Manager, Research

 Manager, Research

Cambridge, MA

The research team at The Center for Effective Philanthropy (CEP) seeks a highly motivated Research Manager with a desire to utilize their abilities to create positive social impact by improving the performance of charitable funders and, through them, the nonprofit sector as a whole. We are seeking a candidate with significant training in research design and statistical analysis and an interest in conducting and managing research projects. The successful candidate will demonstrate a strong desire to develop their skills for guiding, training, and mentoring junior research staff on a small research team. This position is based in CEP's Cambridge, MA office.

We seek a candidate who enjoys working with the intricacies of data analysis and research design. The ideal candidate will possess a fervent commitment to getting things right and will share CEP’s belief that sweating the small stuff does, indeed, matter. This person will have the ability to focus simultaneously on the big picture as well as the details involved in driving work to successful completion, the flexibility to be a producer one moment and a manager the next, and a strong work ethic as well as a sense of humor.

The Manager will collect and interpret large sets of quantitative and qualitative data using a variety of analytical and statistical methods. This position presents an excellent opportunity to gain experience providing guidance and training to junior research staff in research design and analysis skills. Reporting to, and working closely with, the Vice President – Research, the Manager will work collaboratively within and across departments.

Responsibilities

• Manage or support all aspects of complex research projects related to the effectiveness of funders and nonprofit organizations, including the conceptualization, design, execution, analysis, writing, and presentation of results
• Design research questions, survey instruments, and interview protocols
• Plan, conduct, oversee, and interpret analyses of large-scale datasets using a variety of methods, such as t-test, chi-square, analysis of variance, and regression—and manage junior staff as they carry out these processes
• Develop research findings based on results of analyses
• Provide coaching, mentoring, and training to junior staff on all aspects of the research process with guidance from the Vice President – Research
• Ensure that research projects meet team and organizational standards, and are completed in a timely manner
• Contribute to innovation and the continued learning of the research team
• Review findings and co-author reports. Contribute to strategic decisions related to the framing of reports
• Present research internally and externally, including representing CEP at local and national speaking engagements and conferences

Qualifications

• Advanced degree in related field (e.g. statistics, economics, education, political science, psychology, sociology) required
• At least three years of post-advanced degree research experience in roles requiring strong analytical skills
• Demonstrated experience developing surveys and interview protocols
• Demonstrated expertise with basic quantitative methodologies, including t-test, chi-square, analysis of variance, and regression. Knowledge of advanced statistical methods preferred (e.g., factor analysis, multi-level models, cluster analysis)
• Demonstrated expertise with basic qualitative methodologies. Experience conducting research interviews preferred
• Aptitude for learning new methods of analysis and data-analysis programs
• Excellent attention to detail and organization skills, with a focus on accuracy and quality control
• Excellent project management skills, with the desire to work collaboratively in teams and manage multiple projects with complex deliverables in a fast-paced environment
• At least one year of experience managing and mentoring junior staff required
• Experience teaching research and data analysis skills
• Belief and interest in the work of the nonprofit sector and the effectiveness of foundation philanthropy

Desired Professional Attributes

• Research projects are carried out by project teams. Successful candidates for the Research Manager role will be those who enjoy working collaboratively, are hard-working, empathetic, team-oriented, reliable, and bring a positive and upbeat attitude to their work

• An important element of this role will be mentoring and guiding the development of junior staff. The successful candidate will be someone who understands the importance of this responsibility, while being receptive to developing these skills, for the success of the full team
• Like CEP as an organization, Research Managers must be confident that their work makes a difference but humble in the knowledge that they and CEP are always learning and improving

Benefits

Our nonprofit model is central to our identity: our bottom line is impact, not profit. Yet even as a nonprofit, we successfully compete for top talent across both the public and private sectors and offer competitive compensation and benefits, including:

• The annual salary for this role is ­­­­$111,000
• Performance based incentive compensation plan
• Comprehensive health and dental insurance plans
• Generous paid time off plan, including up to 15 holidays, two weeks of accrued vacation, and two personal days per year
• 401(k) plan with a 1:1 Employer Match up to 5% of total compensation
• Generous annual personal professional development allowance
• Flexible spending and dependent care tax free savings plans
• Life insurance covered 100% by the organization

About CEP

For nearly 20 years, CEP has led the movement to improve philanthropy through a powerful combination of dispassionate analysis and a passionate commitment to improving lives. Today, over 300 foundations around the world have used CEP’s assessment tools to gather honest feedback from their stakeholders in an effort to learn how to be even more effective. CEOs and trustees have come to rely on our research for insights into foundation effectiveness on a wide range of topics, from assessing performance to developing strategy to managing stakeholder relationships. Our highly regarded programming—including our biennial conference—gives foundation leaders an exclusive and unprecedented opportunity to connect with their peers. CEP is based in Cambridge Massachusetts, with a second office in San Francisco, California. Strengths of CEP’s work culture are entrepreneurialism, accountability, teamwork, collegiality, diversity, and mutual respect.

To Apply

Please fill out our application for employment and attach a resume and a thoughtful cover letter outlining how your skills and experience meet the qualifications of the position. If you have any questions, please contact Leaha Wynn, Associate Manager, Human Capital and D&I Strategist or Alyse d’Amico, Director of Human Capital at jobs [at] cep [dot] org. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

We believe that a diversity of thoughts, experiences, backgrounds, personalities, and identities helps us think bigger and better, and enables us to reach our goals more effectively. We are committed to building a diverse staff, and encourage individuals from all backgrounds to apply.