Research Director
About A–B:
A—B is a digital storytelling studio based in NYC creating new narratives about people, power, and social change to transform our politics and the economy. Our team is racially and gender diverse at every level, from entry-level to ownership; we are bringing the best-in-class creative strategies usually reserved for the private sector side by side with deep experience in social movements and ventures; and we are building a team that can help a new generation of leaders win the debate on their terms.
About the role:
As Research Director, you will lead a portfolio of quantitative and qualitative studies aimed at providing clients with actionable insight and understanding. Reporting to the Senior Director, your primary responsibilities will include designing creative and thoughtful studies, supervising and delegating to a team of Analysts, and delivering and crafting reports to clients and external teams.
You are a self-starter with a passion for rigor who is also comfortable with the ambiguity of a fast-paced, entrepreneurial environment. You are excited by the opportunity to use your curiosity and skills to make a positive, tangible impact.
Responsibilities:
- Lead a portfolio of client projects ranging from surveys, experiments, and deep qualitative research (e.g. focus groups and interviews).
- Responsible for planning, instrument design, analysis, and reporting for all projects in your portfolio; responsible also for quality, rigor, and timeliness on all deliverables.
- Synthesize research findings and insights into compelling, clear, visually appealing/intelligible reports for clients.
- Deliver research findings to clients and internal teams.
- Manage a workload of multiple projects under competing priorities and tight deadlines.
- Support, supervise, and direct Analysts staffed to your projects.
- Lead cross-team collaboration where necessary on projects in your portfolio.
Qualifications & Qualities:
- Ph.D. or 5+ years of equivalent work experience in a field that emphasizes quantitative and qualitative analysis and data-driven reporting. PhD students in their final year are welcome to apply.
- 5+ years of experience in the design, deployment, and analysis of survey instruments, A/B testing, or user research in any of the following arenas: social science, marketing, politics, advocacy, government, consulting, or public service
- Experienced in applying statistical, quantitative, and qualitative analyses.
- Expertise using Python and/or R for statistical analysis
- Advanced knowledge of one and at least intermediate knowledge of all the following: survey methodology, experiments, psychometrics, quantitative and qualitative analysis.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office or Google Suite (Docs, Slides, Etc).
- Experienced in distilling results, insights, and findings into impactful, strategic memos and/or presentations
- Proven problem-solving abilities, with creative/analytical thinking skills, a strategic mindset, and a hands-on attitude.
- Experience leading collaborative research projects.
- In-depth knowledge of the political dynamics of marginalized populations in the U.S.
- Possession of excellent analytical and critical thinking skills.nd excellence
- Thrives in a dynamic, fast-paced, start-up environment
Preferred additional qualifications:
Few candidates will bring all of these strengths, and none are strictly required; experience in the following areas would be an additional asset.
- Experience with both the capabilities and limitations of NLP
- Experience building tech products for both internal users and external users
- Experience building products for marketing, market research, customer analytics, public opinion polling, or similar applications
- Past experience in a fast-paced startup or small company
Shared Values:
- Outstanding communication skills. Excellent verbal and written communication and interpersonal skills are needed. Much of our work depends on responsiveness, timely communication, and detailing the next steps with our partners with clarity and concision.
- Goal-oriented. Our work entails a combination of entrepreneurial creativity and straightforward execution. To maintain continual progress, we collaboratively set and check weekly goals.
- Commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. We are committed to working in diverse teams and committed to creating an equitable and just world for Black and Brown people.
Equity is at the heart of A–B. From the clients we partner with and vendors we engage, to the team we’re building, we are committed to creating opportunities for the diverse community of talented, creative professionals who have been systematically denied opportunities across the professional communications industry. Women, people of color, LGBTI people, people of any religion or nationality and people with disabilities are strongly encouraged to apply. Opportunities for advancement exist, and A/B is committed to helping all staff develop and grow.
