Policy Lead - Market Shaping Hub
The University of Chicago

Department

Becker Friedman Institute - Development Innovation Lab

About the Department

The Becker Friedman Institute for Economics (BFI) works with the Chicago Economics community to turn its evidence-based research into real-world impact. BFI takes a unique approach to bridging the divide between academic researchers and decision-makers in the business community and government by translating and packaging the rigorous work of the Chicago Economics community into accessible formats, and proactively sharing those findings with relevant decision-makers and thought leaders around the globe. BFI is a collaborative platform serving the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, the Kenneth C. Griffin Department of Economics, the Harris School of Public Policy, and the Law School. For more information visit https://bfi.uchicago.edu. The Development Innovation Lab is an affiliate of the Development Economics Center at the Becker Friedman Institute for Economics, which brings together scholars from across the UChicago community to address challenges to economic growth and political stability in developing countries. The Development Innovation Lab uses the tools of economics to develop innovations with the potential to benefit millions of people in low- and middle-income countries. For more information visit https://bfi.uchicago.edu/development-innovation-lab/. The Market Shaping Hub at UChicago is part of the Development Innovation Lab. It aims to promote the effective use of market shaping instruments (such as Advance Market Commitments) to incentivize innovations that address pressing global challenges such as climate change and biosecurity.

Job Summary

The Policy Lead will work with Professor Rachel Glennerster and colleagues at the Market Shaping Hub to support the development and adoption of high impact market shaping proposals that will incentivize innovations that address climate change, biosecurity, and other pressing global challenges.

Responsibilities

• Performs economic appraisals, including cost-benefit analysis, of market shaping proposals.
• Analyzes policy challenges such as climate mitigation, climate adaptation, and pandemic preparedness.
• Investigates technologies such as cooling, improved crop varieties, carbon removal, and vaccines.
• Collaborates with market shaping proposal advocates, innovators, and funders.
• Maintains and builds key relationships with the executive and legislative branches of the federal government to impact relevant policy and funding opportunities. Provides expertise to Congress and the federal agencies in the formulation of key policy decisions.
• Develops relationships with University faculty and administration to learn about and convey University initiatives to the federal government. Communicates information about pending federal programs and projects to University officers to help faculty and administration anticipate and participate in federally sponsored programs of interest.
• Performs other related work as needed.

Minimum Qualifications

Education:
Minimum requirements include a college or university degree in related field.
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Work Experience:
Minimum requirements include knowledge and skills developed through 5-7 years of work experience in a related job discipline.
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Certifications:

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Preferred Qualifications

Education:

• Master's degree in economics, mathematics, statistics, public policy, or related discipline.

Experience:

• Minimum 5 years of relevant experience, including 2+ years of experience managing teams and projects.
• Budgets, fundraising and grant management.

Technical Skills or Knowledge:

• Project management skills; plan tasks for teams, monitor progress, make corrections to plans.
• Fluent in English.
• Data and spreadsheet skills (e.g. building models for economic and financial appraisal).

Preferred Competencies

• Comfort with uncertainty and willingness to engage in back-of-the-envelope, or Fermi, economic calculations and estimates.
• Team player with good problem-solving and time management skills.
• Excellent interpersonal skills as well as written and oral communication skills.
• Work under pressure and meet deadlines.
• Careful understanding of economic incentives and an ability to creatively apply economic principles.
• Curiosity and interest in climate change, biosecurity, including pandemic preparedness.
• Excellent analytical and critical-thinking skills.
• Manage and prioritize multiple projects simultaneously.
• Experience managing teams and projects.
• Develop and maintain strong partnerships with external collaborators, funders, journalists, or other important constituencies.
• Support building relationships across diverse cultures and backgrounds, within the University, the regional ecosystem, and globally.
• Excellent oral and written communication and public speaking skills including the ability to translate technical ideas into non-technical content.
• Familiarity with working in a university setting.

Working Conditions

• Perform tasks mostly indoors in an office setting.
• Work independently for periods of eight (8) hours or more.
• International travel, some travel to low and middle income countries.
• Extensive domestic travel to Washington, D.C., New York and California.

Application Documents

• Resume/CV (required)
• Cover Letter (required)
• Three Professional References Contact Information (required)

When applying, the document(s) MUSTbe uploaded via the My Experience page, in the section titled Application Documents of the application.

Job Family

Communications

Role Impact

Individual Contributor

FLSA Status

Exempt

Pay Frequency

Monthly

Scheduled Weekly Hours

37.5

Benefits Eligible

Yes

Drug Test Required

No

Health Screen Required

No

Motor Vehicle Record Inquiry Required

No

Posting Statement

Employees must comply with the University's COVID-19 vaccination requirements. More information about the requirements can be found on the University of Chicago Vaccination GoForward.

The University of Chicago is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity/Disabled/Veterans Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national or ethnic origin, age, status as an individual with a disability, protected veteran status, genetic information, or other protected classes under the law. For additional information please see the University's Notice of Nondiscrimination.

Staff Job seekers in need of a reasonable accommodation to complete the application process should call 773-702-5800 or submit a request via Applicant Inquiry Form.

We seek a diverse pool of applicants who wish to join an academic community that places the highest value on rigorous inquiry and encourages a diversity of perspectives, experiences, groups of individuals, and ideas to inform and stimulate intellectual challenge, engagement, and exchange.

All offers of employment are contingent upon a background check that includes a review of conviction history. A conviction does not automatically preclude University employment. Rather, the University considers conviction information on a case-by-case basis and assesses the nature of the offense, the circumstances surrounding it, the proximity in time of the conviction, and its relevance to the position.

The University of Chicago's Annual Security & Fire Safety Report (Report) provides information about University offices and programs that provide safety support, crime and fire statistics, emergency response and communications plans, and other policies and information. The Report can be accessed online at:http://securityreport.uchicago.edu.Paper copies of the Report are available, upon request, from the University of Chicago Police Department, 850 E. 61st Street, Chicago, IL 60637.

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