City of Chicago Mayoral Fellowship

About this role

The City of Chicago Mayoral Fellowship is a 12-month research, technical assistance, and project coordination-oriented fellowship dedicated to supporting a citywide, place-based initiative to foster thriving for the City of Chicago’s children, youth, and young adults.

AIR is currently seeking a full-time Fellow to support this project, which is a partnership between the City of Chicago and the American Institutes for Research. The project centers on co-creating a shared citywide agenda that aligns existing initiatives, builds on what’s already working, and identifies gaps and opportunities across the developmental continuum. The Fellow will be employed by AIR and embedded within the City’s Office of the Mayor. The position is expected to start in late summer or around September 1, 2026, and continue for 12 months. This is a paid, benefit-eligible fellowship.

The City of Chicago Mayoral Fellowship is focused on supporting the implementation and coordination of a citywide youth agenda and conducting an asset mapping project of coalitions and initiatives that support children, youth, and young adults across the City from ages 0-24.

In support of this work, the Fellow will work across relevant content areas including:

• Early childhood

• Youth development

• Housing

• Workforce and career pathways

• Community development

• Public policy

• Systems change and cross-sector collaboration

• Place-based strategies

• Community well-being

The Fellow will work closely with Mayor’s Office leadership, City agencies, community partners, and AIR project staff to support day-to-day coordination, track initiative priorities, support policy and implementation efforts, and strengthen alignment across stakeholders. The Fellow will play a key role in ensuring effective project management, communication, and operational support to advance the initiative’s goals.

The project team will provide structured learning opportunities through participation in project meetings, exposure to City and community partner coordination, mentorship from senior AIR staff, and hands-on experience with project management, technical assistance, asset mapping, stakeholder engagement, and applied research activities. The City will also identify a primary point of contact who can help the fellow navigate the City context, understand Mayor’s Office priorities and processes, and connect with relevant City staff and meetings. Together, these supports will help the fellow reflect on their learning, identify areas for growth, and build skills that support future work in public policy, research, and technical assistance.

Candidates hired for the position must be based in or near Chicago, Illinois, and available to work onsite within the Mayor’s Office for a portion of their work week. Candidates are also subject to any hiring requirements that the City of Chicago may require.

About AIR:

Founded in 1946 and headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, the American Institutes for Research (AIR) is a nonpartisan, not-for-profit organization that conducts behavioral and social science research and delivers technical assistance to address some of the most pressing challenges in the United States and globally. We generate evidence and apply data-driven solutions that expand opportunities and improve lives for all.

Responsibilities:

The Fellow will have an opportunity to:

• Support project coordination between AIR and the City of Chicago, including participating in relevant City and AIR project meetings and coordinating across City agencies, AIR staff, and community partners to support collaboration and alignment.

• Support project-related meeting activities (e.g., draft agenda, briefs, and meeting materials, support facilitation, meeting design, and follow-up items).

• Support asset mapping work (e.g., information gathering, tracking, synthesis, and coordination with partners).

• Draft briefing materials, summaries, and internal communications for Mayor’s Office leadership and partners.

• Conduct background research and synthesis of information to inform policy and planning discussions.

• Contribute to the development of reports that describe and interpret findings for the city, community partners, and other relevant audiences.

• Represent the organization in interactions with state, local, and site-based staff; potential clients; and partner organizations

• Work on collaborative project teams and lead tasks.

Qualifications

Education, Knowledge, and Experience

• Master’s degree in public policy, public administration, public health, social policy, education, or a related field.

• At least three years of relevant professional experience in policy, government, nonprofit, research, technical assistance, or project coordination roles.

• Demonstrated interest in public policy, cross-sector collaboration, place-based systems change, and improving outcomes for children, youth, young adults, families, and communities.

• Experience working in or with Chicago-based organizations, agencies, or communities.

• Familiarity with strategies to support youth and young adults from a variety of cultural, linguistic, and educational backgrounds.

• Experience collaborating with youth serving entities, researchers, or professional associations is preferred, but not required.

Skills:

• Excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to work with individuals at all levels and from a variety of backgrounds.

• Ability to lead and contribute to projects, organize tasks and timelines, and work effectively with others to achieve project goals.

• Strong solution-focused orientation in overcoming challenges.

• Comfortable working independently and as a member of a team.

• Great attention to detail, commitment to accuracy and quality, and strong work ethic.

• Ability to identify, review, consolidate, and translate resource and practice into practical strategies or tools.

• Excellent communication skills with the ability to collaborate efficientl

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