Housing Policy and Program Analyst

About the role

The Policy and Program Analyst plays a critical role in delivering a national, in-depth technical assistance initiative supporting approximately 30 U.S. cities as they work to increase housing supply and advance innovative local housing policy solutions.

Responsibilities

• Research and Policy Analysis
• Support Project Director, Program Managers, and SME consultants with ad hoc research requests related to housing policy and programs.
• Monitor relevant legislation, regulatory changes, and academic or practitioner research on housing production and permitting reform at the federal, state, and local levels.
• Program Support and Internal Coordination
• Support the development and execution of an in-depth technical assistance initiative in collaboration with the Project Director and Program Managers.
• Work with staff from the administrative coordinating partner (external consulting firm) to maintain program calendars and support internal coordination to ensure research, content development, and city engagement activities are sequenced and aligned.
• Provide quality assurance and quality control on research products, city-facing materials, and related communications.
• Aid in preparing materials for cohort convenings, webinars, and peer learning sessions, including drafting agendas, briefing memos, and summary documents.
• Support internal tracking of program milestones, deliverables, and city progress.
• Learning and Continuous Improvement
• Work with the administrative coordinating partner to capture emerging trends, feedback, and lessons learned from participating cities to inform ongoing program refinement.
• Proactively identify emerging policy questions or gaps across participating cities and propose targeted research or technical assistance responses.
• Contribute to internal knowledge-sharing and cross-team collaboration across AFA’s housing and economic development initiatives.
• Content Development and Knowledge Products
• Develop templates, case studies, model ordinances, toolkits, and briefing materials for use by participating cities.
• Write clearly and accessibly for policymaker audiences, including elected officials and department directors who may not have deep technical backgrounds in planning or construction.
• Support the development of reports, presentations, and other communications that convey program progress and highlight city successes.
• Identify patterns and common challenges across cities within and across cohorts, and use those insights to inform the development of new research products or targeted technical assistance resources.

Requirements

• Demonstrated ability to take on increasing professional responsibility with at least two to four years of experience in policy research, housing development, and/or land use planning.
• Hands-on experience in city or local government, including roles in mayor’s offices, city departments or close partners to local government entities, strongly desired.
• Bachelor’s degree required; Master’s Degree preferred; or equivalent experience, expertise and knowledge in the areas of public policy, public administration, political science, economics, urban planning, project management, or business preferred.

Preferred qualifications and characteristics

• Very strong written and oral communication skills, with demonstrated ability to communicate complex material to non-technical audiences including demonstrated ability to understand, communicate with, and authentically engage people across a wide range of different geographies, backgrounds and lived experiences.
• Content knowledge in housing, housing production challenges, zoning reform, and permitting processes at all the local level.
• Strong attention to detail, ability to plan out next steps, and successfully execute against a work plan, while remaining adaptable to changing circumstances and community or team needs.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively as part of a small, entrepreneurial, and fast-paced team in a fully-remote work environment with relentless positivity.
• Genuinely loves working in community, meeting new people, finding common ground, and respect for difference.

Benefits

AFA currently offers a competitive benefits package that includes comprehensive health, dental and vision insurance, as well as a 401(K) retirement plan with a partial employer match. AFA promotes a culture of inclusion and prohibits discrimination in any employment or promotional practices on the basis of race, color, sex (including gender identity, sexual orientation, and pregnancy), religion, national or ethnic origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other legally protected factor.