City Policy Coordinator

The Institute for Justice: City Policy Coordinator Position

The Institute for Justice’s Activism Team seeks a bright and driven person with a passion for cities, entrepreneurship, and municipal policy to join our Cities Work initiative.

About Cities Work

Cities Work is dedicated to making it cheaper, faster, and simpler to start and run a small business at the local level by cutting red tape and regulations. We work with entrepreneurs and city officials to reduce barriers to business creation, speed up the startup process, and simplify existing rules and city codes. Our goal is to make it easier to earn an honest living and empower underserved communities seeking access to entrepreneurship. The City Policy Coordinator will work closely with the Cities Work Team to reform laws that create unnecessary barriers for entrepreneurs.

About the Activism Team

IJ’s multi-faceted Activism team challenges and reforms local and state policies and laws in the areas of economic liberty, property rights, qualified immunity, and access to justice. We:

• Change state and local laws, like occupational licensing and local regulations, to make it easier to work and earn an honest living, especially for people of modest means.
• Fight policies and projects that threaten property owners’ rights, including eminent domain abuse and civil forfeiture.
• Advocate for ending qualified immunity and holding government officials accountable.

We achieve these goals through strategic advocacy in city halls, state legislatures, and communities. We engage decision-makers and impacted individuals through outreach, organizing, training, coalition building, public demonstrations, media engagement, research, policy recommendations, and lobbying.

What We Are Looking For

A successful candidate will:

• Have a deep commitment to Cities Work’s mission.
• Be personable, self-motivated, proactive, and eager to learn new skills in a dynamic, fast-paced environment.
• Care about helping people of modest means and from all walks of life.
• Enjoy working with decision-makers with diverse perspectives.
• Be detail-oriented, a critical thinker, and excited about this work.

This role is supported by enthusiastic managers and offers unique opportunities for travel, professional development, growth, and long-term advancement. You will join a close-knit team and work collaboratively to accomplish our goals.

Primary Responsibilities

• Manage day-to-day logistics of the Cities Work initiative while assisting with long-term project planning for new cities and topics.
• Work on advocacy campaigns by meeting and managing relationships with key stakeholders to champion small business regulatory reform.
• Identify legislative sponsors, draft proposed ordinances, and brief city council policy staff on key Cities Work issues.
• Collaborate with city officials within executive agencies to improve regulatory processes on behalf of entrepreneurs.
• Manage research projects that synthesize regulatory best practices from cities nationwide, identify legal pain points for small businesses, and make formal reform recommendations for policymakers.
• Draft and publish internal and external reports, policy papers, op-eds, and other materials on key Cities Work issues.
• Facilitate grassroots activism efforts, including meeting and interviewing entrepreneurs, leading roundtables, canvassing small business corridors, and organizing entrepreneurial ecosystems around regulatory reform.
• Coordinate outreach efforts, manage contacts, and schedule communications with small business owners, policymakers, and other stakeholders.
• Monitor city and state legislative activity and track small business and entrepreneurship reform efforts nationwide.
• Assist in enhancing the initiative’s online presence, including social media, branding, and outreach for city campaigns.
• Identify new networking, conference, and speaker opportunities, facilitate participation, and attend events.

Qualifications

• Exceptional research, writing, and interpersonal skills.
• Background and interest in public policy (through curriculum or practice).
• Demonstrated initiative and leadership.
• Experience with advocacy work and community outreach is a plus but not required.
• Professional or academic experience in management consulting is also a plus.
• Commitment to promoting entrepreneurship and challenging government abuse.

While the position is advertised as City Policy Coordinator, the title and role will be commensurate with experience. If you don’t meet every requirement but are interested in this position, we still encourage you to apply.

Benefits

• Hybrid work schedule.
• Flexible work hours with core business hours of 10 am to 4 pm.
• Casual dress code.
• Health, Dental, and Vision insurance (IJ covers 100% of individual premiums).
• Free Short-Term Disability, Long-Term Disability, and Life insurance plans.
• HSA employer contributions.
• 401(k) with employer matches.
• Generous PTO, including a paid personal day and 12 paid holidays.

To Apply

Please submit a resume, writing sample, and cover letter detailing your interest in the position and the Institute for Justice’s mission.

IJ is an equal opportunity employer.

Don’t meet every single requirement? Studies show that women and people of color are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet every qualification. At IJ, we value a diverse workplace, so if you’re excited about this role but your experience doesn’t align perfectly with every qualification, we encourage you to apply anyway. You may be the right candidate for this or other roles.

To learn more about our culture and benefits, visit our Working at IJ page. No phone calls, please.

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