Senior Policy & Data Strategist

JobAps; Baltimore, Northern (MD, KY); Hybrid; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

State benefits

Job summary

Maryland Office of the Public Defender (MOPD) seeks a Senior Researcher & Policy Strategist to bridge raw operational data with high‑level policy decisions. You will craft a unified data narrative influencing budget requests, legislative testimony, and public reporting across Maryland’s 24 jurisdictions.

This role requires translating complex datasets into executive briefings, partnering with leadership, IT, and external stakeholders to advance client-centered equity through empirical analysis.

Qualifications

• Six years of administrative staff or professional work.
• Ability to translate data into actionable policy narratives.
• Experience with policy-relevant research and data analysis.
• Experience in government or public sector policy analysis.

Responsibilities

• Build and operationalize a unified data strategy across OPD statewide.
• Lead development of the OPD Annual Report and MFR reporting.
• Analyze caseload trends, staffing models, and system pressures to support funding requests.
• Provide rapid‑response research for legislative strategy and testimony.
• Translate complex findings for executive leadership.

Skills

Data analysis

Statistical analysis

Dashboard development

Policy communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in social science

Tools

R

Python

SQL

STATA

Tableau

Power BI

Job description

Maryland Office of the Public Defender (MOPD) seeks a Senior Researcher & Policy Strategist to bridge raw operational data with high‑level policy decisions. You will craft a unified data narrative influencing budget requests, legislative testimony, and public reporting across Maryland’s 24 jurisdictions.

This role requires translating complex datasets into executive briefings, partnering with leadership, IT, and external stakeholders to advance client-centered equity through empirical analysis.