ABOUT: The Northeast Charter Schools Network (NECSN) is a nonprofit network organization that supports the work of both the New York Charter Schools Association (NYCSA) and Connecticut Charter Schools Association (CTCSA), each of which serve as the unified voice for their state's public charter schools. NECSN works to enact change in the public charter school sector that will have a significant impact on student outcomes throughout each state.

NECSN is looking for talented graduate students for our Policy Fellow Program in Albany, NY. Policy Fellows are part of the team and work closely with full-time staff. 

POSITION: The Policy Fellow will report to NECSN Chief Financial and Operating Officer, and will support the research, analysis, and policy needs of NECSN, CTCSA, and NYCSA.  

PAY: $17.50 per hour

LOCATION: Hybrid in New York or Connecticut

HOURS: Fall and Spring fellows are part-time for a minimum of 15 hours a week, but not to exceed 32 hours per week.  Summer fellows are part-time for 10-12 weeks. Summer fellows are part-time for up to 32 hours per week. 

RESPONSIBILITIES:  Responsibilities generally include but will not be limited to the activities identified below.

• Bill tracking, including setup of bill tracking systems;
• Analysis of proposed legislation, including production of informative memos; 
• Drafting social media content in support of policy and advocacy work
• Policy issue research including creation of detailed reports
• Production of legislative briefing materials
• Working with state education data sets in Excel or Microsoft Access, including downloading, analysis, summarizing, and reporting.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Current students pursuing, or recent graduates of, a Master's degree program in relevant field (e.g. public policy, etc.).
• Demonstrated  interest in NECSN's  mission either through past work or volunteer experience or through independent research projects.
• Demonstrated fluency in methods of qualitative analysis.
• Familiarity   with   basic   quantitative   methods   of   analysis,   demonstrated   by proficiency  in  higher-level  Excel  functions  and  at  least  one  statistical  analysis software program.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Familiarity  with  the  policymaking  process  gained  through,  for  example,  prior work  or  internship  experience in  government, preferred but not required.
• Entrepreneurial spirit and desire to work in a fast-paced startup environment..
• Self-motivated,   creative,   organized,   and   deeply   committed   to   personal   and organizational excellence.

TIMELINE:

Applications may be considered on a rolling basis, but students should consider the following schedule:

• Summer 2023 applications are due by May 15, 2023.
• Fall 2023 applications are due by August 15, 2023.
• Spring 2024 applications are due by December 15, 2023.