Work with the Civic Federation

About the Civic Federation

The Civic Federation is an independent, non-partisan government research organization that provides robust and objective fiscal analysis, recommendations, and oversight for the benefit of civic and business leaders, the media, and the general public in Chicago and the State of Illinois. Founded in 1894 to address deep concerns about the city's economic and political climate at the turn of the century, the Federation has been a civic leader in Chicago and Illinois for over 130 years. In the past ten years alone, the Federation’s track record includes publishing over 600 long and short-form reports and budget analyses of 11 state and local government entities and fiscal-adjacent policy issues.

The Civic Federation is an equal opportunity employer. We fundamentally support and remain committed to seeking a diverse, equitable and inclusive staff and board of directors to serve the mission of the federation. All membership and employment decisions are made with this commitment in mind and we welcome everyone to our team.

The Civic Federation encourages BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ people, veterans, and any individuals with disabilities or any other legally protected status to apply. Please feel free to note your pronouns and/or any reasonable accommodation requests in your application or during the interview process.

Partnership Opportunities

There are no active partnership opportunities at this time. 

Job Openings

Operations and Office Administrator

The Operations and Office Administrator serves as the organizational backbone of the Civic Federation, ensuring the organization's financial, administrative, governance, and operational systems function efficiently and effectively. Reporting to the Chief of Staff, this position plays a central role in supporting the day-to-day operations of the organization while enabling staff across research, programming, development, and leadership to focus on advancing the Civic Federation's mission. 

The full job description and qualifications may be viewed here.

Please submit a resume, cover letter, and three references with the subject line referencing the position. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Send applications to [email protected] (no phone calls please).

The Civic Federation is always looking to speak with civic-minded individuals, particularly research and policy analysts, data visualization specialists, and state and local government experts. Please send a resume to [email protected] if you would like to connect.