Deputy Director, Center for Funding America’s Future

The Progressive Policy Institute seeks a Deputy Director to help lead our Center for Funding America’s Future, which works to promote fiscally responsible public investment that fosters robust and inclusive economic growth. Our vision is articulated in a comprehensive budget blueprint we published in 2024 containing more than six dozen “radically pragmatic” proposals for strengthening public investments in the foundation of our economy, modernizing federal health and retirement programs to reflect an aging society, and transforming our tax code to reward work over wealth – all while putting the national debt on a downward trajectory. This blueprint can be found at https://www.progressivepolicy.org/budgetblueprint/

The Center strives to advance and expand upon these proposals while also responding to major developments in fiscal policy. During the 2020 presidential election, the Center produced the only all-inclusive apples-to-apples estimate of the four leading Democratic candidates’ fiscal plans. It then responded quickly and forcefully to the COVID-19 pandemic, publishing an extensive report within days of the national lockdowns that offered 30 policy proposals to combat the coming recession (and those that come after) using automatic stabilizers. During the Biden administration, the Center supported pro-growth public investments such as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Inflation Reduction Act while pushing back against the inflationary fiscal policies that ultimately contributed to the Democratic Party’s defeats in 2024.

In the coming year, the Center’s top priorities will be advocating for pro-growth alternatives to extending and expanding the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, holding the next administration accountable for the damage likely to be caused by its economic policies, and explaining why reforms are urgently needed to put Social Security and Medicare on a path to sustainable solvency. The Center will also make the case for Democrats to prioritize fiscal responsibility following their failure to do so during the Biden era, which we believe is a prerequisite to regaining the confidence of American voters for progressive policymaking.

Applicants should be familiar with the federal budget and legislative process and have strong analytical and writing skills. The ideal candidate for this position is someone who can work well collaboratively and independently as needed. This position will report to the Director of the Center for Funding America’s Future.

Responsibilities

• Developing policy recommendations for improving the nation’s fiscal well-being and encouraging greater economic growth and opportunity
• Compiling and analyzing budgetary and economic data from government agencies
• Writing and editing reports, policy memos, blogs, press releases, and op-eds
• Generating visualizations of data, such as charts and infographics
• Tracking legislative and political developments in fiscal policy
• Managing projects with contributing scholars and policy analysts

Qualifications 

• Bachelor’s degree in economics, public policy, or a related field (graduate degree preferred)
• At least five years of directly relevant work experience
• Firm grasp of the federal budget and legislative process
• Ability to take initiative, problem-solve, and think strategically
• Strong research and analytical skills
• Excellent writing and presentation skills 
• Advanced quantitative capabilities, including proficiency with Microsoft Excel
• Ability to work both collaboratively and independently on multiple tasks in a time-sensitive manner
• Familiarity with reports and datasets from CBO, OMB, GAO, BEA, and other government agencies
• Ability to think creatively about ways to communicate complicated policy issues to the general public
• Social media savvy to help promote PPI work products

Benefits

• Full-time position based in DC, with some work-from-home flexibility
• Competitive salary commensurate with experience (minimum $90,000/year)
• Two weeks of paid vacation, plus one week of paid leave in each of August, November, and December
• Excellent health insurance, including dental
• 403(b) retirement account with a 7% organization match
• Subsidized Metro benefits
• Opportunities for upward mobility

About PPI

PPI is a nonprofit think tank that seeks to define and promote a new progressive politics for the 21st century. PPI was the main purveyor of policy innovations to Bill Clinton’s New Democrats — break-the-mold ideas that also migrated to Britain and other democratic countries around the world under the rubric of the “third way.” Today, PPI remains at the forefront of promoting pragmatic and responsible progressivism, focusing on center-left issues in areas such as economic growth, fiscal responsibility, education reform, and regulatory reform.

The Progressive Policy Institute is an equal opportunity employer. We will consider all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other legally protected basis, in accordance with applicable laws.

To apply, please send a cover letter, resume, and writing sample to jobs@ppionline.org with the subject line “Deputy Director: Funding America’s Future.” Please save all files as PDFs and begin the file name with First Name, Last Name, and Document type (e.g., JaneSmithResume.pdf).