Lead TANF Policy Research Analyst

Position Summary 

The Project Leader directs the technical integration of project. This individual turns the approved policy and research agenda into coordinated analysis, pilot, TTA, and product work; guides task teams and approved experts; and ensures that findings become feasible recommendations and usable tools. The Project Leader is the senior bridge between program strategy and field execution. 

Core Responsibilities 

• Lead technical planning and execution for the Marriage Penalty Analysis, Pilot Strategy, TTA provision, and product-development portfolio. 

• Develop analytic questions, evidence plans, readiness criteria, pilot design methods, tool concepts, and workstream-level schedules for Project Manager approval. 

• Coordinate TANF, tax, benefits, early-childhood, child-care, Tribal, HMRF, research, evaluation, organizational-development, communications, and implementation expertise. 

• Guide recruitment, readiness assessment, selection, onboarding, co-design, implementation, course correction, sustainability planning, and closeout for up to five pilot sites. 

• Design Universal, Targeted, and Intensive TTA activities, including peer learning, webinars, workshops, office hours, site-based support, and implementation coaching. 

• Oversee development of policy options, practitioner tools, templates, training resources, promising-practice products, and interactive or visual resources for nationwide use. 

• Lead technical reviews to ensure recommendations are supported by authority, evidence, cost and operational analysis, implementation prerequisites, and appropriate limitations. 

• Identify emerging policy, research, demographic, and field developments and translate relevant signals into updated priorities, tools, and technical assistance. 

• Provide concise technical briefings to OFA and recommend decisions, tradeoffs, and corrective actions when workstream risks arise. 

Required Qualifications 

• At least eight years of progressively responsible experience leading human-services, TANF, means-tested program, TTA, research-to-practice, organizational-development, or pilot-implementation work. 

• Demonstrated ability to integrate policy, evidence, program design, facilitation, and product development across multidisciplinary teams. 

• Experience managing technical experts, developing decision-ready deliverables, and supporting State, Tribal, local, grantee, or community partners. 

• Strong facilitation, analytical writing, strategic planning, stakeholder engagement, and implementation problem-solving skills. 

• Working knowledge of plain writing, Section 508, data stewardship, adult learning, and quality-review expectations for federal products. 

Preferred Qualifications 

• Graduate degree in public policy, social sciences, organizational development, public administration, economics, social work, or a related field. 

• Direct experience with TANF or HMRF programs, marriage-penalty analysis, benefit cliffs, pilot design, or rapid-cycle learning. 

• Experience producing national tools, templates, technical assistance resources, or multi-site implementation guidance. 

Education and Experience 

Bachelor's degree required; master's degree preferred. Eight or more years of directly relevant technical and project leadership experience is preferred.