JOB POSTING: RESEARCH AND POLICY ANALYST
Formed in 1992, the Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance (OUSA) is a non-profit, non-partisan advocacy organization that strives to effectively and responsibly represent Ontario’s full and part-time undergraduate students to lobby for an affordable, accessible, accountable, and high-quality higher education system. In order to achieve these goals, OUSA provides research and policy solutions to the government, organizes campaigns, communicates its priorities, and develops partnerships with post-secondary education sector stakeholders. With a membership of approximately 160,000 undergraduate, professional full- and part-time students, OUSA is one of the largest and most respected student organizations in the country.
POSITION: Research and Policy Analyst
DEADLINE: 11:59 PM on Friday, April 26th, 2024
HOURS OF WORK: The position is 40 hours per week with the requirement to work some evenings and weekends.
COMPENSATION: Annual salary starting at $60,000; including vacation time, professional development opportunities, and health and dental benefits.
START DATE: Mid-May 2024
LOCATION: A hybrid work environment based in downtown Toronto, with mandatory in-person conferences and events in Toronto and across university campuses in Ontario. Applicants must have the ability to come into the office 1-2 times a week.
Reporting to the Executive Director, the Research and Policy Analyst is responsible for working with OUSA’s research team to oversee the organization's research and policy activities. This includes conducting primary and secondary research on issues of importance to students and the higher education sector; conducting data analysis and survey development; assisting student leaders with the creation of policy papers and statements; preparing government submissions and briefing notes; presenting and explaining policy to stakeholders and decision-makers; and building relationships in the post-secondary research community.
The ideal candidate should possess:
- A university bachelor’s degree or above;
- Excellent research skills, including familiarity with various research methods, academic integrity, and proper citation;
- Strong written and verbal communication skills, with an ability to present and explain policy to a wide variety of audiences, including politicians, civil servants, student leaders and sector stakeholders;
- Excellent qualitative and quantitative data analysis skills, including knowledge of data processing and statistical analysis software (SPSS, etc.);
- Demonstrated public policy experience and knowledge of Ontario politics;
- Familiarity with intersectional and equity-focused policy analysis;
- A command of Microsoft Word and Excel, as well as Google Suite and Zoom video conferencing;
- Strong organizational skills;
- Demonstrated commitment to addressing inequities in post-secondary education;
- Background or relevant experience in the post-secondary education sector is considered an asset;
- Experience and affinity for working in a collaborative team environment;
- Excellent personal initiative and strong work ethic;
- Ability to work effectively and efficiently under pressure;
- Ability to be responsive and work in a flexible environment;
- Familiarity with OUSA’s structure and operations;
- Experience working directly and collaboratively with post-secondary students while taking direction from them is considered an asset; and
- Fluency in written and spoken French is considered an asset.
While OUSA is a professional organization, it is intimately connected with university students. This youthful attitude transfers into a highly charged and passionate workplace that creates a unique opportunity for both satisfying and creative work. OUSA makes every effort to reward employees with both a relaxing and exciting environment and a job that gives them the chance to build and develop their skills.
To Apply: Applicants must provide a cover letter and resume that highlights how they meet the above qualifications, and submit a one-page assignment that demonstrates their communication and analysis skills. The assignment can be found below.
Assignment
You are a Research and Policy Analyst at OUSA and one of the Board of Directors has asked you to prepare a briefing note on student financial aid. The Board member is meeting with a Member of Provincial Parliament (MPP) who is very interested in the topic and would like to know more about how to address any issues regarding student financial aid and about OUSA’s stance.
Your task is to prepare OUSA’s Board member with background information, research, and policy recommendation(s) so that they can be successful in the meeting.
- Your brief should be one page (single-spaced) in length
- Your brief should be clearly laid out and organized
- It should outline the key issues, OUSA’s stance on the topic, highlight relevant policy recommendations, and provide updated information where necessary
Relevant Resources:
No additional research is necessary.
More information and resources can be found at www.ousa.ca
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Candidates selected for an interview will be notified no later than Friday, May 3rd, 2024. Interviews will be held on Thursday, May 9th, 2024, and conducted via Zoom during business hours.
Please send a cover letter, resume, and completed assignment via e-mail to:
Malika Dhanani, Executive Director
e-mail: [email protected]
website: www.ousa.ca
OUSA encourages applications from candidates from diverse backgrounds, identities, and lived experiences, including but not limited to racialized, Black, and Indigenous individuals, those with disabilities, and members of the LGBTQ2S+ community.
OUSA is committed to providing accessible employment practices that are in compliance with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disability Act (AODA). If you require accommodations for a disability during any stage of the recruitment process, please email [email protected].
The Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance (OUSA) represents the interests of approximately 160,000 professional and undergraduate, full-time and part-time university students at nine student associations across Ontario. OUSA is run by a Steering Committee made up of elected student representatives from each of our member associations. Day-to-day activities are carried out by four full-time office staff. For more information, please visit our website at www.ousa.ca.