Job Description
Performance Analysts (PAs) are the backbone of the Public Safety section’s Performance Analysis Unit, which conducts in-depth evaluations and reviews of the policies, practices, and programs of the Chicago Police Department (CPD) and Chicago’s police accountability agencies (including COPA and the Police Board). Those reviews result in published reports, which detail the Public Safety section’s findings about the policy, practice, or program at issue and its recommendations to address deficiencies and make improvements. Recent topics of these reviews have included the City’s response to the protests and unrest following the murder of George Floyd, CPD’s search warrant processes and practices, and the hiring process for CPD officers.
PAs are deeply involved in every step of the process from project development through final report drafting. This often includes intensive fieldwork, which may see PAs: gathering and analyzing large amounts of quantitative criminal justice data; collecting and reviewing documents from CPD or the police accountability agencies; observing trainings or other agency operations; interviewing CPD, COPA, or Police Board officials; and engaging with community stakeholders.
DUTIES:
• Under the guidance of a chief performance analyst, develop, conduct and lead evaluations and reviews of selected police and police accountability operations, policies, programs and practices
• Collect, analyze, and interpret data to identify areas of concern and where improvements are needed
• Develop recommendations for police and police accountability reforms based on best practices and other research
• Compose clear, concise, and objective reports containing analysis of qualitative and quantitative data
• Conduct site visits to observe operations
• Lead interviews with police, other City personnel, and community stakeholders
• Attend stakeholder meetings
• Participate in community engagement
• Perform related duties as required
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: Graduation from an accredited college or university with a bachelor’s degree or higher, plus one year of work experience in program auditing or operations analysis.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:
• Advanced degree in a social science, public policy, or related field, and certification as a Certified Inspector General Inspector/Evaluator (CIGE)
• Experience conducting performance or compliance audits, program evaluations, risk assessments, policy reviews, or other relevant experience reviewing or evaluating a government entity
• Experience developing criteria, reviewing and analyzing evidence, and documenting processes and procedures
• Experience developing data collection instruments such as surveys, direct and participatory observations, interviews, focus groups, and literature searches
• Experience analyzing qualitative and quantitative data and proficiency with data analysis tools such as R, Stata, or SPSS
• Excellent judgment and confidence to discuss police and police accountability policies and procedures with internal and external stakeholders
• Strong desire to improve the effectiveness, accountability, and transparency of the CPD and Chicago’s police accountability agencies, and to transform the critical relationship between CPD and the communities it serves
• Knowledge of, and demonstrated interest in, law enforcement, criminal justice, and/or civil rights issues
• Familiarity with Chicago government, the CPD, and Chicago’s police accountability system
SKILLS AND ABILITIES:
• Strong work ethic and professionalism
• Excellent written and oral communication
• Excellent interpersonal, communication, and problem-solving skills
• Collaborates with coworkers and thrives in a team-based environment
• Ability to effectively work cross functionally in a fast-paced work environment
ANNUAL SALARY: Range: $76,020 – $102,648 (annual increases); Starting $76,020 (non-negotiable); Post successful six-month review $79,728
BENEFITS: For information on City of Chicago employees’ benefits, please visit our benefits website at: https://www.chicago.gov/city/en/depts/fin/benefits-office.html.
TRAVEL AND SCHEDULE: Travel outside Chicago is not required.
Standard office hours are 9:00am – 5:00pm, flexibility permitted.
RESIDENCY REQUIREMENT: Employees must be a resident of the City of Chicago and proof of residency is required at the commencement of employment.
KNOWLEDGE SKILL AND ESSAY REQUIREMENT: A passing score on a knowledge skill test(s) and/or essay may be required.
Your application must include a response to the following prompt:
• In about 500 words, identify a topic that you believe to be an important area of focus for police or public safety oversight in the City of Chicago.
Briefly outline: (1) why you believe the topic to be important, (2) a potential research question for an OIG evaluation of the topic, and (3) how you might go about answering that research question.
To complete this exercise, you may wish to reference public safety data published by OIG here: https://igchicago.org/information-portal/public-safety. You can find examples of past published OIG evaluations here: https://igchicago.org/publications/reviews-reports. You can find OIG’s current project topics of consideration for Public Safety here: https://igchicago.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/OIG-Public-Safety-2026-Annual-Outlook-.pdf.
WE VALUE DIVERSITY
The Office of the Inspector General (OIG) is an equal opportunity employer.
OIG is an inclusive organization that hires and develops all its staff of all levels regardless of race, religion, color, ethnicity, national origin, ancestry, marital or parental status, sex, gender expression or identity, ****** orientation, physical or mental ability, age, veteran status, and all other characteristics protected by law.
OIG strives to create the kind of workplace where a socially diverse mix of people can thrive professionally. We pride ourselves in meeting our legal charge to promote economy, effectiveness, efficiency, and integrity in government. Through the hard work of our passionate and innovative team, OIG aims to serve every community with equity, respect, and dignity.
If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation due to disability or pregnancy to participate in the application process, please contact OIG’s Manager of Human Resources Eloise Markham at emarkham@igchicago.org. Please be prepared to provide information in support of your reasonable accommodation request.
THE CITY OF CHICAGO IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY AND MILITARY FRIENDLY EMPLOYER
In compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and to complete the required employment eligibility verification document form upon hire. The City of Chicago does not participate in E-Verify (Employment Eligibility Verification System). In addition, employment at the OIG is contingent upon a satisfactory criminal background check.
NOTIFICATION REGARDING USE OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI)
The submission of written materials, e.g., writing sample, essay, cover letter, etc., generated in-part or fully by AI is strongly discouraged. Candidates who submit AI generated written materials may be disqualified from further consideration.
PAs are deeply involved in every step of the process from project development through final report drafting. This often includes intensive fieldwork, which may see PAs: gathering and analyzing large amounts of quantitative criminal justice data; collecting and reviewing documents from CPD or the police accountability agencies; observing trainings or other agency operations; interviewing CPD, COPA, or Police Board officials; and engaging with community stakeholders.
DUTIES:
• Under the guidance of a chief performance analyst, develop, conduct and lead evaluations and reviews of selected police and police accountability operations, policies, programs and practices
• Collect, analyze, and interpret data to identify areas of concern and where improvements are needed
• Develop recommendations for police and police accountability reforms based on best practices and other research
• Compose clear, concise, and objective reports containing analysis of qualitative and quantitative data
• Conduct site visits to observe operations
• Lead interviews with police, other City personnel, and community stakeholders
• Attend stakeholder meetings
• Participate in community engagement
• Perform related duties as required
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: Graduation from an accredited college or university with a bachelor’s degree or higher, plus one year of work experience in program auditing or operations analysis.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:
• Advanced degree in a social science, public policy, or related field, and certification as a Certified Inspector General Inspector/Evaluator (CIGE)
• Experience conducting performance or compliance audits, program evaluations, risk assessments, policy reviews, or other relevant experience reviewing or evaluating a government entity
• Experience developing criteria, reviewing and analyzing evidence, and documenting processes and procedures
• Experience developing data collection instruments such as surveys, direct and participatory observations, interviews, focus groups, and literature searches
• Experience analyzing qualitative and quantitative data and proficiency with data analysis tools such as R, Stata, or SPSS
• Excellent judgment and confidence to discuss police and police accountability policies and procedures with internal and external stakeholders
• Strong desire to improve the effectiveness, accountability, and transparency of the CPD and Chicago’s police accountability agencies, and to transform the critical relationship between CPD and the communities it serves
• Knowledge of, and demonstrated interest in, law enforcement, criminal justice, and/or civil rights issues
• Familiarity with Chicago government, the CPD, and Chicago’s police accountability system
SKILLS AND ABILITIES:
• Strong work ethic and professionalism
• Excellent written and oral communication
• Excellent interpersonal, communication, and problem-solving skills
• Collaborates with coworkers and thrives in a team-based environment
• Ability to effectively work cross functionally in a fast-paced work environment
ANNUAL SALARY: Range: $76,020 – $102,648 (annual increases); Starting $76,020 (non-negotiable); Post successful six-month review $79,728
BENEFITS: For information on City of Chicago employees’ benefits, please visit our benefits website at: https://www.chicago.gov/city/en/depts/fin/benefits-office.html.
TRAVEL AND SCHEDULE: Travel outside Chicago is not required.
Standard office hours are 9:00am – 5:00pm, flexibility permitted.
RESIDENCY REQUIREMENT: Employees must be a resident of the City of Chicago and proof of residency is required at the commencement of employment.
KNOWLEDGE SKILL AND ESSAY REQUIREMENT: A passing score on a knowledge skill test(s) and/or essay may be required.
Your application must include a response to the following prompt:
• In about 500 words, identify a topic that you believe to be an important area of focus for police or public safety oversight in the City of Chicago.
Briefly outline: (1) why you believe the topic to be important, (2) a potential research question for an OIG evaluation of the topic, and (3) how you might go about answering that research question.
To complete this exercise, you may wish to reference public safety data published by OIG here: https://igchicago.org/information-portal/public-safety. You can find examples of past published OIG evaluations here: https://igchicago.org/publications/reviews-reports. You can find OIG’s current project topics of consideration for Public Safety here: https://igchicago.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/OIG-Public-Safety-2026-Annual-Outlook-.pdf.
WE VALUE DIVERSITY
The Office of the Inspector General (OIG) is an equal opportunity employer.
OIG is an inclusive organization that hires and develops all its staff of all levels regardless of race, religion, color, ethnicity, national origin, ancestry, marital or parental status, sex, gender expression or identity, ****** orientation, physical or mental ability, age, veteran status, and all other characteristics protected by law.
OIG strives to create the kind of workplace where a socially diverse mix of people can thrive professionally. We pride ourselves in meeting our legal charge to promote economy, effectiveness, efficiency, and integrity in government. Through the hard work of our passionate and innovative team, OIG aims to serve every community with equity, respect, and dignity.
If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation due to disability or pregnancy to participate in the application process, please contact OIG’s Manager of Human Resources Eloise Markham at emarkham@igchicago.org. Please be prepared to provide information in support of your reasonable accommodation request.
THE CITY OF CHICAGO IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY AND MILITARY FRIENDLY EMPLOYER
In compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and to complete the required employment eligibility verification document form upon hire. The City of Chicago does not participate in E-Verify (Employment Eligibility Verification System). In addition, employment at the OIG is contingent upon a satisfactory criminal background check.
NOTIFICATION REGARDING USE OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI)
The submission of written materials, e.g., writing sample, essay, cover letter, etc., generated in-part or fully by AI is strongly discouraged. Candidates who submit AI generated written materials may be disqualified from further consideration.
💡 Quick Summary
Seeking a career-building opportunity? The Performance analyst (Public Safety) position is now open for candidates interested in the Operations Executive Jobs sector. This role in Chicago offers a professional environment and growth potential.
Requirement Snapshot: Candidates should possess basic communication skills, a proactive attitude, and the ability to work in a team. Experience in Operations Executive Jobs is a plus.
