Connecticut Voices for Children is a research-based children’s advocacy organization that works on the state, local, and national level to promote the well-being of Connecticut’s most vulnerable children and youth. Connecticut Voices staff come from a wide range of fields --- law, nursing, social work, demography, public health, education and business – and use a multi-disciplinary approach to work on leading children’s rights issues in the fields of health care, early care, K-12 education, tax and budget policy, child welfare, juvenile justice, and family economic security. Connecticut Voices is widely recognized for its in-depth, data-driven policy analyses, its extensive research and data reports, its effective legislative and administrative advocacy campaigns and its unique expertise in analyzing the impact of economic trends and state tax and budget systems on Connecticut’s children. Policymakers, the media, professionals in child-related fields, advocates, and concerned citizens frequently turn to Voices for research, analysis, and technical assistance, as well as for creative new ideas for tackling difficult public policy questions.
Connecticut Voices for Children seeks a half-time senior-level staff member (“Senior Policy Fellow”) to lead Voices’ child welfare and juvenile justice policy work, in partnership with other senior staff. Successful candidates must have excellent research, writing, quantitative and analytical skills; outstanding interpersonal and leadership skills, including the ability to build and maintain coalitions; a keen understanding of the policy-making process; the ability to communicate effectively with a wide variety of audiences; the ability to work independently and in teams and to manage and mentor junior staff; a commitment to data-driven, research-based, independent, open-minded, and objective analysis; and a passion to work intensely to promote educational opportunity for Connecticut’s most at-risk children and youth.
Successful candidates should have a minimum of 5-7 years of relevant work experience and a graduate degree in a related field (law, education, business, public policy, economics, etc). In exceptional cases, candidates without graduate degrees but with records of unusually strong work experience and undergraduate academic achievement will be considered. Successful candidates should have a strong background in child welfare and/or juvenile justice policy; however, Voices remains open to exceptionally well-qualified individuals who have demonstrated unusual mastery and success in related fields and who can demonstrate commitment to devoting the next stage of their career to child welfare and juvenile justice policy and advocacy.
CT Voices is committed to equal employment opportunity.
Interested candidates should submit the following: cover letter, resume or curriculum vitae, transcripts from undergraduate and graduate programs (unofficial transcripts permitted), a writing sample of 5-10 pages, and four references. Candidates selected for an interview may be asked to provide a portfolio of past work, and/or additional references. All inquiries should be sent to Claire Morduch at cmorduch@ctvoices.org by September 30, 2012. No phone inquiries please. For more information about Connecticut Voices for Children, please visit us at www.ctvoices.org.
Major Responsibilities
- In consultation with Executive Director and staff, determine research priorities consistent with emerging legislative and administrative advocacy priorities.
- Play a leadership role in the collection, analysis, reporting and dissemination of data (both qualitative and quantitative), best practices, and highest quality academic and policy research, in child welfare and juvenile justice.
- Lead Connecticut Voices’ legislative and administrative advocacy campaigns, alone and in conjunction with partners.
- Build and strengthen partnerships and collaborations with community providers and schools.
- Build and strengthen partnerships and collaborations with colleagues in other organizations working on child welfare and juvenile justice issues, in conjunction with other staff.
- Assist in identifying new funding sources for this work, and in preparing grant applications and grant reports.
- Along with other senior fellows, manage, evaluate, and mentor junior policy fellows.
- Direct Connecticut Voices’ efforts to promote youth engagement in the public policy process for young people involved in the child welfare system, including supervising Voices’ collaboration with the Department of Children and Families Youth Advisory Boards.
