Working title:

Assistant Director, Research and Development - CSI

Official title:

RESEARCHER(E05DN) or ASSOC RESEARCHER(E05FN)

Degree and area of specialization:

JD or Master's degree in Business, Public Administration, Public Policy or related field

Minimum number of years and type of relevant work experience:

At least five years of state-level management and policy experience in a medium or large agency or non-profit. More experience preferred. Knowledge of state-level innovations in such areas as economic development, workforce development, smart money, efficient government, and public finance.

- Significant experience managing multiple agendas
- Strong organization-building skills
- Experience managing staff and projects remotely
- Experience fundraising and managing relationships with foundations, individual donors and other stakeholders
- Experience with web-supported communication tools
- Ability to work independently and to think strategically and creatively
- Ability to bridge policy expertise and practical applications
- Ability to communicate successfully with internal and external audiences; excellent oral and written skills
- Excellent financial management skills

Principal duties:

The Center for State Innovation(CSI), formerly the Commons Project, is a national initiative to provide program and policy support to progressive state executives (e.g., Governors, Attorneys General, Secretaries of State) through research. CSI's broad program aims are state achievement of competitiveness, shared prosperity, environmental sustainability, and efficient democratic government. CSI performs research in the following issue areas:

- Clean energy
- Transportation infrastructure & smart growth
- Economic & workforce development
- Voting & clean government
- Taxes and other revenues
- Smart money/efficient government

CSI supports state executives in four ways: (1) identifying practical policy options across major areas of state responsibility; (2) providing technical assistance in implementation of those options; (3) promoting multi-state cooperation in program implementation; and (4) promoting state policy innovation and its contribution to national welfare among national policy makers. Much of CSI's work is coordinating contributions from a wide range of experts and technical assistance providers to state executives. CSI is headquartered at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. For more information about CSI, go to http://www.stateinnovation.org

CSI is seeking an assistant director to:
- Develop, oversee, and represent CSI.
- Identify, develop, conduct, and oversee research in the areas of economic development, workforce development, public safety, public finance, smart growth, etc.
- Advise state-level administrations on the best policy options in the areas mentioned above.
- Build a network of policy organizations to provide expert advice to governors.
- Establish effective communication procedures to promote CSI's policy initiatives to various audiences including public interest groups, state administrations, and the federal sector.
- Identify and write proposals to support Project initiatives.
- Enlarge and diversify CSI's revenue streams.
- Create a learning environment for graduate students, junior researchers and others to gain experience in hands-on research.

Location in the Madison area is strongly preferred.

TO ENSURE CONSIDERATION

Application must be received by: JUNE 24, 2008

HOW TO APPLY:

Unless another application procedure has been specified above, please send resume and cover letter referring to Position Vacancy Listing #59135 to