Senior Research Associate
The Social IMPACT Research Center
Heartland Alliance
Chicago, ILThe Social IMPACT Research Center conducts applied research for nonprofits, foundations, advocacy groups, governments, coalitions, and the media to help them measure, inform, and grow their social impact. IMPACT also regularly reports on key poverty trends to equip decision makers with sound data to inform public policy. The Senior Research Associate is responsible for leading and managing all aspects of research projects, including administrative functions like fundraising as well as serving as an agency spokesperson and active representative in external contexts. Individual accountabilities and work volume will be established through the development of annual Success Objectives, within the framework outlined below.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities:
- Serves as lead project manager on multiple projects.
- Develops and implements project work plans.
- Collaborates on research design and developing methods.
- Adheres to research ethics as outlined in Institutional Review Board protocols and agency policies.
- Writes Institutional Review Board proposals.
- Manages client relationships including communication with clients and other research stakeholders.
- Develops expertise in research methods and issue areas applicable to projects.
- Reviews literature from appropriate sources.
- Collaborates to develop sampling plans.
- Develops and adapts data collection tools.
- Develops and implements research recruitment materials.
- Develops informed consent materials, and administers and tracks informed consent process and documentation.
- Tests data collection tools and procedures.
- Conducts focus groups, interviews, document review, and observations.
- Collects quantitative and qualitative data.
- Facilitates group processes.
- Develop data collection and analysis protocols for third party implementers.
- Trains data collection team, including third party implementers.
- Tracks response rates, incentive receipt and mailings, and conducts research participant follow up.
- Assists with designing and integrating databases.
- Designs, enters, cleans, and conducts analysis of data.
- Writes interim and final reports and research summaries for various communication purposes.
- Visualizes data for analytical purposes as well as reports and presentations.
- Presents findings in public forums and to affected parties.
- Responds to data requests.
- Serves as media spokesperson on findings.
- Represents agency in leadership capacity in internal and external work groups.
- Responsible for project budget.
- Assists with fundraising.
- May directly supervise permanent and temporary employees at Heartland Alliance.
- Carries out supervisory responsibilities in accordance with the organization's policies and applicable laws. Responsibilities include interviewing, hiring, and training employees; planning, assigning, and directing work; appraising performance; rewarding and disciplining employees; addressing complaints, supervising graduate interns, and resolving problems.
- Assists on other agency projects as needed.
- Travel as required.
- Other duties as assigned.
Qualifications: To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
Education and/or Experience: Master's degree in Social Sciences or related field and three years of social science research experience, or BA plus five years of related experience. Experience should include supervisory responsibilities, data systems development and utilization, and communication of research findings to diverse audiences.
Language Skills: Ability to read, analyze, and interpret common scientific and technical journals, financial reports, and legal documents. Ability to respond to common inquiries or complaints from customers, regulatory agencies, or members of the business community. Ability to write speeches and articles for publication that conform to prescribed style and format. Ability to effectively present information to top management, public groups, and/or boards of directors.
Mathematical Skills: Ability to apply advanced mathematical concepts such as exponents, logarithms, quadratic equations, and permutations. Ability to apply mathematical operations to such tasks as frequency distribution, determination of test reliability and validity, analysis of variance, correlation techniques, sampling theory, and factor analysis.
Reasoning Ability: Ability to apply principles of logical or scientific thinking to a wide range of intellectual and practical problems. Ability to deal with nonverbal symbolism (formulas, scientific equations, graphs, musical notes, etc.,) in its most difficult phases. Ability to deal with a variety of abstract and concrete variables.
Computer Skills: Proficiency in SPSS and Microsoft Access, Excel, and Word required. Proficiency in Internet Explorer, Outlook/Exchange; Windows operating systems; and other software routinely used by Heartland Alliance.
Other Skills: Experience working with people who are very low income and people of different races and ethnicities.
Physical Demands: The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk or hear.
While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to sit; use hands to handle or feel and reach with hands and arms.
While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally required to stand; walk; climb or balance and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl.
The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 10 pounds.
Work Environment: The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.
Req ID: 3558
Location: Chicago - North Side
# of Openings: 1
Shift: 1
FT/PT: Full time
Employment Type: Regular
Salary Schedule: ADM 2
Heartland Alliance makes all hiring and employment decisions without regard to race, creed, color, age, gender, gender identity, marital or parental status, religion, ancestry, national origin, physical or mental disability, sexual orientation, sexual identity, immigrant status, political affiliation or belief, ex-offender status (depending on the offense and position to be filled), unfavorable military discharge, membership in an organization whose primary purpose is the protection of civil rights or improvement of living conditions and human relations, height, weight, or HIV infection, in accord with the Organization's AIDS Policy Statement of September, 1987. Individuals with disabilities requiring accommodation should contact the Employee Services Office at (312) 660-1431.
