METROPOLITAN COUNCIL ON JEWISH POVERTY (MET COUNCIL)

Met Council is America’s largest Jewish charity dedicated to serving those in need. We fight poverty through comprehensive social services while treating each client with compassion, integrity, and respect. Our programs are staffed by experts who help over 325,000 clients each year and advocate on behalf of low-income New Yorkers. Our services include 100% affordable housing at 21 locations, family violence services, Holocaust survivor assistance, geriatric social work, crisis intervention, domestic violence support, and the largest free kosher food distribution program in the world. Our network of nearly 200 food pantries, affordable housing sites, and JCCs provide services directly in neighborhoods across New York City. In support of our programs and executive team, our policy department provides research and advocacy across all three levels of government.

Location: New York, NY
Hybrid or Remote: Hybrid (3 days in-person, expected to come into the office on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday)
Supervisor: Director of Policy

The Innovator will conduct research and analysis to support and advocate for clients facing poverty and food insecurity in New York. This role will examine the overall emergency food and benefits ecosystem in New York City and other New York State communities with significant kosher and halal populations. Based on this work, the Innovator will support Met Council’s efforts to develop a coordinated strategy to address food insecurity—particularly within kosher and halal communities—as well as poverty more broadly.

The Innovator will also advance Met Council’s growing policy portfolio by engaging our social services and housing staff, stakeholders, and community members to amplify constituent voices; joining Met Council at City Hall and the State Capitol to advocate and testify on key anti-poverty issues; examining the legal framework that informs the emergency feeding and benefits system at the local, state, and federal levels; and collaborating with senior staff to research and draft policy papers, memos, testimony, and correspondence for government stakeholders on topics ranging from affordable housing to benefits access and domestic violence.

PRINCIPAL RESPONSIBILITIES

• Examine the emergency food ecosystem from both a legal and practical perspective across New York City, New York State, and nationally.
  • Advance access to kosher and halal foods.
  • Research SNAP fraud and error rates and propose policy solutions.
  • Determine legal processes and inflection points for advocacy and policy work.
• Collaborate with the Policy Director to implement a public policy agenda addressing gaps in emergency food.
• Contribute to the growth and development of the Policy Department throughout Met Council’s other program areas including social services, benefits access, family violence, crisis intervention, housing, and senior services.
• Draft policy papers, memos, testimony, and correspondence for government stakeholders on policy issues.
• Conduct analyses and identify advocacy opportunities in key local, state, and federal policy processes, helping shape legislative agendas and strategies that expand access to kosher and halal food and support our emerging work in other program areas.
• Become an expert on emergency food policy, legislation, and budget-making that impact communities served by Met Council and partner organizations.
  • Develop an understanding of emerging trends and outcomes within the kosher and halal food network.
  • Produce briefs, reports, and other materials on legislative and budget priorities for target audiences, including elected officials, funders, and the public.
  • Provide support for Met Council's government relations, policy, and programs staff through policy messaging, including talking points, testimony, and content for external advocacy.
  • Draft text for advocacy efforts at City Hall and the State Capitol, including testifying at hearings on key anti-poverty issues.
• Engage a network of providers and stakeholders, including Met Council's direct service staff, to develop and refine an evolving policy platform.

DESIRED SKILLS

• Bachelor’s degree, research, volunteer experience, or work experience in public health, public policy, nutrition, or a related field.
• Familiarity with local, state, and federal nutrition, benefits, and housing policy desired.
• Demonstrated interest in food and poverty policy and passion for supporting vulnerable populations.
• Strong ability to perform a wide range of research and analysis with tools such as ArcGIS, Tableau, Stata, R, and/or Excel.
• Strong knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills to effectively communicate issues to multiple audiences from generalists to technical experts.
• Ability to articulate goals, objectives, and progress in written form for grant applications and reporting.
• Ability to operate with a high level of professionalism among stakeholders.
• Excellent administrative and organizational skills.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment and in collaboration with other individuals and organizations.