Policy & Program Development Lead

JOB ANNOUNCEMENT

Uncommon Bridges is seeking a creative, curious, confident, and aggressive self-starter who can both work independently, and as a member of a team, to lead the firm’s Policy & Program Development practice. The position offers dynamic opportunities for personal and company growth in an exciting and fast-paced environment. The Policy and Program Development portfolio often includes facilitating advisory work groups that inform and implement public policy, community and stakeholder engagement to build consensus for policy and program recommendations, public policy research and reports, and government relations and strategy, and development of programs to implement broad public policy. Applying a racial and social equity lens, we strive for project outcomes that elevate community voice in policymaking processes. Projects in this portfolio are typically a mix of local and state government contracts, with the goal to expand to federal contracting in the future.

About Uncommon Bridges

Uncommon Bridges is a consulting firm located in downtown Seattle next to Pike Place Market. Established in 2009 (as BDS Planning & Urban Design), Uncommon Bridges specializes in building consensus and unlikely coalitions, communicating complex information, demonstrating leading ideas, and shaping organizations. We build more vibrant, just and thriving communities by braiding inclusive process, consensus leadership, impactful organizations, and meaningful places into everything we do. Key services include Strategic Planning & Visioning; Facilitation; Research & Analysis; Business Improvement District (BID) Formation, Renewal, & Expansion; Community & Stakeholder Engagement; Policy & Program Development; Government Relations & Strategy; and Cultural Placemaking. Examples of current and past client work can be found at www.uncommonbridges.com. The company has a strong culture of transparency, flexibility, equity, and open communication, and is a majority people of color- and woman-owned small business.

About the Position

The Policy & Program Development Lead is an experienced professional who reports to one of the firm’s partners, plays a key role in the firm’s overall portfolio of Policy & Program Development work as well as day-to-day workflow, and coordinates an array of activities involving multistakeholder policy and program development focused on issues including, but not limited to, housing, homelessness, climate change, clean energy, environment, economy, and workforce development (project examples for this portfolio found in the "Our Work" section of our website under Government & Communities, Housing & Homelessness, Economic Development & Workforce, and Transportation). Successful candidates will be strong communicators, facilitators, and project managers, and have experience in business development and acquisition, bringing their own relationships to the firm, and demonstrated skill in securing new clients and contracts. Those with a background in issue-based or candidate campaigns are encouraged to apply. Please see position description for more details.

Application Process

Uncommon Bridges is an equal opportunity employer. We provide equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation or identity, national origin, age, disability or genetics. Individuals of diverse backgrounds are strongly encouraged to apply.

• Position open until filled.
• Apply via the Workable platform found at www.uncommonbridges.com/careers
• Only most qualified applicants will receive an interview.
• No phone calls or office visits, please.

Please see the full position description that follows. Please note that while applicants must possess all essential qualifications listed, they need not have any of the desirable qualifications to apply.

JOB DESCRIPTION

Position Overview

A Field Area Lead plays a key role in the firm’s overall portfolio of work, client network, and exemplary projects, as well as day-to-day workflow. A Field Area Lead works with the firm’s Partners to stay abreast of and shape a specific portfolio of work (Organizational Development, Equity & Engagement, or Policy & Program Development). This includes participation in business development, including decisions about which projects and clients to pursue, and which client relationships to nurture, as well as project management. This includes day-to-day contact with client project leaders, and responsibility for managing project teams (colleagues, support personnel, and sub-contractors), timelines, budgets, and work tasks, as well as direct project work, in communication with the Project Director.

Policy & Program Development Portfolio Typical Projects:

• Policy and program planning (research, reports, community & stakeholder engagement);
• Policy implementation (supporting execution of engagement and related promotion/marketing requirements, etc.);
• Program design (coordination and engagement required for detailed design of programs, often flowing from broader public policy);
• Public policy best practices/accountability (community compensation, public disclosure, reporting)
• Government relations and strategy (public affairs, advocacy);
• Community and stakeholder engagement (focus groups, interviews, events, etc.); and
• Facilitation and co-facilitation of work groups, advisory committees, steering committees, and other engagement activities contributing to above products/processes.

Requirements

Key Responsibilities

• Content Area Leadership — Actively lead the firm’s portfolio of work in a specific content area, including overall strategy, processes and procedures, internal training, quality control and assurance, exemplary products, and best practices standards, professional networks, and business development. This will likely also include limited project direction.
• Content Area Deliverables — Design and execute project deliverables associated with specific content area, in alignment within respective project scope time and budget constraints.
• Project Management — Provide day-to-day client and team interaction on assigned projects, including schedule and budget management, task supervision, reporting, invoicing, and scheduling project team and client interactions.
• Facilitation — Possess key skills and deep knowledge of the principles and concepts involved in effective facilitation, including trauma-informed facilitation practices.
• Community Engagement — Competence and experience communicating with a variety of community, institutional, cultural, and private stakeholders.
• Research — Conduct research for various projects and clearly document findings and trade-offs. Examples of research include existing plan review, best practices, and data research.
• Public Speaking — Have excellent communication skills and the ability to engage with an audience.
• Final Product — Produce attractive, concise final products that summarize the findings of the various aspects of the project and recommend future actions.
• Other Project Tasks — In addition to facilitation, community engagement, research, public speaking and final products, execute other project tasks that are likely to include activities (both in-person and via video conference) such as interviewing, outreach, graphic recording, taking notes, producing reports, data analysis, writing, mapping, summarizing, creating and editing visual displays (e.g., slide shows, display boards, etc.), and other unique project elements.
• Marketing — Assist with marketing efforts and outreach, including project research, proposal management, materials for proposals and conferences.
• Business Development — Participate in decisions about which projects and clients to pursue, and which client relationships to nurture. In conjunction with the firm’s Partners, secure clients and contracts within the field area. This includes developing and managing client relationships.
• Professional Development — Participate in professional development activities, including seminars, conferences, work groups, certifications, and so forth. The firm may support some of these activities with paid time and/or payment of dues or fees.

Key Skills

• Writing — Strong writing skills are essential. Ability to write professional reports, memoranda, and emails for client products.
• Analysis — Strong analytical and data management skills with a professional focus on urban planning, public policy or comparable field.
• Quality Control — Strong attention to detail, able to review one’s own work, as well as provide review of final products for colleagues.
• Communication — Skilled communicator able to work in a multi-disciplinary setting and possesses strong oral communication skills.
• Technology — Nimble and open to continued learning on essential software and hardware, as well as utilizing evolving technological tools.
• Collaboration — Building strong working relationships with colleagues and fostering a collaborative and creative team environment is essential.
• Organization — Ability to keep self and team organized, monitoring and adhering to project schedules, scopes, tasks, budgets and process strategies.
• Leadership — Ability to design, plan, lead and manage large complex projects from conception to completion alone and/or with a larger technical project team.
• People Management — Ability to supervise project team members on tasks assigned and may serve in an organizational supervisory role to project managers or project associates. 
• Relationship Management — Maintains strong relationships and can develop new clients and develop new business.
• Self-Promotion — Ability to effectively market his, her, or their own skills and abilities internally and externally.
• Equity Analysis — Commitment to racial equity, and the ability to apply racial equity principles to project work and culturally responsive engagement.
• Empathetic Approach — Ability to work empathetically with a wide variety of people from different social and cultural backgrounds.

Essential Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent relevant experience.
• Five years of experience in project management, project planning, consulting, nonprofit management, public agency program management, or issue-based or candidate campaigns.
• Experienced in providing tactical and strategic leadership, planning and day-to-day management of one or more cross-functional projects.
• Existing client relationships.
• Strong skills in word processing, data management and presentation software including Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and Google Suite (Docs, Sheets, Slides).
• Experience in and/or ability to learn video conferencing software (i.e. Zoom), project management software (i.e. Trello) and Macintosh/Apple computers.

Desirable Qualifications:

• A relevant master’s degree, or equivalent relevant experience, highly preferred in Planning, Public Involvement, Public Policy, Public Administration, Facilitation/Mediation, or a related field.
• Direct experience with community leadership, movement building, organizing and/or public and stakeholder engagement, especially with and within underserved communities.
• Meeting facilitation and multi-agency process experience.
• Skills in design programs (Adobe Creative Suite: InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop).
• Skills in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) analysis and techniques to extract data, perform analysis, and better understand certain variables in specific geographic locations.

Working Conditions:

• Location — Hybrid: work in the firm’s downtown Seattle office a minimum of three days per week; in-office days encouraged to align with full team meetings (i.e. staff meeting) to foster collaboration. Remote work for the remaining days.
• Travel — Travel may be necessary to project locations, locally, regionally, and beyond. The frequency and duration of travel will depend on project requirements and client locations.
• Schedule — This is an overtime exempt position. This position typically requires a standard 40-hour work week; however, additional hours may be required to meet project deadlines, attend meetings, or address urgent project issues. Flexibility in working hours is essential, and flexible scheduling is offered to accommodate.
• Supervision — This position reports to the Partner leading the Policy & Program Development portfolio. This position may supervise project managers or project associates in the future. 
• Communication — Frequent communication with team members, stakeholders, clients, and vendors through email, chat, phone, video conferencing, and in-person meetings is essential.
• Community Interaction — This position often involves engagement activities requiring interaction with community members, some of which have complex needs, have experience trauma, or are otherwise vulnerable.
• Stress Levels — This a demanding role which may involve managing multiple projects simultaneously, handling tight timelines and deadlines, and resolving complex issues. The ability to be mindful of one’s stress response and to self-regulate in the moment to support oneself and others, as well as maintain a solution-oriented approach toward problem solving, is important.

Benefits

Salary & Benefits

Salary for this position will depend on experience but is likely $100,000 to $130,000 annually. This is a full-time, overtime exempt position. The firm offers health (medical, dental, optical) insurance, 11 fixed paid holidays, three floating paid holidays, paid time off (increasing with years of service), a retirement plan with company match, Paid Family & Medical Leave and an Employee Assistance Program. We offer a hybrid work environment with flexible scheduling.