Director, Strategy

EMC Research; Portland (OR); Remote; USD 67,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player is seeking a Director of Strategy to lead research initiatives that drive impactful decision-making in public policy and advocacy. This dynamic role requires a blend of experience in public opinion research, client management, and project oversight. The successful candidate will thrive in a collaborative, people-first environment, contributing to a mission-driven firm that values quality research and fosters professional growth. With a flexible schedule and a commitment to employee well-being, this position offers a unique opportunity to shape strategies that influence key stakeholders across various sectors.

Benefits

Health care benefits

401k matching

Paid family leave

Educational assistance

Flexible schedule

Sick leave

Vacation days

Paid holidays

Discretionary bonus

Life insurance

Qualifications

• 5+ years in public affairs, politics, or market research.
• Strong quantitative skills and attention to detail required.

Responsibilities

• Manage client relationships and oversee research projects.
• Draft research reports and assist with client presentations.

Skills

Analytical Skills

Communication Skills

Project Management

Client Management

Attention to Detail

Education

Bachelor's degree

Master's degree

Tools

Microsoft Office (Word, PowerPoint, Excel)

Job description

National Polling and Market Research firm seeks Director, Strategy.

EMC Research, Inc. is a majority women-owned national full-service opinion research firm specializing in polling, focus groups, analytics and public opinion research consulting. Our mission is to partner with our clients to solve problems through well-executed research conducted by curious and passionate strategists who explore opinion and behavior with empirical rigor; and to foster a collaborative environment for our employees to contribute, learn, and grow by valuing people above profits. Our clients include political campaigns, government agencies, corporations, nonprofits, transportation agencies, health care organizations, and others.

The Director has five or more years of professional experience working in public affairs, politics, public policy, advocacy, consulting, or market research, and 2-3 years of experience working in public opinion research. The successful applicant will serve as an internal project manager for qualitative and quantitative research projects. Responsibilities include:

1. Client management
2. Planning research design
3. Drafting questionnaires
4. Managing internal teams to collect and analyze data
5. Drafting research reports
6. Assisting with client presentations
7. Participating in business development and proposal writing

The Director will continue in their growth path in leadership and responsibility, and continue to gain skills in research design and analysis, client management, project management, and team building.

This full-time position provides a flexible schedule that includes some evening and weekend hours. The position is open to all applicants in the U.S. EMC Research has offices in Columbus, OH; Irving, TX; Oakland, CA; Portland, OR; Seattle, WA; and Washington, D.C. Temporarily during the pandemic, all operations are remote; and as a company we are still exploring what the future of our presence in specific office locations might look like.

Candidates for Director, Strategy should be passionate about providing quality opinion research to drive client decision making in public policy, social marketing, candidate and ballot issue campaigns, non-profit advocacy, corporate public affairs, and government. Applicants should have a mix of academic or professional experience in quantitative or qualitative research, campaigns, public policy, consulting, or client engagement. The position requires strong communication skills, interpersonal skills and self-motivation to manage workflow among internal and external (client) teams to meet project deadlines. Successful applicants will be excited about joining a people-first culture and able to thrive in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment. EMC Research offers competitive salaries and generous benefits and a highly collaborative, casual and fun work environment. Salary dependent on experience and geographic location; starting salary range is $67,000 to $80,000.

Benefits include: Health care benefits, FSA, DCA, 401k matching, sick leave, vacation days, paid holidays, paid family leave, educational assistance, basic disability and life insurance, and a discretionary bonus.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor's or Master's degree with strong quantitative skills, or 5+ years related work experience in politics, public policy, advocacy, consulting, or public opinion / market research
• High level of attention to detail
• Strong analytical skills
• Deadline driven and able to produce high-quality work within short timelines
• Excellent written and verbal communication and analytical skills
• Proficient with Microsoft Office products, particularly Word, PowerPoint and Excel
• Basic knowledge of statistics and quantitative research

Additional Desired Skills and Experience:

• Foundation in research design and analysis
• Visualizing data for presentations, reports or promotional materials
• Political campaign or public policy experience
• Ability to travel up to 10% within the U.S. when travel is deemed safe
• Familiarity with statistical analysis, understanding descriptive statistics, understanding crosstabulations

EMC Research, Inc. is committed to creating a diverse and welcoming workplace and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer and a certified women-owned business. All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply, including people of color, women, LGBTQIA+ individuals, immigrants, veterans and persons with disabilities. If you are unsure if you meet the qualifications for this role but are still interested, you are encouraged to apply. We thank you for your interest, but only those selected for interviews will be contacted. No additional inquiries by email, phone, or in person please. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis.