Budget & Research Analyst

Position Summary

The Fines & Fees Justice Center (FFJC) is seeking someone with strong research and data analytical skills to join the organization’s Policy & Research team. This is a junior analyst position, perfect for someone starting or looking to expand their career in criminal, economic, or racial justice reform. The Budget & Research Analyst will work both independently and in collaboration with other members of the Policy & Research team to support FFJC staff and external partners in understanding the research and data on fines and fees nationwide, as well as conducting fiscal and budgetary analyses of reform efforts. The selected person will need to be familiar with basic research methodology, statistical analysis, and public budgeting practices.

Organizational Overview

FFJC is a national center for advocacy, policy, information, and collaboration on effective solutions to the unjust and harmful imposition and enforcement of fines and fees in the criminal legal system. FFJC’s mission is to end abusive collection practices, eliminate fees in the criminal legal justice system, and make fines proportional to the offense and the individual. FFJC works with impacted communities, advocates, and justice system stakeholders to create an equitably funded justice system that treats individuals fairly and ensures public safety.

Job Responsibilities and Opportunities

Ultimately reporting to FFJC’s Policy & Research Director, the Research & Budget Analyst will work closely with other members of the team. The selected person will:

• Conduct fiscal research to identify how fines and fees are collected and used as revenue in various government jurisdictions;
• Collaborate with other FFJC staff to analyze the fiscal impact of relevant fines and fees reform legislation;
• Monitor fiscal notes and impacts associated with key reform bills during state legislative sessions;
• Collect and keep up-to-date current news on budget processes, key fiscal changes, and other relevant financial updates for target state and local jurisdictions;
• Support the development of FFJC's research agenda, conduct targeted research, and help develop talking points;
• Identify, collect, analyze, and summarize existing research relevant to fines, fees, public debt, and consequences of nonpayment across disciplines and help maintain an internal library of content;
• Work closely with broader FFJC staff to enhance their understanding of fine and fee research to support state and national campaigns;
• Develop public education materials, policy documents, social media content, fact sheets, emails, and other advocacy materials; and
• Other tasks, as assigned, that support the policy and research goals of FFJC.

This role is full-time and remote within the continental United States. All FFJC staff work core hours from 12-4pm ET, Monday through Friday, with the remainder of working hours flexible according to the time zones in which they are located. The Research & Budget Analyst must be able to travel domestically for occasional in-person meetings and national gatherings.

Qualifications of the Ideal Candidate

Candidates must meet the following minimum qualifications:

• An undergraduate degree or at least 2 years of demonstrable experience with one or more of the following: public policy research and/or analysis; state and/or local budgeting; or fiscal policy and analysis;
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills that are informative, organized, and persuasive and which demonstrate the ability to translate complex materials into non-academic language so that they are useful for non-experts;
• Familiarity and comfort with public policy analysis, social science research, and budgeting and fiscal processes;
• A passion for racial and economic justice and and for reforming harmful practices with the criminal legal system;
• The ability to work both independently and collaboratively as the moment requires;
• The ability to work with and learn from diverse communities and individuals;
• The ability to juggle multiple projects at the same time without compromising quality;
• Be organized, diligent, proactive, and detail-oriented;
• Have an ability to travel occasionally.

Though not required for the position, a candidate who can demonstrate following may have a stronger application:

• Previous experience with criminal justice reform;
• Previous experience with issue advocacy;
• An advanced degree in public policy or public finance;
• Previous experience working with marginalized communities or with movements for social change.

FFJC encourages and welcomes those who have personal experience with the impacts of the criminal legal system, or the social systems connected to poverty or debt relief, to apply for this role.