Director of Research

Analyst Institute is searching for its next Director of Research. We will be accepting applications through December 1, with priority given to candidates who apply before November 17. We’re looking to fill the position by January 2024.

The Role

As the Director of Research, you will be in a senior leadership position, leading a team of researchers, analysts, data scientists, and engineers to drive research on civic engagement and progressive community learning needs. You’ll shape Analyst Institute’s research agenda and forge partnerships to advance that agenda. You’ll also be instrumental in ensuring we remain at the forefront of research and innovation while fostering a culture of knowledge exchange and learning within the movement.

Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership:

• Provide visionary leadership for the research team that is aligned with the organization's mission and objectives.
• Set short- and long-term team goals, including project revenue targets, and execute strategies to achieve them.
• Offer thought leadership on priority research topics, synthesizing research findings, identifying key takeaways, and highlighting relevant knowledge gaps.
• Identify and advance research priorities and methodological approaches to inquiry, engaging internal teams and external stakeholders as needed.
• Stay updated on civic engagement and progressive research trends and integrate relevant insights into the organization’s work.

Team Management:

• Direct the Research Team, ensuring high-quality, rigorous research addressing priority questions.
• Manage two deputy directors who oversee all research and analytics staff and provide day-to-day project oversight.
• Make staffing decisions, offer feedback, and cultivate an inclusive team culture to ensure a highly skilled, motivated, and diverse team.

Partnerships and Community Engagement:

• Foster partnerships with practitioners, donors, researchers and others to encourage collaboration on research initiatives, fee-for-service projects, and knowledge exchange.
• Contribute to evidence-informed recommendations and Analyst Institute reports, ensuring research is effectively communicated to external audiences.
• Represent the organization at external events, sharing research findings and strengthening community connections.

Qualifications

The following encompasses many of the skills and experiences we consider core qualifications for the Director of Research role, but we encourage you to apply even if you do not meet all of them. You should be someone who has:

• A passion for social science research and promoting evidence-informed decision-making in the progressive movement.
• Excellent leadership and team management skills, with the ability to inspire a diverse team and foster a collaborative culture.
• Relevant work or post-graduate education experience leading social science research projects, including question development, study design, data collection, analysis, and reporting.
• An ability to interpret, synthesize, and translate research findings for diverse audiences.
• A familiarity with academic and practitioner research on relevant topics, such as voter behavior, political persuasion, and organizing.
• Advanced knowledge of quantitative research methods (both experimental and observational), with a solid command of causal inference, randomized controlled experiments (especially field experiments), meta-analytic research, and other social scientific measurement approaches.
• Exceptional stakeholder engagement skills, including the ability to build relationships with campaigners, organizers, researchers, donors, and more.
• Project management expertise in a complex, fast-paced environment.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills.
• Capacity to work independently and with self-direction as well as collaboratively with individuals of varying backgrounds and skill sets.
• A commitment to working with those representing historically marginalized communities in an equitable and inclusive manner.

Though less necessary for the role, we are also interested in people with the following experiences (please be sure to note these in your resume and/or cover letter):

• Experience in mixed-methods research.
• Experience conducting research in partnership with non-profit organizations.
• Experience working or volunteering with political campaigns, community based-organizations or other similar organizations.
• Relationships in the progressive space (with practitioners, funders, researchers, consultants, etc.) and an excitement to establish more.
• Familiarity with political data (e.g., voter files, volunteer and member data, political contribution data).
• Proficiency in statistics software, like R or Python.
• Knowledge of Analyst Institute’s research and recommendations.
• Skill in digital project management and collaboration tools, such as Slack and Asana.

Logistics

• Location: Our entire staff works remotely in various states across the U.S., and our internal culture fully supports and integrates remote staff. This position may be asked to travel periodically for in-person trainings, important convenings, and team-building.
• Start date: We are looking for this position to start in January 2024. This is a full-time, exempt position.
• Compensation range: Starting salary commensurate with experience and skill set from $110,000 - $130,000.
• Benefits: These include 100% premium-covered health, dental, and vision care, generous paid time off, 401(k) matching, twelve weeks paid parental leave (including the birth, adoption, or fostering of a child), disability leave, life insurance, and professional development stipends for self-directed growth.
• For more information: See some of the reasons you may want to work here and visit our website for more information about the work we do.
• To apply: Submit an application on our website.

People of color, members of the LGBTQ+ community, disabled people, and members of other commonly underrepresented groups are especially encouraged to apply, even if you don’t meet all of the criteria.

To ensure equal employment and advancement opportunities to all individuals, employment decisions at Analyst Institute will be based on merit, qualifications, and abilities. Analyst Institute does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion or creed, national origin or ancestry, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, physical or mental disability, veteran status, genetic information, citizenship, size, weight, or any other consideration made unlawful by federal, state or local laws. This policy governs all aspects of employment, including hiring, job assignment, compensation, discipline, termination, and access to benefits and training. Unfortunately, at this time we cannot provide sponsorship for those requiring visas or work permits.

AI is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. As part of this commitment, we will ensure that persons with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations as determined through an interactive process. If reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and/or to receive other benefits and privileges of employment, please contact accessibility@analystinstitute.org. 

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