State Tax Policy Director

The Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy (ITEP) is one of the leading research and education organizations in the country working on tax policy issues. Since its founding in 1979, ITEP has played a key role in educating the public and informing federal and state tax reform debates. ITEP strives to inject tax equity into tax policy discussions and give ordinary people a greater voice in the development of tax laws. ITEP, a 501(c)(3) organization, works closely with Citizens for Tax Justice (CTJ), a non-profit, non-partisan 501(c)(4) organization dedicated to fair and adequate taxation. CTJ advocates fair taxes for middle- and low-income families, requiring the wealthy and corporations to pay their fair share and adequately funding important government services.

Using the ITEP Microsimulation Tax Model, ITEP works with a network of organizations around the country providing technical support, including written analyses and testimony before state legislative committees, to aid in tax reform debates. ITEP's public education efforts also include responding to requests from media outlets for information and commentary on a variety of tax policy issues. ITEP is highly regarded for its sophisticated modeling capabilities and timely analyses, which are widely used and well-respected for their high level of objectivity and accuracy.

ITEP has published numerous reports over the years on federal and state policy. Recent reports include: Corporate Income Taxes in the 1990's, a report that finds many of the country's biggest corporations are once again paying little or nothing in federal income taxes,The Hidden Entitlements, a detailed analysis and critique of the hundreds of billions of dollars in hidden spending programs buried in the federal tax code, Inequality and the Federal Budget Deficit, a report that helped inspire new thinking about tax policy that later informed the federal tax reforms adopted in 1993, and Who Pays? A Distributional Analysis of the Tax Systems in All 50 States, a report that analyzed the distributional effects of all major state and local taxes, on a state-by-state, tax-by-tax basis. ITEP has also published in-depth reports on the tax systems of Iowa, Minnesota, Arkansas, Indiana, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island.

ITEP efforts to educate the public about tax issues are augmented by the widespread media coverage that ITEP receives. In addition to the flurry of attention that occurs when a major study is issued, ITEP receives many calls from media outlets needing information and comment on a variety of tax issues.

ITEP's small staff of tax attorneys, economists, and policy analysts has recently joined forces with Good Jobs First, an organization whose focus is ensuring that economic development subsidies are accountable and effective. ITEP is governed by a board, comprised of activists, academics, and other members of the policy community, which meets once a year to discuss current and future work needs.

ITEP now seeks a State Tax Policy Director. The Director will play a leading role in guiding the organizations's strategy and its analyses of state and local tax policy.

Responsibilities include:

• Developing and presenting ITEP's analyses to legislators
• Producing clear and timely briefs on breaking tax legislation to the media
• Providing technical support to other policy organizations in Washington and across the country
• Providing overall direction over the project work of ITEP policy staff and consultants
• Managing special projects
• Conducting training sessions with state groups
• Overseeing the organization's fund-raising efforts
• Public speaking on tax issues

Ideal candidates will possess:

• A relevant advanced degree
• Significant knowledge of tax policy, including state and local tax policy
• Previous experience with legislative policy development and implementation processes
• Familiarity with economic analysis
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Strong social and economic justice orientation
• Demonstrated ability to respond to media inquiries
• Demonstrated ability to identify and secure funding to support projects and staff, particularly with grant proposal writing and identifying funding resources
• Demonstrated success in management at a nonprofit organization

Compensation for this position is commensurate with qualifications and includes excellent health and pension benefits.

ITEP seeks to fill this position as soon as possible. Interested and qualified applicants should send a resume and cover letter to:

Tax Policy Director Search
Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy
1311 L Street, NW
Washington, DC 20005
Fax: 202-638-3486
www.itepnet.org

Women and people of color are strongly encouraged to apply.