Director of Policy Engagement and Analytics, Health Policy Impact Lab

Overview

The Tobin Center for Economic Policy at Yale University is committed to producing rigorous, policy-relevant research and bringing the resulting evidence-based insights to the policy arena for real-world impact.

The Health Policy Impact Lab, led by Tobin’s Associate Faculty Director Prof. Zack Cooper, fuses empirical research, high-level policy engagement, and top-tier communications to shift public conversations about domestic health spending, support policymakers, and raise the productivity of the U.S. health system. The Lab has helped shape both state and federal healthcare legislation, and Prof. Cooper’s research has been cited by Congress and the White House, featured widely in national media, and directly informed major legislation, including the bipartisan No Surprises Act, which protected consumers from costly medical bills and lowered health spending on the privately insured.

We are seeking a Director of Policy Engagement and Analytics to lead and manage some of the Lab’s most visible and influential initiatives, including the 1% Steps for Health Care Reform Project. This role will drive the production of policy-ready briefs and memos that translate rigorous academic research into actionable insights, support convenings that bring together policymakers and experts, and engage directly and advise policymakers.

Working closely with Professor Zack Cooper, Senior Policy Fellow Liz Jurinka, and a network of collaborators, the Director of Policy Engagement and Analytics will help inject timely, evidence-based analysis into policy and public discourse, elevate early-career scholars, and ensure that cutting-edge research informs the most pressing health policy debates.

This is an exciting opportunity for a highly capable, mission-driven candidate who thrives at the intersection of research and policy and is eager to shape national health policy through rigorous analysis, effective communication, and strategic engagement. The ideal candidate is a clear communicator, thoughtful collaborator, and self-starter with strong writing skills, policy acumen, and demonstrated capacity for mentorship and external engagement, grounded in experience in health policy, government, or health services research.

• Lead two of the Lab’s flagship initiatives—1% Steps for Health Care Reform Project and Just the Facts Memos—by overseeing content development, coordinating across collaborators, and managing timelines, deliverables, and publication strategy.
• Shape content framing and synthesize cutting-edge academic research into compelling, actionable, and policy-ready briefs and memos that align with priority topics, in collaboration with Professor Zack Cooper and Senior Policy Fellow Liz Jurinka.
• Design and execute signature convenings that bring together academics, policymakers, and other stakeholders to elevate the ideas and evidence surfaced through the flagship initiatives.
• Engage directly with policymakers and their staff to share evidence, advise on relevant topics, and help inform the development of effective, evidence-based health policy.
• Oversee the relaunch and ongoing development of initiative websites, ensuring content is accurate, accessible, and aligned with the project’s goals and audiences.
• Hire, mentor, and supervise a Research Assistant to support research, writing, and other project tasks associated with the flagship initiatives.
• Track emerging academic literature and health policy issues to inform new topics for briefs and memos and ensure the Lab’s work remains timely and impactful.
• Support and elevate early-career scholars by identifying contributors and helping them translate academic work into accessible policy briefs.
• Contribute to dissemination efforts, including writing related pieces and preparing presentations and briefings, to maximize the reach and policy relevance.
• Collaborate across internal teams, including communications, operations, and other research staff, to ensure high-quality and timely execution of all project deliverables.
• Engage in strategic planning and initiative evolution, offering insight into content priorities, process improvements, and opportunities for…