State Policy Associate or Policy Analyst (Research Team)

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The Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy (ITEP) is a non-profit research organization that analyzes tax laws and tax proposals at the federal, state and local levels. ITEP’s work demonstrates the need to raise more revenue from corporations and the wealthy. Our small, influential staff works with policymakers and front-line partners to research, support, and develop tax policies that address inequality. Our unique microsimulation model builds understanding of who pays taxes across income, race and geography at the state and federal levels. Our corporate tax research, cited widely by news media and lawmakers, is a major reason the public understands that many highly profitable corporations avoid taxes. All of this work helps steer the debate about how taxing high corporate and individual income will enable public investment, enhance economic and racial equity, and improve lives.

ITEP seeks a Policy Associate or Policy Analyst to help build and maintain ITEP’s research portfolio in underexplored and high-priority issues relevant to state and local tax policy. They will also specialize in tax policy analysis in a handful of assigned states and will be expected to communicate regularly with researchers and advocates located in those states. The position will work closely with a team of ITEP analysts, researchers, and communications staff as well as a network of state and national partner organizations. This position can be filled either as an entry-level position suitable for individuals with zero to three years of work experience (Associate) or for individuals early in their career with three or more years of relevant work experience (Analyst). This position will report to our Research Director.

Overview

Most of the Associate or Analyst’s time will be spent researching specific issue areas and writing or updating public-facing research on those issues. This work could include writing policy briefs, reports, and contributing to ITEP’s blog. Policymakers and advocates rely heavily on ITEP research and reporters frequently cite our work. The importance of tax policy from a racial equity perspective will be a significant part of this position’s work. The initial research focus will be on ITEP’s flagship report, Who Pays?, which analyzes the distribution of state and local taxes in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.

The Associate or Analyst will also analyze the tax policies of a handful of assigned states and act as ITEP’s point of contact with state researchers and advocates in those states. This will include working with partners to design tax proposals, providing quick turnaround analyses of legislative proposals, developing a deep understanding of each state’s tax code, and closely monitoring tax policy developments in the assigned states. Our partners are an influential presence in state tax debates, and they ensure that our analyses help inform better tax policy. We anticipate this type of work taking up a significant share of this position’s time during the first half of 2023 and then declining somewhat after that.

Primary responsibilities include:   

• Research various aspects of state and local tax policy. Specific areas of focus will be determined based on the policy landscape and the organization’s needs at any given time.
• Contribute to the tax policy field, and the public discourse, by producing draft reports, briefs, and blog posts. A key part of this role will involve helping to keep ITEP’s policy briefs and other public facing, multistate research products up to date.
• Develop an understanding of state tax codes in five or more assigned states and use ITEP’s microsimulation tax model to analyze the revenue and distributional impact of tax laws and proposals in those states (during state legislative sessions this work is highly time-sensitive).
• Serve as the primary point of contact between ITEP and state researchers and advocates in assigned states.
• Provide technical assistance, policy expertise, and strategic guidance to partner organizations and policymakers seeking to build more equitable and adequate state and local tax codes.
• Monitor tax policy developments in assigned states and contribute weekly to the State Tax Rundown blog and newsletter with summaries of recent developments.
• For candidates at the more experienced Analyst level, additional responsibilities may include representing ITEP at events, meetings with allies, speaking engagements, and media interviews.

Desired Experience and Skills: 

• Familiarity with/interest in tax or economic policy.
• Interest in advancing state-level policy.
• Ability and interest in working with data. Strong analytical and quantitative skills, and an interest in problem-solving.
• Ability and interest in reading and summarizing statutes, bill language, academic articles, and complex proposals.
• Demonstrated research, writing, and communication skills, including the ability to communicate technical information clearly to a range of audiences.
• Ability to work independently, be a self-starter and prioritize tasks.
• Willingness to work as a part of a close-knit team and in collaboration with partner organizations.
• Demonstrated commitment to economic and tax justice and racial and gender equity. This may include professional or lived experience incorporating the perspectives of multiple communities and an understanding of the impacts of structural racism and bias.

The right candidate for this role will have a mix of experience and skills that may look different than what this position outlines.

Compensation

The salary hiring range for this position, depending on experience, is: $50,000 to $69,000 (Policy Associate) or $69,000 to $80,000 (Policy Analyst).

Generous benefits include:

• 100 percent of the premium for health and dental insurance for you and your family.
• 403 (B) plan to which ITEP contributes 10% of employee’s salary.
• All federal holidays plus the period between Christmas and New Year’s Day.
• Paid vacation leave with advance approval and sick time are at employee discretion.
• After one year of employment, ITEP provides 12 weeks of paid parental leave. After five years, staff are eligible to request a six-week paid sabbatical.

Location

ITEP is based in Washington, DC, however remote-working arrangements are possible for this position.

To apply

To apply, send a cover letter and resume in one PDF to [email protected] with the subject line: State Policy Associate or Analyst. Candidates may also complete this optional EEO survey and attach it to the same email in a separate PDF; the information provided therein will be held in the strictest confidence for tracking purposes only. Resume review begins July 7 and continues until it is filled

Candidates applying for this position will also be automatically considered for a similar State Policy Associate or Analyst position that ITEP announced on June 9. Please do not submit two applications. The other position description can be found here. Candidates with a preference between the two positions may state that preference in their cover letter if they desire. Otherwise, suitability for one position over the other will be discussed during the interview process.

ITEP is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We value and welcome diversity and encourage all applicants, regardless of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, familial status or veteran status. Proof of vaccination or health exemption required.  

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