Associate Principal (Safety & Justice)

Who We Are

Civic Consulting Alliance’s vision is to be the cornerstone of a civic ecosystem that creates a more vibrant, equitable, and prosperous Chicago region for all. We get big things done for the Chicago region by bringing together our dedicated staff and the business community to provide pro bono expertise to government & civic leaders.

We achieve impact in four interconnected focus areas that are integral to achieving our vision:

●      Economic Vitality: Thriving economy that builds individual and community wealth in support of regional revitalization.

●      Education: High-quality education and access to opportunities for all students to prepare them for lifelong success and fulfillment.

●      Health: Accessible healthcare that increases holistic well-being and allows all people to live longer, healthier lives.

●      Safety & Justice: Collaborative violence prevention and intervention strategies that create safe and just communities.

Every dollar invested in our mission is multiplied fivefold, providing an average of $20 million in pro bono consulting services annually to the Chicago region. We are the best at what we do, and uniquely qualified and positioned with the trust, experience, and credibility needed to succeed. For more information visit: https://www.ccachicago.org/

For more about our mission, culture, and leadership, we invite you to watch our recent video: Celebrating 40 Years of Getting Big Things Done.

The Opportunity

Associate Principals are leaders on client teams and within our organization. Associate Principals provide management, coaching, and support to teams working on fast-paced client-facing projects in the four focus areas named above, while receiving support and strategic guidance from Civic Consulting Alliance leadership.

This position is dedicated to our Safety & Justice portfolio. As a specialist, you’ll ideally bring experience in the field, and you’ll embrace the opportunity to deepen your expertise while building strong relationships with institutions leading this work. Candidates should be comfortable collaborating primarily with the Chicago Police Department, as well as organizations such as the Cook County State’s Attorney, community-based organizations, philanthropy, and other local safety and justice ecosystem stakeholders, which is critical to our work to address root causes and build lasting solutions in holistic community safety infrastructure, constitutional and accountable policing, and an equitable justice system.    

For the problem-solver who is passionate about contributing to a thriving Chicago region, Civic Consulting Alliance provides unique opportunities to: develop your understanding of government and of the Chicago region; to make systemic, cross-sector change; and to impact the lives of millions of people in the Chicago region. We are a fast-paced organization committed to our clients’ successes, so we are looking for curious and passionate leaders who take initiative. You will fast-track your professional development by: building connections across a broad network of civic leaders; and being part of a dynamic, supportive, and tight-knit team.

Below is a vision for the key components of the position; employees will also be asked to perform additional tasks that are not listed in the job description, as deemed necessary by Civic Consulting Alliance.

• Deliver exceptional management consulting services to Civic Consulting Alliance’s clients by (non-exhaustive):
• Leading high-impact projects (often multiple, concurrent projects), working side-by-side with Civic Consulting Alliance colleagues, senior executives in government, and private sector leaders
• Developing scopes of work, work plans, and implementation plans for projects
• Owning client relationships
• Directing Civic Consulting Alliance staff and at times pro bono partner teams or fellows
• Preparing and delivering recommendations to clients
• Driving and supporting implementation of client recommendations
• Deepening subject matter expertise in Safety & Justice, particularly policing, and our consulting approach

• Collaboratively build our organizational culture and capabilities by (non- exhaustive):
• Managing, coaching, and developing colleagues while receiving mentorship from Civic Consulting Alliance senior leadership
• Informing and often leading organizational development priorities (e.g. in support of client development, partner engagement, funder cultivation and stewardship, and team culture)    
• Serving on Civic Consulting Alliance’s Management Team

• Bachelor’s degree and educational background in policy, business, education, social or data sciences, or related fields; graduate degree is a plus
• 10+ years’ work experience, with experience in or exposure to consulting (preferred), government, and/or nonprofit organizations required
• Demonstrated experience navigating bureaucracy and complex systems, and ability to drive work to resolution in that context
• Demonstrated experience leading teams and/or managing projects or complex workstreams with multiple stakeholders
• Strong functional knowledge of project management (e.g., scoping, work planning, risk management)
• Interest in and willingness to learn about Safety & Justice (policing, public or community safety, criminal justice or legal system reform); experience in this area is a plus
• Experience managing and giving formal feedback to direct reports
• Strong presentation and communication skills
• Proficiency with Microsoft Word / PowerPoint / Excel, familiarity with quantitative data analysis (e.g., Tableau / Power BI), and the ability to learn and apply new technical skills

• Commitment to Civic Consulting Alliance’s core values:
• Prove change is possible - We believe the Chicago region can be more vibrant, equitable, and prosperous for all, and we raise our hand to work on challenges that stand in the way.
• Serve with passion - We navigate as trusted partners through ambiguity and complexity, ground our decisions in data and lived experience, and hold ourselves to the highest standards of integrity.
• Grow together - We rely on each other, build mutual respect and sense of belonging, seek perspectives to complement the limits of our own experience, and welcome new ideas and healthy debate.

• A deep desire to address critical community issues and help the Chicago region thrive:
• Analytical problem-solver: You are willing to share creative hypotheses and drive team brainstorming sessions
• Relationship-builder: You have a track record of building strong relationships with a variety of stakeholders and a client-service orientation
• Ability to navigate complexity: You have a demonstrated ability to work with a variety of people in complex environments
• Self-motivator: You are self-motivating in nature, with an ability to multitask and handle ambiguity

• We offer competitive salary, career development, and comprehensive benefits* including:
• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance beginning on employee start date
• 401(k); annual employer contribution of 5% after one year of employment
• Pre-tax programs for transit and flexible spending account (FSA)
• Generous paid time off package including: 15 vacation, 8 sick, and 4 personal/swing days; federal holidays, week-long winter break, and early-close days before select holidays
• Supportive family planning benefits – FMLA and 100% paid parental leave
• Employer-paid group life insurance, long-term disability insurance, and short-term disability insurance; additional, voluntary life insurance
• Up to $1,000 per year reimbursed in support of professional learning and growth

• *Benefits subject to change

Excited about the opportunity, but don’t meet all of the qualifications above? Please still apply! You may have the unique experience that is just right for this or another role.

Hybrid Work Environment

As an organization, we believe that in-person work is critical to achieving our mission; it promotes stronger relationship building with our key stakeholders (clients, funders, and partners), creates closer connection and team-building with our colleagues, and provides broader opportunities for learning and growth. This shared belief underpins our expectation for in-person requirements. Staff are expected to work two or more (2+) in-person days, and up to three (3) remote days, per five-day work week. (On Tuesdays, all staff will work in the office. Teams will align on at least 1 additional day each week to work together in-person; additional days may be required.)

As a condition of employment at Civic Consulting Alliance, you are required to complete a COVID-19 vaccine. If you receive an invitation to interview, we can answer any questions you may have during the interview process. If an offer of employment is extended, new hires are expected to provide proof of vaccination prior to their start date.

What Applicants Should Expect

While the interview process may be adjusted as we go, we expect the process to include the following stages:

●      Application (cover letter and resume)

●      Phone screen    

●      Two in-person interviews with teammates (case and behavioral interviews)

●      Reference checks

Apply here: https://jobs.lever.co/ccachicago

Priority submission date: December 7, 2025