Overview

Position Summary

Reporting to FFJC’s Research & Policy Director, the Senior Public Finance & Budget Analyst (SPFBA) will provide budget and public finance expertise to FFJC’s state teams in Florida, Nevada, New Mexico, and New York, and work with the National Advocacy & Campaigns team to support advocates in other states and localities around the country in order to understand the fiscal impacts of reforms advocates are trying to advance.  The SPFBA  will also work with FFJC staff to translate their work, as well as relevant budgeting and public finance research, into resources, tools, and guidance for policymakers, advocates, and community organizations. The SPFBA will also keep current on public finance and budgeting research and policy trends as they relate to fines and fees and provide summaries of relevant research for the FFJC Clearinghouse.

Responsibilities and Tasks: 

  • Research, review, collect, and analyze data and information related to state and local fiscal policy, intergovernmental transfers, and budgeting and appropriations processes to understand the fiscal impact of potential fine and fee reforms and be able to respond to or refute fiscal notes produced by state and local legislatures.
  • Independently analyze complex quantitative and qualitative data, using statistical packages and spreadsheets, and suggest new methods, models, and questions for research.
  • Identify best methods for distilling and presenting the results, including producing relevant charts, tables, and other creative data visualizations.
  • Develop and maintain an internal library of fiscal, budgetary, tax, and public finance materials that will inform FFJC’s work at the state and national level as well as summaries of key research and reports for the FFJC Clearinghouse.
  • Provide technical assistance on budgeting and public finance issues to advocates around the country seeking the elimination of fees, the reform of fines, and the elimination of collateral consequences, to enable them to propose fiscal solutions for addressing the budgetary impact of potential reforms.
  • Monitor trends in public financing, especially with respect to court systems, and help identify solutions for fiscal shortfalls affecting fines and fees reform efforts.
  • Represent FFJC at conferences or in the media and serve as a budget/public finance liaison to partner organizations or coalitions.
  • Assist the Research & Policy Director with other assigned tasks, including research, policy, outreach, and scheduling.

Minimum Qualifications:

  • Undergraduate Degree in public policy, public finance, economics, or related field; or extensive experience working in government budgeting or finance. Graduate degree a plus.
  • Minimum of seven years of relevant experience with research and advanced quantitative data analysis required; experience can come from prior employment, internship, or applicable graduate work.
  • Strong writing skills and the ability to translate complicated economic/fiscal/financial concepts to lay audiences.
  • Strong financial research skills, including the ability to identify and secure public budgeting information at the local, county, and state levels across the country and undertake complex data analysis with little supervision.

Additional Qualifications/Nice to Have

  • Familiarity with/demonstrated interest in fines and fees reform, criminal legal reform or related social justice issues.
  • Prior experience with county and/or state legislative fiscal processes, either as a government employee or outside advocate/adviser.

Desired Attributes

  • Independent and proactive with good interpersonal skills.
  • Having a solutions-oriented approach to the work.
  • Detail-oriented, responsive, creative, and flexible.
  • Excellent professional judgment, priority-setting, and time-management skills.
  • Sense of humor.

Those with personal experience with the impacts of the justice system are encouraged to apply.

Compensation: $85,000 to $100,000 depending on experience and location, with excellent benefits including 401k matching, 100% premium coverage for health care, and generous leave policy.

How to Apply: Submit a resume and cover letter (as attachments), explaining your interest in and qualifications for the position, along with a professional writing sample that includes some fiscal or budgetary analysis to jobs@finesandfeesjusticecenter.org.

About Fines and Fees Justice Center

FFJC’s mission is to eliminate fees in the criminal legal justice system, make fines proportional to the offense and the individual, and end abusive collections practices.  FFJC works with impacted communities, advocates, and justice system stakeholders to create an equitably funded justice system that treats individuals fairly and ensures public safety.

New Venture Fund Careers

The Fines & Fees Justice Center is a project of New Venture Fund (NVF), a 501(c)(3) public charity that incubates new and innovative public-interest projects and grant- making programs. NVF is committed to attracting, developing and retaining exceptional people, and to creating a work environment that is dynamic, rewarding, and enables each of us to realize our potential. NVF’s work environment is safe and open to all employees and partners, respecting the full spectrum of race, color, religious creed, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, political affiliation, ancestry, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, and all other classifications protected by law in the locality and/or state in which they are working.

To center the safety and well-being of its employees, NVF requires that any employee who is required to conduct in-person activities for their job must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 within four weeks of their start date. This position may require candidates to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19.  Accommodations may be sought and approved in accordance with the law by contacting human resources at HR@newventurefund.org.