledge of randomized controlled trials and other empirical methods used in economics.
• Experience related to smallholder agriculture in a low- or middle‑income country setting.
• Excellent writing skills, including the ability to translate technical ideas into non‑technical content.
• Outstanding verbal communication skills, with the ability to convey complex ideas to diverse audiences.
• Excellent time management and organizational skills including the ability to meet external and internal deadlines.

Application Documents

• Resume/CV (required)
• Cover Letter (required)
• Transcripts (required)
• References Contact Information (3)(required)

When applying, the document(s) MUST be uploaded via the My Experience page, in the section titled Application Documents of the application.

Job Family

Communications

Role Impact

Individual Contributor

Scheduled Weekly Hours

37.5

Drug Test Required

No

Health Screen Required

No

Motor Vehicle Record Inquiry Required

No

Pay Rate Type

Salary

FLSA Status

Exempt

Pay Range

$70,400.00 - $82,500.00

The included pay rate or range represents the University’s good faith estimate of the possible compensation offer for this role at the time of posting.

Benefits Eligible

Yes

The University of Chicago offers a wide range of benefits programs and resources for eligible employees, including health, retirement, and paid time off. Information about the benefit offerings can be found in the Benefits Guidebook.

Posting Statement

The University of Chicago is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, or expression, national or ethnic origin, shared ancestry, age, status as an individual with a disability, military or veteran status, genetic information, or other protected classes under the law. For additional information please see the University's Notice of Nondiscrimination.

Job seekers in need of a reasonable accommodation to complete the application process should call 773-702-5800 or submit a request via Applicant Inquiry Form.

All offers of employment are contingent upon a background check that includes a review of conviction history.A conviction does not automatically preclude University employment.Rather, the University considers conviction information on a case‑by‑case basis and assesses the nature of the offense, the circumstances surrounding it, the proximity in time of the conviction, and its relevance to the position.

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