Policy Analyst (Lived Expert)

Chapin Hall is seeking a part-time Policy Analyst with lived experience, residing in California, to support the implementation of California’s statewide Prevention Services Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) Plan. This position will join a team of eight (8) staff focused on California’s Family First implementation and play a central role in supporting a statewide network of up to 174 lived experts, community experts, and tribal representatives.

The successful applicant will bring firsthand insight from their own lived experience in child welfare or juvenile probation systems and understand how personal, cultural, and community experiences contribute uniquely valuable expertise to system change. They will demonstrate a deep commitment to improving child welfare through inclusive, equity-focused CQI efforts that center lived experience. They will have experience leading or supporting groups of lived, community, or tribal experts, particularly in the context of CQI, by facilitating planning, onboarding with clarity and care, and creating culturally affirming, psychologically safe spaces that foster trust and sustained engagement. Chapin Hall values diverse pathways to this work and will support the Policy Analyst in continuing to grow skills in CQI, facilitation, and policy implementation.

The Policy Analyst will play a critical role within a collaborative and integrated research and policy team to bring a unique blend of lived experience, implementation insight, and policy knowledge to California’s CQI infrastructure. The Policy Analyst will collaborate with Chapin Hall colleagues, the California Department of Social Services (CDSS), county partners, and community stakeholders to design and implement a comprehensive, equity-centered approach to integrating lived experience into prevention-focused CQI activities. This includes developing foundational structures such as recruitment strategies, onboarding processes, and training curricula that support meaningful participation in county CQI workgroups and regional Prevention CQI Collaborative (PCQIC) sessions. The successful candidate will understand how to foster inclusive, equitable CQI environments and serve as a connector and advocate, ensuring lived experts, community experts, and tribal representatives can meaningfully shape and influence system partners and prevention-related CQI processes. They will have a track record of building collaborative relationships, supporting system and community co-leadership, and embedding lived expertise into continuous learning and improvement cycles. By promoting authentic collaboration, shared decision-making, and inclusive engagement, this work will strengthen California’s prevention system, advance race equity, and ensure that CQI efforts are continuously improved and grounded in the lived realities, strengths, and needs of the communities they are intended to support. Chapin Hall is committed to supporting ongoing professional growth for candidates from non-traditional backgrounds, including those with direct lived experience.

Chapin Hall embraces a “Work from Anywhere” approach which offers flexible remote work from anywhere in the United States. Chapin Hall also offers in-person opportunities for staff to build: 1) connections, 2) team cohesion and creativity, and 3) a sense of belonging to the organization. All staff are expected to travel to and engage in a minimum of two annual 2-day “All Hall Convenings” featuring shared learning, teamwork, and fellowship. Reasonable accommodations are made for those who require modifications.

This position will report directly to a Chapin Hall Policy Fellow or Senior Policy Analyst and allows for remote work and periodic in-person attendance at Chicago, IL meetings. Additionally, this position will participate in daily virtual meetings and travel across the west coast for in-person meetings depending on assigned projects.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Work collaboratively with a large team of Chapin Hall colleagues including other lived experts to support and operationalize the vision and recruitment process.
• Develop and implement strategies to meaningfully engage lived experts, community experts, and tribal representatives in county-level CQI workgroups and regional Prevention CQI Collaborative (PCQIC) sessions.
• Co-develop and support recruitment and onboarding activities with CDSS, counties, and community partners, ensuring materials and processes are accessible, inclusive, and community-informed.
• Facilitate regular drop-in support sessions, offering individualized coaching, consultation, and capacity-building support to promote authentic and sustained participation. 
• Help create psychologically safe, inclusive, and culturally affirming spaces that foster trust, reflection, and meaningful engagement. Ensure that lived experts feel respected, supported, and empowered throughout their engagement in the CQI process.
• Contribute to the design and facilitation of training sessions and capacity building activities for lived experts, community experts and tribal representatives and system partners, promoting shared understanding of CQI principles, authentic engagement strategies, and equity-centered collaboration.
• Prepare and adapt meeting and training materials (e.g., agendas, slides, handouts), incorporating feedback from participants and co-facilitators to ensure materials are engaging and accessible.
• Support ongoing refinement of the statewide PCQIC curriculum and related CQI tools.
• Collaborate with internal and external team members to plan and co-facilitate quarterly regional PCQIC sessions. Some of these sessions may require travel to regional locations for in-person meetings.
• Maintain strict confidentiality when engaging with state, county, and community partners. This includes safeguarding sensitive implementation details, participant information, and internal deliberations not intended for public dissemination.
• Work closely with CDSS, county-level partners, and lived experts, community experts, and tribal representatives to build capacity for inclusive, prevention-focused CQI, providing coaching and logistical support as they:
  • Use data and community feedback in decision-making;
  • Build sustainable structures for authentic engagement of and lived experts, community experts, and tribal representatives;
  • Implement practices and processes that reflect shared learning and equitable outcomes;
  • Understand how policy can support sustainable system improvements; and
  • Apply continuous quality improvement methods for progress monitoring and ongoing adaptation.
• Offer lived and community-informed perspectives to inform CQI strategies, curricula, and implementation tools.
• Assist in translating participant insights and implementation learnings into actionable recommendations for county and state partners.
• Contribute to the development of briefs, reports, presentations, and other communication tools for internal and external audiences.
• Support coordination of logistics and accessibility needs—such as translation, technology access, and compensation—to ensure inclusive and equitable participation for all experts.
• Identify and help address implementation gaps or barriers based on lived experience and participant feedback.
• Participate in meetings with stakeholders, representing Chapin Hall and the perspectives of lived expertise in prevention CQI work.
• Actively contributes to a culture of learning and inclusion, modeling curiosity, respect, and shared ownership of system improvement with lived, community, and Tribal partners.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Education

• Bachelor’s degree in public policy, social work, psychology, sociology, or a related field. Master’s degree preferred but not required.
• In lieu of a degree, a minimum of five (5) years of relevant professional and/or lived experience, such as leading community development, parent or youth advocacy, or stakeholder engagement efforts to improve public service systems, may be considered.

Lived Experience

• Lived experience is required. This includes direct personal experience with the child welfare or juvenile probation system, such as involvement, family separation, or out-of-home placement. Lived experience may come from many roles, including individuals who were in foster care, biological parents, kinship caregivers, or foster parents. Chapin Hall recognizes the value of personal knowledge gained through navigating these systems and the unique insights it brings to policy and system improvement. Individuals with additional experience supporting or facilitating groups of lived experts, community experts, or tribal representatives are strongly encouraged to apply.

Experience and Other Qualifications

• At least five (5) years of experience relevant to child welfare systems, prevention services, continuous quality improvement (CQI), community engagement, or systems change.
• Familiarity with CQI concepts and practices, particularly in human services or child welfare settings. Direct experience participating in or supporting CQI activities is a plus.
• Familiarity with California’s Five-Year Prevention Plan and a willingness to stay current with its priorities and implementation strategies.
• Experience facilitating inclusive group processes, training sessions, or collaborative planning efforts involving individuals with lived, community, or tribal expertise.
• Demonstrated ability to build trust, create psychologically safe spaces, and support meaningful engagement among diverse stakeholders.
• Experience managing timelines, materials, or components of projects, including coordinating with team members and contributing to deliverables such as reports, presentations, or session materials.
• Ability to translate insights from lived and community experience, and data from CQI processes, into actionable input for system improvement.
• Strong interpersonal communication skills, both written and verbal.
• Strong organizational skills for managing materials, logistics, and tracking participation across multiple partners and counties.
• Ability to balance multiple requests and shifting priorities from team members, counties, and state partners in a fast-paced, collaborative work environment.
• Capacity to manage multiple priorities independently, while proactively seeking support when needed.
• Motivation to grow professionally and continue developing skills in CQI, facilitation, communication, and collaborative implementation. This includes building skills in leadership, policy influence, and organizational change.
• Commitment to equity, shared leadership, and meaningful inclusion of lived experience in public systems improvement.
• Demonstrated judgment and discretion in the handling of sensitive or confidential information, including a clear understanding of the importance of confidentiality in collaborative planning and CQI processes.

MINIMUM PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Must be able to remain in a stationary position for extended periods of time.
• Must be able to operate a computer extensively for four (4) or more hours per day.
• Must be able to travel locally and out of state occasionally.
   

Pre-employment background checks are required for all Chapin Hall positions.

Chapin Hall approaches background checks with respect and fairness, ensuring that every applicant is given equitable review and opportunity. Chapin Hall’s background check process complies with Section 2-103.1 of the Illinois Human Rights Act. Accordingly, a conviction will only be considered disqualifying if it has a substantial relationship to the job, or if hiring the individual would pose an unreasonable risk to workplace safety. If you have any questions, please reach out to HumanResources@chapinhall.org.
 

Formal expressions of interest are accepted online only. A cover letter, resume, writing sample, and reference contact information are required to be considered for this position. Individuals in need of reasonable accommodations to complete the application process should contact Human Resources by sending an email to recruiting@chapinhall.org.

Chapin Hall is an Affirmative Action, Equal Opportunity Employer that values and actively seeks diversity in its workforce. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, age, sex, genetic information, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, citizenship, citizenship status, pregnancy or maternity, national origin, status as an individual with disability,  ancestry, protected veteran status, or any other status protected by law. Per U.S. Department of Labor regulations, Chapin Hall offers visa sponsorship in limited instances for hard-to-fill specialty occupation roles. If you have questions about visa sponsorship at Chapin Hall, please reach out to humanresources@chapinhall.org

Regarding the salary range

Chapin Hall adheres to a competitive market-aligned salary structure for all its administrative, policy, and research roles. Starting salaries within posted ranges are determined by the Chapin Hall Human Resources Department using a consistent, rigorous, and equitable review process.

Benefits
Chapin Hall provides a strong benefits program that addresses the diverse needs of our staff. The Chapin Hall Benefits Program offers competitive and comprehensive benefit options that allow you to design your own plan, to balance individual needs with affordability and support long-term financial stability for staff and their family. Our benefits include comprehensive health plans, paid time off, sick time, parental leave and retirement options. For more information on our benefits visit our Chapin Hall Website.