Principal, Broadband & Digital Equity

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 London, Medellin to Hong Kong, 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 PRACTICE | HR&A’s Broadband and Digital Equity team is focused on empowering communities to shape their broadband future and develop stronger digital equity ecosystems. We recognize that internet infrastructure investments and adoption programs are foundational to more equitable economic development, education, healthcare, and civic life. We work with leaders in all levels of government, civic institutions, community-based organizations, and philanthropy to design and deliver bold system changes that foster broadband equity and digital inclusion. This work is often conducted as part of the Broadband Equity Partnership, a partnership that HR&A has with CTC Technology & Energy.

At an historic moment for broadband and digital equity, with estimates of nearly $200 billion in public and private investment in the next decade, our broadband and digital equity practice is at the forefront of planning, managing, and delivering innovative infrastructure and digital equity programs across the nation, from New York to California, Chicago to Miami. Our work results in the implementation of new public-private partnerships and government- or community-led digital equity programs that prioritize service to communities who need it most. As we help to build capacity in the nation’s public interest broadband ecosystem, we center racial equity and economic justice, helping our clients to identify who will benefit from broadband development initiatives and show them how to design and execute more equitable programs that build stronger neighborhoods and economies.

ABOUT YOU |

At least 10-12 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.
Deep knowledge of and experience with broadband infrastructure and digital equity programs
Proven leadership abilities marked by being innovative, collaborative, decisive; a reputation for getting things done;
Fluency with data, including an understanding of its limitations and a commitment to using it to quantify the ways in which inequity persists in communities 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
Advanced planning skills, including an ability to think strategically on both organizational and systemic levels over short and long-term horizons
Strong facilitation and presentation skills before multiple types of audiences
Experience with complex stakeholder and project management, including the dynamics of the role of a consultant
Patience, a sense of humor, humility, and willingness to be a leader and inspire HR&A staff and develop the Broadband and Digital Equity practice as an intellectual and professional home within the firm; and to facilitate full participation and leadership by staff and partners alike.

THE ROLE | We are seeking a Principal to join us in to lead work around the country, ideally based in an HR&A Office in Atlanta, Dallas, Los Angeles, New York, Raleigh, or Washington D.C. office. The Principal will manage large-scale Broadband and Digital Equity projects in ways that maximize the impact of our clients’ work; they will be a leader in the practice internally and externally.

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 years, with Principals managing between three and six projects at a given time. Principals are responsible for:

Creating project work plans
Managing project budgets
Directing the analytical work of project teams
Ensuring the quality and timeliness of deliverables

Developing productive working relationships with clients

Responsibilities of the Broadband and Digital Equity Principal will also include:

Close partnership with the Managing Partner to support the growth, strategy, and concurrent priorities of the Broadband and Digital Equity practice
Serve as a leader in the practice by building external and internal relationships, as well as identifying and implementing new project types and services that can help serve those on the front lines in the work to close the digital divide
Represent HR&A and the Broadband and Digital Equity practice externally at events, professional associations, and in networks
Develop and manage tools and methodologies that support the growth of the practice 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 practice, including in multiple offices and remotely

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

Successful candidates:

Possess exceptional critical thinking skills, a deep curiosity about the challenges and opportunities of broadband and digital equity work, a data-driven and implementation-oriented mindset, and a commitment to proactively address and advance racial justice, equity, and anti-racism
Bring a strong background and/or foundation in public policy, economic development, city, state, or federal government, political campaigns, or nonprofit or institutional 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 such that they can demonstrate ability to manage multiple projects at one time in ways that are impactful, adaptive, and 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 annual salary range for this position is $149,500 – $172,000 plus opportunity for year-end bonus.  Where an offer falls inside the pay range is dependent on experience. 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 Options 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, 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 at https://hraadvisors.applytojob.com/apply/. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. 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. Economics”). 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.

Learn more at https://www.hraadvisors.com/broadband-and-digital-equity/

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