Policy Director , California Policy Lab

Overview

Policy Director (0566C), California Policy Lab - 81495

About Berkeley:
At the University of California, Berkeley, we are dedicated to fostering a community where everyone feels welcome and can thrive. Our culture of openness, freedom and belonging make it a special place for students, faculty and staff. We are looking for applicants who reflect California's diversity and want to be part of an inclusive, equity-focused community that views education as a matter of social justice.

Please consider whether your values align with our Guiding Values and Principles, Principles of Community, and Strategic Plan. At UC Berkeley, we believe that learning is a fundamental part of working, and provide space for supportive colleague communities via numerous employee resource groups. Our goal is for everyone on the Berkeley campus to feel supported and equipped to realize their full potential.

Departmental Overview

The California Policy Lab (CPL) generates research insights for government impact. Through hands-on partnerships with government agencies, CPL performs rigorous research across issue silos and builds the data infrastructure necessary to improve programs and policies that millions of Californians rely on every day. We focus our work in six policy areas: education, criminal justice reform, poverty and the social safety net, labor and employment, health, and homelessness and high needs populations.

We work in close partnership with state and local public agencies, co-developing and carrying out joint research agendas. Our staff are mostly based at UC Berkeley and UCLA and we work with faculty and students at all ten UC campuses. In 2025, we are opening a new Sacramento office, housed at the University of California Student and Policy Center, across the street from the Capitol.

The employee will be appointed through CPL's Berkeley site, which resides as a center within the Institute for Research on Labor and Employment (IRLE).

The Policy Director will lead CPL's Sacramento office, with a primary goal of amplifying CPL's impact through engagement with the legislature, the Governor's Office, and other Sacramento-based stakeholders on matters of research and data. The Policy Director will bring CPL's research and data insights into the policy making process while also sourcing new project ideas through stakeholder engagement. The position is ideal for a seasoned policy professional with deep experience in California state government and an existing network of trusted relationships with Sacramento-based policymakers and staff.

The Policy Director will represent the entire Lab and will report to the Executive Directors at our Berkeley and UCLA sites. The Policy Director will work in close coordination with the UC Office of the President's External Relations and Communications Division (ERC) and the government relations offices at relevant UC campuses, including following their guidance on how to interact with Sacramento stakeholders and regularly reporting on interactions with key policymakers.

CPL is a nonpartisan research lab focused on some of the most pressing issues facing California. The Policy Director will advance CPL's mission by identifying opportunities to inform state legislation with data and research, translating CPL research into actionable recommendations, and building and maintaining research relationships with Sacramento-based stakeholders. This is an exciting opportunity to join a leading policy-focused research institute and to help craft and strengthen how we engage with policymakers across the state.

This role reports to the Executive Directors at UCLA and UC Berkeley and will be part of the Leadership Team  formal appointment will be at UC Berkeley.

Application Review Date:
The First Review Date for this job is: 10/10/2025.

• Research Synthesis and Strategy:
  Develop and execute CPL's state-level strategy for informing the policy making process with research, in collaboration with the Executive Directors and faculty leadership at UCB and UCLA.
• Analyze pending and likely future legislation to identify opportunities to inform the policy process through…