[Hiring] Policy Analyst @CHAPIN HALL CENTER FOR CHILDREN

Role Description

Chapin Hall is seeking an experienced Policy Analyst to join our Policy Team. The Policy team consists of national experts in child welfare, juvenile justice, homelessness, and mental health services dedicated to collaborating with state and local jurisdictions to integrate the best available evidence into system transformation strategies. The team works across five interconnected domains of capacity building and systems change, including:

• Data analytics and evidence use
• Leadership, governance and strategy
• Practice and implementation supports
• Policy and fiscal alignment
• Continuous quality improvement

This position will report directly to a Chapin Hall Senior Policy Analyst or Policy Fellow and allows for remote work and periodic in-person attendance at Chicago, IL meetings. Additionally, this position will participate in daily virtual meetings and travel to the east and/or west coast for in-person meetings depending on assigned projects.

The Policy Analyst will work with a collaborative and integrated research and policy team to bring a unique blend of scientific research, real world experience, and policy expertise to partnering jurisdictions. The team’s work is designed to strengthen public and private agency capacity by leveraging critical opportunities like the Family First Prevention Services Act to re-conceptualize existing practice, operationalize and evaluate outcomes, harness research to support clinical skills and competencies, as well as restructure processes to be attuned to the full integration of safety, permanency, and well-being outcomes. The Policy Analyst’s work will focus particularly on implementation of Motivational Interviewing.

This Policy Analyst’s main contributions are anticipated to include supporting Chapin Hall’s body of work around child welfare system transformation with an emphasis on the development and implementation of Motivational Interviewing across our Family First portfolio. The Policy Analyst will assume responsibility for the completion of discrete tasks and deliverables from start to finish, in partnership with internal and external stakeholders, engaging the expertise of senior staff as needed.

Chapin Hall embraces a Work from Anywhere approach, offering flexible remote work from anywhere in the United States. Our fully remote model is grounded in trust, accountability, and a shared commitment to high-quality work and collaboration, regardless of location.

While our work is remote, we intentionally create opportunities for connection and belonging. We offer in-person opportunities for staff to build:

• Relationships and connection
• Team cohesion and creativity
• A strong sense of belonging to the organization

Staff are expected to participate in occasional work-related travel, including attendance at in-person All Hall Convenings, which emphasize shared learning, collaboration, and community. Reasonable accommodations are made for those who require modifications.

Responsibilities

• Motivational Interviewing
  • Plays a lead role in all aspects of Chapin Hall’s support to jurisdictions implementing Motivational Interviewing.
  • Contributes to development of training and workforce development resources to support implementation of Motivational Interviewing in the child welfare context.
  • Provide guidance to jurisdictional leaders in selecting and implementing a federal claiming strategy for Motivational Interviewing.
• Project Management
  • Manages the implementation of components of policy projects, including coordinating project activities and communicating with project team members and external stakeholders.
  • Leads the development and timely submission of project deliverables, including reports, issue briefs, materials, and other communications related to team efforts.
• Data, Evidence, & Analysis
  • Synthesizes research findings and implementation best practices to inform the development of plans for effective, tailored implementation.
  • Assists in the translation of data and research findings into practical decisions, continuous quality improvement, and, ultimately, policy change.
  • Conducts policy, practice, fiscal and evidence reviews to develop innovative approaches to system transformation efforts.
• Capacity Building & Strategy
  • Conceptualizes and supports application of practical strategies for implementing and sustaining policy and practice improvements.
  • Plays a lead role in developing and implementing strategies for the effective implementation of continuous quality improvement processes, systems change initiatives, and evidence-based practices.
  • Provides organizational development coaching and at-the-elbow support to mid-level child welfare and other human services leaders.
• Stakeholder Engagement
  • Identifies opportunities and initiates ideas for communications to external stakeholders.
  • Actively participates and leads meetings with external stakeholders.
  • Establishes relationships with appropriate individuals at external organizations.
• General
  • Manages competing priorities and requests from multiple team members and client partners and prioritizes appropriately.
  • Performs additional duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in sociology, social work, public policy, psychology or another relevant field required. Master’s degree preferred.
• A minimum of five (5) years of experience relevant to the implementation of child welfare processes, practices, training, and policymaking that improves outcomes for children, youth, and families with a degree.
• In lieu of a degree and/or relevant experience, Lived Experience is strongly preferred.
• Proficiency and/or direct experience practicing Motivational Interviewing (MI) as a clinical practice or evidence-based intervention.
• Subject matter familiarity in continuous quality improvement processes and/or infrastructure building within human services.
• Experience successfully implementing empirically-supported practices, programs and policies that promote safety, permanency, and well-being for children in foster care or at risk of entering foster care.
• Ability to understand and translate research findings, in collaboration with colleagues.
• Exceptional written and oral communication skills.
• Demonstrated capacity for working in a collaborative policy environment.
• Ability to work independently with a high degree of initiative.
• Excellent problem-solving skills.
• Ability to manage and prioritize work on multiple projects.

Minimum Physical Requirements

• Must be able to remain in a stationary position for extended periods of time.
• Must be able to operate a computer extensively for four (4) or more hours per day.
• Must be able to travel locally and out of state occasionally.

Benefits

• Chapin Hall provides a strong benefits program that addresses the diverse needs of our staff.
• Comprehensive health plans.
• Paid time off and sick time.
• Parental leave and retirement options.