Press Release  New Policy Position Opens at LGBTQ Youth Commission

BOSTON, MA — As the only agency of its type in the nation, the Massachusetts Commission on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Questioning (LGBTQ) Youth plays a unique and important role in setting state policy. As such, we are pleased to announce the creation of a new Policy Coordinator role to advance this work in the fields of education, juvenile justice, and homelessness. Interested applicants should apply according to the instructions below by January 14, 2019.

The Policy Coordinator will report directly to the Commission’s Director and will be a staff person of Justice Resource Institute (JRI), which manages the Commission’s finances and is regularly recognized as one of the best places to work in Boston. The Policy Coordinator will be based in the Malden offices of the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE), which co-sponsors with the Commission the Safe Schools Program for LGBTQ Students.

Primary responsibilities

• Serving as lead on several of the Commission’s key policy areas: curriculum, homelessness, criminal justice, and Gender and Sexuality Alliances (GSAs).
• Acting as the Commission’s liaison to agencies with whom we work on those policy topics, including DESE, the Department of Youth Services, the Department Of Housing and Community Development, and more.
• Leading the Commission’s communications, including writing its monthly newsletter, drafting press releases, and building a stronger social media presence.
• Assisting in the writing of the Commission’s annual policy recommendations, including conducting literature reviews, analyzing quantitative and qualitative data, and drafting recommended policies.
• Tracking legislation, authoring and presenting testimony, planning legislative briefings, and designing and leading legislative initiatives.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree and either three years’ experience working in policy or a graduate degree in a relevant field (e.g. law, public health, or public policy)
• Knowledge of LGBTQ policy issues, especially those most relevant to this position (education, curriculum, homelessness, and juvenile justice).
• Experience with the concepts of racial justice, racial equity, and/or race-based disparities.
• Understanding of the legislative process, ideally specific to Massachusetts.
• Experience serving as a lead author of policy documents, such as reports, briefs, or guidance.
• Ability to conduct literature reviews in a professional field (e.g. public health or law).
• Communications experience, including writing press releases and/or news articles, and promoting policy through social media.
• Experience working with or managing volunteers.
• Willingness to work flexible hours, including nights and occasionally on weekends for special events.
• Preferred qualifications: experience publishing in academic or professional journals; knowledge of methods of qualitative and/or quantitative data analysis; and professional fluency in a language other than English, especially Spanish or Portuguese.

Compensation and location:

• Full-time position.
• Salary for this position will be approximately $50,000 per year, plus a competitive benefits package.

This position will be based at 75 Pleasant St. in Malden (accessible by the Orange MBTA line), with weekly required travel within the MBTA system.

Application process:

Applicants should email a resume to James Wilson at jwilson@jri.org by January 14, 2019. Please include as a subject message in your email “LGBTQ Youth Commission policy job.” The position has a targeted start date of mid-February 2019.

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