Policy Assessment Officer

The Policy Assessment Officer increases the transparency and clarity of current or potential student government, administrative, state, or federal policies that impact the daily lives of students. Projects under this officer are typically the most extensive conducted by Torchlight, with finished projects requiring a high level of research to support them and often take months to complete. 

This individual needs to be comfortable with qualitative research, managing small teams, delegating tasks, and be familiar with standard best research practices. In order to best fulfill the obligations of this position, the officer should be a skilled writer, have an ability to explain complex topics clearly, have the persistence to stick with projects for extensive periods of time, and have previous experience writing and formatting formal research publications.

Knowledge

• Methods of analyzing and evaluating policy and programs

• Quantitative and qualitative research methods

• Microsoft Office suite and collaboration tools

• Torchlight operating procedures and output definitions

Skills

• Interpersonal skills in delegating and following up on tasks among a small team

• Editing the work of a small team for style, conciseness, and adherence to organizational procedures

• Writing skills and editing skills, in developing members’ work to a publishable standard

Abilities

• Strong discretion in deciding whether policies should be covered, balancing limited human resources