Director/Senior Director, Federal Budget Policy

The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP) is a nonpartisan research and policy institute that advances federal and state policies to help build a nation where everyone — regardless of income, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, ZIP code, immigration status, or disability status — has the resources they need to thrive and share in the nation’s prosperity.

CBPP combines rigorous research and analysis, strategic communications, and effective advocacy to shape debates, affect policy, and inform effective implementation both nationally and in states. It works closely with a broad set of national, state, and community organizations to design and advance policies that reduce poverty and promote economic justice; improve health; broaden opportunity in areas like housing, health care, employment, and education; and lower structural barriers for people of color and others in communities that continue to face systemic barriers to opportunity. CBPP promotes policies that will build a more equitable nation and fair tax policies that can support these gains over the long term. CBPP also shows the harmful impacts of policies and proposals that would deepen poverty, widen disparities, and worsen health outcomes.

The Federal Fiscal Policy team analyzes the federal budget, budget and appropriations proposals, and long-term budget trends. Its tax policy work focuses on revenue adequacy, fairness, and tax compliance as well as the impact of tax policies on the economy. It also works on issues related to the federal budget process and its rules. Across all of its work, the Federal Fiscal Policy team focuses on the implications of policies on economic and health security, racial equity, and income and wealth distribution. The Federal Fiscal Policy team includes mid- and senior-level staff with expertise in budget issues, federal taxes, Social Security and disability policy, and the U.S. territories as well as research assistants who support the team’s work.

Over the next two years, federal policymakers will face critical fiscal policy questions, regardless of the outcomes of the elections this fall. Policymakers will make a number of consequential policy decisions that will have a significant impact on the well-being of millions of people, communities, the economy, and the nation’s fiscal outlook. CBPP is preparing for these debates now and will be deeply involved in shaping these decisions in ways that promote economic and racial justice and broaden opportunity.

To further this work, CBPP seeks a Director or Senior Director of Federal Budget Policy who will proactively engage in public debates on federal fiscal policy and budget process issues. The ideal candidate will have a deep knowledge of the federal budget, including spending, revenue, and debt, and strong communications skills. A strong candidate will also have experience crafting strategy, thinking through tactics for shaping policy debates, and effectively advocating for policy positions in public settings and with policymakers and/or their staff.

Responsibilities:

• Develop and drive CBPP’s key messages in debates throughout the budget cycle by writing public papers and blogs, speaking at public events, and actively engaging on social media, including on these potential issues:
• The importance of investing in public services and in economic and health security programs — both mandatory programs and programs funded through annual appropriations — that support people and communities, and how such investments can benefit the economy overall, improve measures of well-being, and promote equity;
• The advantages of strengthening the revenue base and addressing other shortcomings of our current revenue system, including its favorable treatment of high-income and high-wealth households and profitable businesses;
• The distributional and equity implications of budget and tax policies and proposals, including addressing persistent income and wealth inequality across racial and ethnic groups;
• The fiscal and economic implications of the nation’s long-term federal fiscal trajectory as well as the risks of broaching the nation’s debt limit; and
• The role of the budget process and its associated rules on federal policymaking.
• Lead and conceptualize analyses of federal spending and revenue, including historical trends and projections under both current law and different policy assumptions, assessing their impact on households with low- and moderate-incomes and the nation’s fiscal outlook.
• Develop strategies for shaping congressional and executive branch budget proposals, collaborating closely with CBPP’s Government Affairs team. This will include engaging with key congressional and executive staff as well as with other analysts and experts at partner organizations.
• Coordinate with partner organizations around budget research and advocacy, including longer-range planning and shorter turnaround work to address emerging issues, as well as work directly with policymakers and their staff.
• Collaborate closely with staff on the Federal Fiscal Policy team, including current senior experts and research assistants, as well as with others at CBPP to move forward projects and policy goals.
• A Senior Director will be expected to perform the responsibilities above with more autonomy and to take the lead in developing new arguments and analyses that will broaden CBPP’s strategic and tactical thinking in this work. They will be expected to leverage pre-existing relationships with the press, policymakers and their staff, and other experts in this field and work more independently with those stakeholders to further the work of CBPP. This role may be expected to take on people management responsibilities.

Qualifications:

The successful candidate will demonstrate expertise in federal fiscal policy issues and will bring a mix of at least some of the following skills and experiences:

• At least ten years of relevant work experience in Congress, the executive branch, or non-governmental organizations. A related graduate degree or Juris Doctor (J.D.) may be counted toward work experience.
• Senior Director: At least ten years of experience in leading federal budget analysis and strategy work and experience managing people or projects in a highly collaborative style that centers equity and inclusion.
• Ability to proactively generate ideas for policy work, develop and implement advocacy strategies, lead work with partner organizations, and engage in high-level conversations with policymakers and their staff.
• Senior Director: Experience working directly with and advising the leaders of organizations and engaging with key congressional and executive staff and policymakers.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities under tight deadlines and to transform ideas into action in a complex and rapidly changing policy environment.
• Senior Director: Track record of leading inclusive and collaborative projects with a team in a dynamic environment. Demonstrated ability to conceptualize how a project should be organized, effectively delegate tasks, direct work, and manage complex projects.
• Strong quantitative skills to conceptualize and conduct analyses that shed light on important policy issues, including by assessing and modeling spending, revenue, and debt in Excel and placing proposals and trends in historical context. Skill in modeling using micro data or other methods is a plus.
• Strong writing and verbal skills to effectively communicate CBPP’s analyses and recommendations on budget policy. A track record of effective public speaking, from presentations to media interviews, and active, respectful engagement on social media.
• Senior Director: Experience in writing and verbal communication includes writing and speaking to a broad set of audiences (including both expert and non-expert audiences), existing relationships with key reporters, and/or social media engagement that includes individuals who are thought leaders, members of the press or partner organizations, or key executive branch or congressional staff.
• Experience assessing budget measures throughout the annual budget cycle, including the President’s budget proposal, congressional budget resolutions, and appropriations and reconciliation bills; and
• A commitment to CBPP’s mission to build toward a nation where everyone, regardless of identity or background, has the resources they need to thrive.
• Deep expertise in the procedural aspects of the federal budget process, budget accounting concepts, and budget scorekeeping and enforcement rules, with government experience is a plus.

CBPP is currently operating on a hybrid work schedule of two in-office days (Tuesday and Wednesday) per week as well as the first Thursday of each month in our Washington, D.C. office.

This position reports to the Senior Vice President for Federal Fiscal Policy.

Terms of Employment: Full-time, exempt, permanent.

Bargaining Unit Status: This is not a bargaining unit position.

Compensation: Salary and title commensurate with experience, with the Director salary beginning at $120,000 and going up to $140,000 and the Senior Director salary beginning at $140,000 and going up to $170,000. Excellent benefits (including health insurance, vision and dental coverage, life and long-term disability insurance, retirement, MERP, and DCAP) and generous vacation, sick leave, and holiday schedules.

Please upload a cover letter and resume. In your cover letter, please include a discussion of what draws you to CBPP's mission.

To apply, please submit your resume and cover letter here.

The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities is an Equal Opportunity Employer that values and welcomes diversity in the workplace and strongly encourages all qualified persons to apply regardless of race, color, age, sex, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information, credit information, pregnancy or parental status, family responsibilities, personal appearance, creed, military or veteran status, religion, ancestry or national origin, union activities, disability, or other status protected by applicable law.