Principal, Inclusive Cities

ABOUT US |   HR&A Advisors, Inc. (HR&A) is an employee-owned company advising public, private, non-profit, and philanthropic clients on how to increase opportunity and advance quality of life in cities.  

We believe in creating vital places, building more equitable and resilient communities, and improving people’s lives.   

From Brooklyn to Los Angeles, we have guided hundreds of clients in transforming real estate and economic development concepts, and public infrastructure, first into actionable plans then into job-producing, community-strengthening assets. 

Our clients include real estate owners and investors, hospitals and universities, cultural institutions and philanthropies, community development organizations and governments. 

HR&A has offices in Atlanta, Dallas, Los Angeles, New York, Raleigh, and Washington D.C. We come from diverse backgrounds, have a breadth of lived experience, and share a passion for cities. We are former city officials, executive directors, planners, lawyers, architects, and economists.  

Hear more about the HR&A experience from our staff

Learn more about careers at HR&A on our website here.

THE WORK| HR&A’s Inclusive Cities practice leverages our deep understanding of government, knowledge of local and private economic forces, and analytical rigor to promote social and economic justice.

We center racial equity and economic justice in economic development, policy and planning. We help our clients to identify who will benefit from economic development initiatives and show them how to design and execute more equitable projects, neighborhoods, and cities. We engage communities and grassroots organizations through deep engagement, and through that process, we build new trust and durable partnerships. We launch new programs and community-driven projects to increase awareness and participation in our civic discourse, which is essential to shifting traditional economic development paradigms. We embolden visionary public servants with the tools they need to embed equity into their policy and practice. We serve as a bridge between ideas and implementation in truly changing systems, from workforce development to criminal justice, so that lives are changed for the better.

To learn more about the Inclusive Cities practice and recent/current projects, visit https://www.hraadvisors.com/inclusive-cities/.

ABOUT YOU |

At least 10 years of relevant work experience, including working with public sector leaders and/or community-based organizations at the city, county, state, and/or federal level.
Knowledge of the issues confronting Southern California, local stakeholders, and issue areas of the Inclusive Cities practice; with additional emphasis for candidates that bring demonstrated creditability with Southern California public, philanthropic, and community-based organizations
Proven leadership abilities marked by being innovative, collaborative, decisive; and possess a reputation for getting things done; 
Quantitative expertise and the ability to interpret technical analysis to serve our clients, including an understanding of its limitations and a commitment to using it to quantify the ways in which inequity persists in cities and to project the impact of new policies and programs.
Strong interpersonal skills that reflect honesty, integrity, respect, inspiration and teamwork
Strong communication skills, including the ability to inspire confidence and passion with both internal and external audiences
Strong budgeting and financial management skills
Ability to “manage up” and meet the demands and agendas of multiple executive leads, while giving them honest and direct advice to advance firm initiatives and manage risk.
Strong facilitation and presentation skills before multiple types of audiences
Experience with complex stakeholder and project management
Patience, a sense of humor, humility, and willingness to be a leader and inspire HR&A staff and Inclusive Cities practice as an intellectual and professional home within the firm; and to facilitate full participation and leadership by staff and partners alike.

THE ROLE | HR&A Advisors is seeking a leader to join our Los Angeles office and help build our Inclusive Cities practice. Strong candidates will bring 10 years of experience in a field that intersects with urban policy and planning, deep history and strong connections in Los Angeles, and an understanding of the interrelated systems that perpetuate racial disparity and inequitable economic development. The Principal, Inclusive Cities will identify and manage projects, build new relationships, and find creative ways to be of service to a diverse list of clients. The Principal will serve as a thought partner in the development of Partner Judy Taylor’s work on economic development and anti-displacement strategies, value capture, transit-orient development, and wealth generation as well as support the growth of Partner Andrea Batista Schlesinger’s Inclusive Cities practice. HR&A’s Inclusive Cities practice centers racial equity and economic justice in economic development, policy, and planning. Leveraging analytic rigor and meaningful community engagement, we work with partners inside and outside of government to disrupt the traditional processes of economic development, build greater political power for marginalized communities, increase accountability of local governments, and institutionalize mechanisms for more just and equitable cities. We welcome candidates who crave impact and thrive in mission-driven, stimulating environments.

At HR&A, Principals manage multiple projects and business development efforts concurrently. Project timelines and scopes are highly variable at HR&A and often span between several weeks and several months, with Principals managing between three and six projects at a given time. They will be responsible for:

Creating project work plans,
Managing project budgets,
Directing the analytical work of project teams,
Ensuring the quality and timeliness of deliverables,
And developing productive working relationships with clients.

Responsibilities of the Inclusive Cities Principal will also include:

Close partnership with Los Angeles Office Partners to support the growth, strategy, and concurrent priorities of the Inclusive Cities practice.
Serve as a leader in the Inclusive Cities practice by building external and internal relationships, identifying and implementing new project types and services that can help serve those on the front lines in the work to make cities equitable and just.
Represent HR&A and the Inclusive Cities practice externally at events, professional associations, and in networks.
Develop and manage tools and methodologies that support the growth of the Inclusive Cities practice and upend traditional approaches to economic development consulting such that the firm’s overall work and other practice areas are enriched.
Engage in internal firmwide activities that advance HR&A’s commitment to Anti-Racism.
Train and mentor staff across the firm, including in multiple offices.

EXPERIENCE REQUIRED | We are looking for candidates with management and leadership experience in the public, private, or non-profit sector, brings deep curiosity about the challenges facing cities today, and a passion for equity and systems change.

Successful candidates:

Possess exceptional critical thinking skills, a deep curiosity about the challenges and opportunities of economic opportunity, quality of life, and the built environment, and a commitment to proactively address and advance racial justice, equity, and anti-racism.
Have a deep understanding of the social, political and economic context of the Los Angeles region.
Bring a strong background and/or foundation in economic development, public policy, city government, real estate analysis or nonprofit management as an important reference point for our work.
Bring experience in consulting or comparable client-facing functions in a relevant field and/or a leadership setting within a social justice-focused organization or local government agency such that they can demonstrate ability to manage multiple projects at one time in ways that are impactful, adaptive, persuasive.
Experience managing fast-paced, collaborative project teams.
Possess substantial writing and presentation skills, sufficient poise for direct client interaction, and mentorship capabilities.
Are ambitious and creative about new ways in which our firm’s knowledge and expertise can be deployed.

COMPENSATION | The salary range for this position is $149,500 – 172,000. We offer competitive compensation packages, based on qualifications and experience.  We are an employee-owned company, meaning you will have the opportunity to benefit from the firm’s growth over time through participation in our Employee Stock Ownership Plan. Each year, the firm will contribute funds to this long-term wealth-building account and may make contributions to other retirement accounts. We also provide a comprehensive benefits package that goes well beyond coverage of 90-95% of healthcare premiums, and dental and vision coverage.

HOW TO APPLY | HR&A is committed to attracting and retaining a talented, diverse, competitive team of professionals dedicated to solving the challenges of urban life. Women, people of color, members of the LGBTQ community, individuals with disabilities, and veterans are strongly encouraged to apply.

Please submit a cover letter and resume as a single PDF document (maximum of 2 pages) online at https://hraadvisors.applytojob.com/apply/. Applications without a cover lever will not be reviewed.

We ask that you submit a version of your resume that has your school information removed. There is no need to reformat your resume, and you should leave your degree (e.g. “B.A. Communications”). But please remove all undergraduate and graduate school name references. This request is part of our ongoing work to build a hiring system that is free from bias and based on candidate merit and performance in the hiring process.

All qualified candidates will receive consideration for employment without regard to their race, religion, ancestry, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, disability, marital status, medical condition, veteran status or any other basis as protected by federal, state, or local law.

For more information, please contact us at jobs@hraadvisors.com. 