Fair Lending Research Analyst

Woodstock Institute is a leading nonprofit research and policy organization that works to create a safe and equitable financial system, especially for lower-income people and communities of color. Woodstock Institute partners with community and philanthropic groups, financial institutions, and policymakers to effect change at local, state, and national levels. As a leading consumer advocacy organization, Woodstock builds bridges between key policymakers and sources of capital with affected consumers in low- and moderate-income areas and communities of color.

The Fair Lending Research Analyst reports to the Woodstock Institute's Director of Applied Research and is responsible for gathering and analyzing financial industry data using a combination of traditional methods. The Fair Lending Research Analyst works as a team with other Analyst(s) and/or Intern(s) in producing the organization's research reports and updating and maintaining Woodstock Institute's interactive data dashboard. This is a full-time, hybrid position located in Chicago.

Salary depends on experience and qualifications. Starting range for a candidate with minimum required experience to a sustained track record is $70,000 to $90,000 per year. Compensation package includes: 4 weeks paid vacation (the office is closed between Christmas and New Year’s Day, with holiday pay); dollar-for-dollar match up to 6% of salary on 403b retirement plan; health insurance premium 100% paid for employee, with subsidy for additional family members.

• Reports to the Director of Applied Research
• Works closely with Woodstock’s research, policy, development, communications, and administrative staff
• Collaborates with local and national partners on research projects

• Data Portal Management
  • Designs, maintains, and updates interactive Tableau dashboards
  • Acquires, cleans, and manages a variety of financial industry data, including public data, qualitative survey data and large sets of quantitative Census data
  • Develops and refines processes for data collection, analysis, and visualization
• Research Publications
  • Writes technical reports based on research findings, and policy and advocacy initiatives
  • Composes and edits research materials, including but not limited to research reports and presentations, data visualizations (tables, graphs, and charts), maps, and prepares data for publications.
  • Performs quantitative and qualitative data and statistical analysis to identify trends and patterns
  • Analyzes and maps geographic data at various levels of geography
• Other duties, as assigned

Required

• Master's degree in geography, economics, urban planning, or a related field, and/or at least five years of experience in fair lending analysis, applied research, and dashboard maintenance.
• Tableau, Excel, SPSS, R, Python, and/or data analysis tools
• ArcGIS or QGIS experience
• Demonstrated experience in research design and implementation
• Excellent written and spoken English language communication skills
• Must be self-motivated, show initiative and leadership, and be able to work independently and juggle multiple tasks and deadlines effectively
• Able to learn new skills quickly
• Able to work collaboratively with people at all levels, internally and externally, and in an organized manner in a fast-paced environment
• Punctual, reliable, and willing to put in extra hours when necessary
• Dedication to economic and social justice issues, as evidenced by previous professional or volunteer work
• Ability to occasionally travel and attend work-related events outside regular work hours in evenings and on weekends

Preferred

• Passion for income equality, generational wealth preservation, equal access to credit, and consumer financial protection
• Knowledge of affordable housing, Home Mortgage Disclosure Act, Fair Lending, and Community Reinvestment Act is a plus
• Familiarity with CSS/HTML and basic web development

Woodstock Institute is an equal opportunity employer and strongly encourages qualified applicants from diverse backgrounds and protected classes to apply.