Development Writer/Editor
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 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 inequities, and worsen health outcomes.
CBPP seeks a full-time writer/editor to join its Development team. This position provides an exciting opportunity for an experienced, talented writer to join a team of skilled writers who help CBPP meet its fundraising goals. The Development Writer/Editor will distill complex policy information and CBPP’s role in influencing policy decisions into clear, compelling, and easily understandable letters of inquiry, proposals, reports, donor stewardship communications, and other materials that help a range of stakeholders understand CBPP’s work and drive philanthropic support for the organization.
The Development Writer/Editor will join a nine-person development team, including two other writers, and work closely with senior leaders, program directors, and policy analysts across the organization to understand and write clearly and persuasively about CBPP’s current and future work across a range of policy areas. Responsibilities will also include editing development documents drafted by others, often under tight deadlines.
Responsibilities:
- Distill complex policy information into clear, compelling, and easily understandable language for letters of inquiry, proposals, reports, collateral, donor stewardship communications, and other materials that help current and prospective philanthropic partners understand CBPP’s work and impact.
- Produce outstanding written work and collaborate with other Development writers on documents.
- Work collaboratively within the Development department and across the organization to further work to foster equity, inclusion, and belonging in the organization and across its policy, advocacy, and fundraising efforts.
- Work collaboratively with Development colleagues and others to foster a culture of philanthropy throughout the organization.
- Work closely with senior leaders, program directors, and policy analysts across CBPP to understand and write clearly and persuasively about policies that impact people with low incomes, and about CBPP’s current and future work and impact with regard to those policies.
- Edit documents drafted by others, often under tight deadlines, and support the Development team with writing, editing, and related projects that further the organization’s fundraising, cultivation, and stewardship goals.
- Attend relevant meetings and read materials to stay up to date on CBPP’s current overall work and priorities, as well as the external policymaking landscape, and develop a working knowledge of how CBPP’s federal- and state-level work across policy areas furthers CBPP’s overall vision.
- Act as the Development team’s liaison to one to two of CBPP’s policy teams, keeping up to date with those teams’ work, supporting their development needs, and working to foster a culture of philanthropy within those teams. Communicate relevant information back to the Development team in a timely manner.
- Stay up to date on current political and policy news in CBPP’s areas of work.
Qualifications:
- A bachelor’s degree and at least five years of experience in a development, policy, research, academic, or other nonprofit organization; a related graduate degree may be substituted for two years of work experience.
- Exceptional writing, copy editing, and proofreading skills and attention to detail.
- Commitment to achieving economic, health, and racial justice for people with low incomes so they can meet their basic needs, and a desire to deepen knowledge of how federal, state, and local policies can address institutional and structural racism and economic segregation.
- Commitment to fostering equity, inclusion, and belonging within the organization and across its policy, advocacy, and fundraising efforts.
- Ability to understand complex information and distill it into clear, compelling language for a general audience.
- Familiarity with AP style and ability to adapt to CBPP’s style guide.
- Ability to gracefully accept and respond to edits and other feedback, gleaning lessons and applying them to future work.
- Excellent communication skills, including strong interpersonal skills and experience managing complex projects involving people at all levels of the organization.
- Strong project management skills, including the ability to work independently and collaboratively, stay on top of multiple projects, anticipate obstacles, and meet strict deadlines.
- Strong research and interview skills, as well as persistence and a willingness to manage up and across and to ask informed questions to acquire needed information and data.
- The candidate should be inquisitive, eager to learn, and willing to develop a level of expertise about CBPP’s policy areas in general and one to two specific areas as assigned.
This position reports to the Manager of Development Communications.
Terms of Employment: Full-time; exempt
Bargaining Unit Status: This is a bargaining unit position.
Compensation: The salary range for the role starts at $70,000 annually, with the exact salary to be determined based on total relevant experience. 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.
Please submit your application 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.