Policy & Research Analyst

Times Square Alliance; New York (NY); On-site; USD 65,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

The Times Square Alliance seeks a Policy & Research Analyst to join the Policy, Planning and Research team in New York City, tackling housing, street vending, placemaking, and public space management. The role blends analysis, government relations, and communication to inform and shape urban policy and neighborhood development.

You will produce reports, datasets, presentations, surveys, and visuals, using Excel, Tableau, and R/Python, with InDesign/Illustrator experience a plus.

Qualifications

• 1–2 years of professional experience in public policy, urban planning, economic development and/or data analysis.
• Bachelor's degree in public policy, economics, urban studies, urban planning, political science, geography, or a related field.
• Strong research, writing, and analytical skills.

Responsibilities

• Support the Policy, Planning & Research Department’s ongoing research and data analysis as well as regularly reporting on economic indicators.
• Analyze and maintain datasets related to Times Square and broader New York City trends.
• Track legislation, policy developments, agency actions, and news relevant to the Alliance's work and research issues.
• Use Excel, Tableau, and R/Python to analyze and present data and to identify useful trends and findings.
• Create clear and visually compelling charts, maps, dashboards, reports, presentations, and other materials.
• Find and explore new datasets and sources that could help the Alliance better characterize Times Square’s economic and demographic profile.
• Develop and analyze surveys and communicate the results.
• Help prepare for meetings with government and community partners, including researching, developing talking points, preparing presentations, and conducting follow-up as well as writing testimony
• Assist with the planning and implementation of new initiatives, including projects related to Times Square's public plazas, placemaking, and the public realm.
• Design presentations, reports, marketing materials, and other visual communications using Adobe InDesign and Illustrator.

Skills

Public policy

Data analysis

Research

Written communication

Presentation

Survey design

Analytical skills

Urban studies

Education

Bachelor's degree in public policy, economics, urban studies, urban planning, political science, geography, or related field

Tools

Excel

Tableau

R

Python

InDesign/Illustrator

Job description

The Times Square Alliance is seeking a highly motivated Policy & Research Analyst interested in the intersection of policy, data, government, economic and neighborhood development, and the public realm. The Analyst will work closely with the Director and the Policy, Planning and Research team on some of the most immediate and complex urban issues — from homelessness, street vending, and pedicab regulation, to economic development, placemaking, and the management and improvement of public space. We are looking for someone who is comfortable moving between analytical, government relations, and people-oriented work, in service of the Alliance’s larger mission. The right person is interested not only in researching how cities work best, but in helping make things happen and in communicating ideas clearly - whether through a report, a dataset, a presentation, a survey, or a well-designed graphic. The Analyst reports to the Director of Policy & Research.

This role is multifaceted with duties ranging from updating the Alliance's economic indicators to analyzing real estate indicators, NYC Open Data, or building/maintaining Tableau dashboards, helping draft testimony, researching a piece of legislation, designing reports in InDesign/Illustrator, preparing for a meeting with a City agency, or helping to get a new initiative off the ground. The position involves both ongoing responsibilities and the unexpected projects that come with working at the center of New York City.

The duties for this position include but are not limited to, the following:

• Support the Policy, Planning & Research Department’s ongoing research and data analysis as well as regularly reporting on economic indicators and other research.
• Analyze and maintain datasets related to Times Square and broader New York City trends.
• Track legislation, policy developments, agency actions, and news relevant to the Alliance's work and research issues including homelessness, street vending, pedicabs, public space, economic development, transportation, and other matters affecting the Times Square district.
• Use Excel, Tableau, and R/Python to analyze and present data and to identify useful trends and findings.
• Create clear and visually compelling charts, maps, dashboards, reports, presentations, and other materials.
• Find and explore new datasets and sources that could help the Alliance better characterize Times Square’s economic and demographic profile.
• Develop and analyze surveys and communicate the results.
• Help prepare for meetings with government and community partners, including researching, developing talking points, preparing presentations, and conducting follow-up as well as writing testimony
• Assist with the planning and implementation of new initiatives, including projects related to Times Square's public plazas, placemaking, and the public realm.
• Design presentations, reports, marketing materials, and other visual communications using Adobe InDesign and Illustrator.

Qualifications

• 1–2 years of professional experience in public policy, urban planning, economic development and/or data analysis.
• Bachelor's degree in public policy, economics, urban studies, urban planning, political science, geography, or a related field.
• Strong research, writing, and analytical skills.
• Strong working knowledge of Excel and Tableau and comfort conducting analysis in R and Python.
• Experience with Adobe InDesign and Illustrator with a good eye for clear and effective visual communication, preferred
• Experience developing and analyzing surveys and working with SurveyMonkey or a similar platform.
• An interest in New York City government, policy, planning, economic development, and the public realm.
• Intellectual curiosity, especially someone who enjoys finding information, asking questions, exploring datasets, and communicating findings.
• Ability to juggle ongoing responsibilities with new projects and changing priorities.

The salary range for this position is $65,000–$75,000 annually commensurate with experience.

About the Times Square Alliance

The Times Square Alliance, a Business Improvement District, founded in 1992, aims to make Times Square a global destination and the most desirable New York City Neighborhood. The Alliance’s mission is to keep Times Square clean and safe, while working to improve and promote the neighborhood so we can ensure it remains an unparalleled experience for employees, visitors, and New Yorkers.