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Jobs and Internships

Floyd Jones Progressive Policy Fellowship, COVID-19 Child Care Policy

Spring/Summer 2020
Open Until Filled | Application Review Begins May 4th, 2020

Are you passionate about public policy that builds an economy that works for everyone? Are you interested in advancing the child care workforce in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic/depression? 

Position Description and Key Responsibilities

Funding for this position is dedicated to a Fellow focused on child care and early learning.  Policymakers have deemed child care workers essential employees, yet they are underpaid, work in situations where the risk of infection is high without access to protective gear, and often lack health insurance. 

EOI has leveraged its long history working for affordable child care and a well-compensated workforce to build a growing table of child care teachers, providers, and advocates to address health coverage, compensation, safety, and business survival in the COVID-19 pandemic/depression.  We have catalogued and elevated their demands to policy makers.

This fellowship will focus on:

1. Civic engagement:   Document individual stories; expand the network of child care workers, providers, and advocates; create a system for sharing information and ideas; and organize petitions to and direct contact with policy makers and candidates to amplify the movement for ample funding for child care, with particular focus on the compensation of child care workers. 

2. How-to Guides and Advice:  Develop and disseminate to child care workers, directors, and family home providers updated how-to guides to access pandemic-related resources, including health coverage, unemployment insurance, paid family and medical leave and paid sick days.  Serve as a resource for problem-solving in gaining public services.  

3. Policy advancement: Working with the executive director and community partners, document the most pressing needs to support quality early learning and care to support the development of policy solutions and an advocacy agenda that will energize the child care community to fight for needed changes and sufficient funding.

As an EOI Fellow, you’ll learn the nuts-and-bolts of public policy work by:

  • Compiling and analyzing a wide range of economic and demographic data;
  • Drafting short reports and blogs about policy news, issues and initiatives; and 
  • Learning from people affected by the economic issues on which we work.
Preferred Experience/Qualifications

Applicants do not have to be current students. However, fellowships can be tailored to satisfy requirements for school credit if mutually agreed upon. The ideal candidate will possess many of the following skills, experiences and qualifications:

  • An interest in progressive public policy issues surrounding broad-based economic opportunity and security, and enthusiasm for EOI’s mission, policy goals, and organizational values
  • A demonstrated commitment to racial equity, including experience working with diverse populations and contributing to anti-racism efforts.
  • Excellent written and oral communication skills – able to understand complex policy subjects and write accurate, clear and compelling material suitable for publication for various platforms/publications.
  • Experience with Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint.
  • A willingness to take initiative and problem solve independently – and the ability to recognize when it’s time to seek assistance.
  • Superb organizational skills, very strong attention to detail, positive attitude, and flexibility on work assignments. Able to meet deadlines, prioritize tasks, stay on top of all to-do/follow-up items.
  • A friendly, approachable manner that creates positive connections with people.
Schedule

This fellowship will begin in May or June, for a period of 10-12 weeks, between 30 and 40 hours per week.  Exact start and end dates and hours of work are flexible to accommodate individual needs.   Specific work hours are also flexible, provided they fall during normal office hours (9 a.m. – 5 p.m.). Remote work will most likely be required during this COVID-19 emergency. 

Compensation

This fellow will receive a stipend at regular intervals based on total hours worked during the fellowship. The hourly equivalent for this stipend is $18/hour to $20/hour, depending on experience. 

About EOI

Founded in 1998, the Economic Opportunity Institute’s mission is to build an economy that works for everyone by advancing public policies that promote educational opportunity, good jobs, healthy families and workplaces, and a dignified retirement for all.

Our Commitment to Racial Equity: To fulfill our mission, we must acknowledge the structural and institutional racism that manifests as ongoing and devastating economic, educational, health and other disparities facing our communities. EOI has convened a Race and Social Justice Workgroup to integrate a racial equity lens into our public policy research, communications and advocacy, internal governance, 

and external relations. We still have much to learn, and we will continue to reflect and act with courage, openness, and humility.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement: EOI provides equal employment opportunity to all volunteers, employees, and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, creed, sex, national origin, age, sexual orientation, religion, ancestry, marital status, or the presence of a sensory, mental or physical handicap, subject to occupational requirements and the ability to perform the job, and as provided under all governing laws, statutes and implementing authority, and will make reasonable accommodations required by law to qualified individuals with disabilities.

To Apply

Please email your application as a single PDF attachment named with your first and last name (for example: Chris_Jones.pdf) to Executive Director John Burbank at info@opportunityinstitute.org with “COVID-19 Fellowship” in the subject line.

No phone calls, please. Your PDF attachment should include:

1) A letter of interest (1-2 pages) and resume (1-2 page), specifying why you are interested in this position, and how your experience, background and skills would transfer, relate to or fulfill this job description.

2) A sample of your work that showcases your ability to write clearly and cogently about a public policy issue.

3) Three professional references (with daytime email and phone numbers). References will not be contacted without prior approval of the job candidate.