Principal, Inclusive Cities

HR&A Advisors • Los Angeles, CA

2d • $155,600 - $184,260 • Hybrid

About The Position

HR&A Advisors is seeking a Principal for its Inclusive Cities practice, based in the Los Angeles office or working remotely, with travel to the Los Angeles office once a month. The Principal will lead client work and help expand the practice’s efforts to prevent and reduce homelessness. The role is suited to a leader with local government experience who has designed systems and strategies to serve communities historically left out or left behind, navigated government budget and legislative processes, and managed complex implementation with multiple partners.

The Principal will lead complex projects for public-sector, philanthropic, and nonprofit clients; help expand HR&A’s work to additional cities and counties; and contribute to the firm’s culture and impact. Principals typically lead 4–8 concurrent projects, manage 2–10 staff and external subconsultants per engagement, advise organizational leaders and government leadership, and lead or co-lead proposals that generate new work. Projects may include designing and measuring homelessness prevention or reduction programs, translating an elected leader’s priorities into implementation plans, advising on philanthropic investment strategies, and assessing the cost-effectiveness of homelessness response investments.

The role also entails developing client relationships, shaping new projects, contributing to the practice’s direction and methods, and mentoring staff. The work focuses on turning community priorities and policy goals into actionable strategies, implementation plans, and durable systems change.

HR&A’s hybrid policy generally calls for employees to work in an office at least three days per week. For remote employees, in-office attendance expectations are determined by studio management according to business and team needs. The stated base salary range is $155,600–$184,260 per year, with eligibility for a discretionary year-end bonus. The firm also describes employee ownership through an Employee Stock Ownership Plan and a comprehensive benefits package.

Requirements

• 12 or more years of relevant experience.
• Leadership experience in government, including leading program design and implementation.
• Strong understanding of local government operations, budgets, and decision-making processes.
• Expertise in policymaking in homelessness response, physical and behavioral health systems, criminal legal system reform, workforce development, or related areas.
• Demonstrated ability to engage public-sector leaders, philanthropy, community-based organizations, and civic institutions and help partners move toward a specific goal.
• Experience navigating local government political, regulatory, and operational processes to move work from ambition to implementation.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, including the ability to evaluate trade-offs and design actionable strategies.
• Excellent writing and presentation skills tailored to policymakers, funders, and institutional leaders.
• Experience engaging communities in trust-building, non-extractive ways.
• Demonstrated commitment to racial and economic justice, collaborative leadership, and public service.

Nice To Haves

• Graduate degree in public policy, law, or a related field.

Responsibilities

• Serve as day-to-day project lead for public-sector, philanthropic, and nonprofit clients, grounding work in political, fiscal, and operational realities.
• Lead complex client engagements from scoping through delivery, managing budgets, timelines, and multidisciplinary teams.
• Produce clear, actionable analyses and support implementation to improve homelessness response.
• Translate policy goals into executable strategies, including program design, governance frameworks, capital strategies, and implementation roadmaps.
• Oversee analysis and deliverables, maintaining standards of clarity, accuracy, and usefulness for senior decision-makers.
• Manage and mentor project teams by providing direction, feedback, and support while fostering rigor, inclusion, and respect.
• Engage senior public-sector and philanthropic leaders and support their decision-making with structured options and implementation-focused guidance.
• Cultivate client relationships, contribute to proposals, and identify business development opportunities aligned with the Inclusive Cities practice.
• Help define the direction and priorities of HR&A’s work to end homelessness, refine methodologies, strengthen public-sector advisory capabilities, and support the firm’s growth.
• Help expand the practice’s work to new cities and counties and contribute to the firm’s culture and impact.
• Contribute to collective knowledge and mentor younger staff.

Benefits

• Discretionary year-end bonus eligibility.
• Employee Stock Ownership Plan, with annual firm contributions to the long-term wealth-building account.
• The firm may contribute to other retirement accounts.
• Comprehensive benefits package, including coverage of 90–95% of healthcare premiums and dental and vision coverage.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Principal
• Education Level: No Education Listed