Lead Planning Analyst

The State of Connecticut’s Office of Policy and Management’s (OPM) Criminal Justice Policy and Planning Division seeks to hire a Lead Planning Analyst.  This is an exciting opportunity to perform in-depth analysis of the criminal justice system and to use research and data to improve the system’s effectiveness.

In this position, you will be a member of the division’s research unit and report to the Policy Development Coordinator leading that unit, providing research and evaluation to help implement the administration’s criminal justice priorities.

The ideal candidate for this position will be organized, motivated, and possesses as strong work ethic, as well as the ability to maintain working relationships with multiple stakeholders and the capacity to multi-task and adapt and navigate changing circumstances.

Please ensure that your application is complete and have included a resume within the "Resume Tab" of your application. Candidates who do not submit the required documents above will not be considered. Questions about these required documents should be directed to the hiring agency's human resources office: opm.recruitment@ct.gov.  

NOTE: At any point during the recruitment process, applicants may be required to submit additional documentation which support their qualification(s) for this position. These documents may include: a cover letter, performance reviews, supervisory references, college transcripts, licensure, examples of past research, etc., at the discretion of the hiring agency.

In a state agency, this class is accountable for acting as a working supervisor for Planning Analysts engaged in planning, monitoring and evaluating programs.

OFFICE OF POLICY AND MANAGEMENT: This class may be used as the primary planner accountable for a large statewide planning effort coordinating work activities of state, regional or municipal agencies and resolving interagency policy issues.

• Provide research and evaluation to help implement the administration’s criminal justice priorities;
• Produce a variety of monthly, annual, and ad hoc reports to study and monitor programs within state criminal justice agencies. Reports include, but are not limited to, the following: tracking prisoner recidivism rates; monitoring the efficacy of medication assisted treatment programs in Connecticut prisons; evaluating the utilization of community supervision capacity; predicting future capacity needs in the state’s prisons; and analyzing data related to the decision-making of prosecutors; 
• Work internally within the Division to evaluate and analyze effectiveness of programs funded using federal and state criminal justice grant dollars and to prepare grant compliance reports;
• Work with state criminal justice agencies to collect, analyze and organize operational data and investigate new sources of data that may be necessary to enhance tracking, reporting, assessment and evaluation programs;
• Liaise and maintain relationships with officials and staff at state and federal criminal justice agencies, community nonprofits, victim advocacy groups, academic and external research organizations, and other stakeholders;
• Prepare and provide presentations on criminal justice research and data at various forums including Criminal Justice Policy Advisory Commission (CJPAC), Juvenile Justice Policy and Oversight Committee (JJPOC), Prison and Jail Overcrowding Committee, and the Sentencing Commission;
• Interpret and implement legislative mandates relating to criminal justice research, data and reporting; and
• Utilize a variety of software packages for data analysis, including GIS, statistical software, Excel, Access and data visualization software.

One (1) year of the General Experience must have been in planning at the level of Planning Analyst.

Note: Planning is defined as collecting and analyzing technical data (social, environmental, economic, governmental), determining problems and concerns and developing long term plans accordingly. These are formal, written plans, i.e. statements of goals and objectives, recommended alternatives for action and policies and programs to achieve the goals and objectives. Generally, these plans will impact statewide activities or a large scale corporation which has branch or satellite facilities. Candidates must perform these types of planning duties the majority of time and the planning function must be the major thrust of the job.

The preferred candidate will have:

• Experience: Communicating findings from criminal justice data analysis and policy to state policymakers; Interpreting and implementing statutory and administrative policy;
• Proposing policy options based on criminal and juvenile justice priorities;
• Working with the policymakers and navigating the legislative process;
•  Interpersonal, oral and written communication skills, including: demonstrated ability to explain complex, technical subject matter to a general audience; and ability to work as part of a diverse team; 
• Demonstrated proficiency in Microsoft Office and data management and quantitative data analysis software, including SPSS, STATA, R, or SQL and experience with data visualization and geographic information system mapping;
• Experience with the design of compelling graphics and reports to present key findings and information;
• Knowledge of data analysis techniques with an understanding of basic statistical concepts;
• Experience managing, cleaning, and analyzing large datasets;
• Experience working in a fast-paced environment; and
• Critical thinking, problem solving, and analytical skills, with an ability to digest complex information and synthesize information from multiple sources.

AN AFFIRMATIVE ACTION/EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

The State of Connecticut's Office of Policy and Management is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and strongly encourages the applications of women, minorities, and persons with disabilities.