Research & Intelligence Manager

North Carolina FreeEnterprise Foundation (NCFREE); Apex (NC); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

North Carolina FreeEnterprise Foundation (NCFREE) seeks a Research & Intelligence Manager in Raleigh to lead analytical work behind flagship products. You will own research relied on by CEOs, donors, lawmakers, and chambers across NC to inform decisions.

This early-career role offers ownership over high-stakes work with visibility across business and political audiences. You will work with TRC and receive administrative support, with opportunities to contribute to other TRC projects.

Qualifications

• Two+ years in political data, analytics, or research.
• Experience with election, survey, or legislative data.
• Strong writing and clear communication of complex analysis.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate execution of flagship research products (LBR, District Profiles, Dashboard).
• Draft executive-grade briefs, reports, and briefs with visuals.
• Prepare research materials for CEOs, donors, chambers, and stakeholders.
• Develop briefing packets and slide decks for signature events.

Skills

Political data

Analytics

Research

Excel

Google Sheets

AI tools

Writer

Nonpartisan

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

Tableau

Datawrapper

Flourish

Job description

Research & Intelligence Manager

North Carolina FreeEnterprise Foundation (NCFREE) | Raleigh, NC

Employment: Full-time, in-person (Raleigh)

Compensation: Competitive salary commensurate with experience, plus full benefits

Application Deadline: December 1, 2026. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis.

ABOUT NCFREE

Since 1983, NCFREE has been North Carolina's most trusted nonpartisan source of political intelligence for the business community. We don't lobby. We don't advocate. For more than four decades, we've done something rarer and more valuable: we tell business leaders what is actually happening in North Carolina politics, with the data to back it up.

Our work shapes how CEOs, chambers of commerce, and statewide partners understand elections, demographics, legislative behavior, and the political environment driving the state's economy. When the business community needs a clear-eyed read on Raleigh, they turn to us.

After a recent push by some of North Carolina's most influential business leaders, NCFREE is in an exciting period of rejuvenation. We are expanding our flagship research products, growing our statewide events, and building the next generation of political intelligence for the business community. This role is a cornerstone of that effort.

ABOUT THE ROLE

The Research & Intelligence Manager is the analytical engine behind NCFREE's flagship products. Working directly with the Executive Director, you'll own the research that CEOs, donors, lawmakers, and chambers across North Carolina rely on to make decisions.

This is an early-career role with unusual upside. You'll have real ownership over visible, high-stakes work, not a junior seat on someone else's team. By the end of your first year, you should be running most of NCFREE's flagship research outputs with confidence and delivering insights that reach the most consequential business and political audiences in the state.

A note on structure: NCFREE is managed in partnership with The Results Company (TRC). The successful candidate will be employed by TRC and assigned to NCFREE, with the full backing of TRC's infrastructure, including administrative support, communications, graphic design, and intern coordination. You'll also have opportunities to contribute to other TRC projects.

WHAT YOU'LL DO

Research & Analysis

• Coordinate execution of NCFREE's flagship research products, including lawmaker District Profiles (relaunching in 2026), Legislative Business Ratings (LBR), and the Campaign Finance Dashboard.
• Analyze voter behavior, election results, demographic trends, and legislative data to surface insights for business audiences.
• Drive execution of NCFREE's annual research calendar and grant-driven research projects.

Reports & Briefings

• Draft executive-grade research briefs, reports, and political intelligence summaries.
• Build NCFREE-branded charts, maps, tables, and visualizations that make complex data immediately useful.
• Prepare research materials for CEOs, donors, chambers, and stakeholder audiences.

Event Intelligence

• Develop briefing packets, talking points, and slide decks for NCFREE's signature events: the Leadership Luncheon, LBR Breakfast, regional Executive Fireside Chats, and chamber presentations.
• Use data to help cultivate targeted audiences and support event execution.

Coordination

• Work closely with the Executive Director, NCFREE contractors, interns, TRC support services, and communications partners.
• Maintain organized research files, documentation, and reproducible workflows.
• Limited travel required, primarily within North Carolina, plus one or two trips out of state per year.

WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR

Required

• Two or more years of experience in political data, analytics, research, or a closely related field.
• Coursework or hands-on experience with election data, survey data, or legislative analysis.
• Strong writer and communicator, able to translate complex analysis into clear, accessible prose.
• Excellent proficiency in Excel, Google Sheets, and other data management tools.
• Comfort using AI tools (ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini) to accelerate research and analysis.
• Mission-driven, with genuine curiosity about North Carolina's economy, politics, and business community.

Preferred

• Bachelor's degree in a related field.
• Background in legislative research, political campaigns, data journalism, think tanks, policy research, or academic political science.
• Experience with data visualization tools (Tableau, Datawrapper, Flourish).
• Familiarity with North Carolina State Board of Elections data, FEC filings, U.S. Census sources, and economic data (e.g., IMPLAN).
• Experience working with business, public affairs, or nonprofit organizations.

HOW YOU WORK

• Organized, analytical, and exacting about details.
• A finisher who hits deadlines without being chased.
• Clear, concise writer.
• Nonpartisan and balanced in judgment, in tone, and in your work product.

WHAT WE OFFER

A competitive benefits package and meaningful professional development opportunities, including conference attendance, internal training, mentorship, and clear pathways for advancement within NCFREE and TRC. Specific benefit details will be shared during the interview process.

WHY THIS ROLE MATTERS

North Carolina's business community makes consequential decisions about investment, hiring, government relations, and long-term strategy based on how well it understands the political environment. NCFREE helps them understand it.

The person in this role doesn't just produce research. Their work reaches CEOs of major North Carolina companies, statewide elected officials, legislative leaders, and the senior executives shaping the state's economy. It informs how the most influential leaders in North Carolina read the political landscape, and at times it shapes the decisions they make. That's a rare seat for an early-to-mid career analyst, and it's the seat we're hiring for.

OUR HIRING PROCESS

We respect your time and aim to move quickly:

• Resume screening
• First-round interview with TRC support services
• Second-round meeting with NCFREE's Executive Director and Board Chairman
• NCFREE Board approval

Our goal is to move from application to decision within one month. Every applicant will hear back from us.