Senior Director of Research

The Sr. Director of Research leads the development and implementation of our comprehensive
research agenda, strategy, and workplan; supervises research staff and consultants; identifies budget and growth priorities; and ensures that all of our research contributions are accessible, action-oriented, and aligned with the priority needs of our partners and frontline communities.

The Sr. Director has a long-term vision and strategy for increasing the organization’s research capacity and proactively invests in the professional development of senior staff to strengthen their leadership, skills, and research contributions to the climate movement. The Sr. Director guides research strategy, planning, and implementation and provides feedback and support to senior staff to strengthen research deliverables.

The Sr. Director brings a well-informed field analysis of the climate challenges and opportunities facing frontline communities and a broad understanding of the ways in which the climate crisis intersects with all aspects of our lives, including health, housing, transportation, and economic mobility. The Sr. Director has firsthand experience building trust-based and accountable community
partnerships and activating research to advance their priorities. The Sr. Director also plays a proactive leadership role in identifying and advancing research strategies and models when state and national priorities are undefined or emergent.

A core responsibility is to support the research needs and priorities of our state and federal “Innovation Hubs” which create space for staff, community partners, external experts, and other strategic actors within the public, philanthropic, and academic sectors to problem-solve, innovate, and replicate justice-centered policy solutions. Just Solutions convenes and leads a variety of Hubs to respond to partners’ priorities, proactively fill gaps in research or policy strategy, bring new voices to the table, and push for policy solutions. The Sr. Director will work closely with senior staff across the organization to identify and provide research strategies and deliverables to advance Hub priorities.

Below are the required experience, skills, competencies, and preferred skills & abilities.

REQUIRED EXPERIENCE

  • Ph.D. (or equivalent level of demonstrated expertise and skills) in climate or environmental science/policy or other relevant fields.
  • 10-12+ years of experience developing and managing a research program, including developing and managing budgets and supervising high-performing staff and consultants.
  • Experience leading research projects in close partnership with community organizations and leveraging research and policy analysis to achieve policy change, in particular with racial and economic justice as a core element of the work.
  • Experience working with diverse teams, organizations, and communities.

REQUIRED SKILLS AND COMPETENCIES

  • Proven experience in conducting and publishing research.
  • Passion for Just Solutions’ mission and commitment to racial, social, and environmental justice.
  • Exceptional interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills.
  • Highly strategic thinker who is solutions-oriented and able to push past roadblocks.
  • Successful track record of working with community organizations to leverage research in support of their priorities and campaigns.
  • Experience setting and maintaining research standards and protocols to ensure high-quality deliverables.
  • Experience with IRB, data privacy, and research compliance issues.
  • Ability to present research in relevant and accessible ways to our target audiences, which include community partners, elected officials, media, and the general public.
  • Ability to work effectively in a collaborative context, both internally and externally.

PREFERRED

  • Understanding of policies that intersect with the movement for climate justice.
  • Experience working in the non-profit sector either as a paid employee or a volunteer especially in nonprofits which are BIPOC-led and/or work in BIPOC communities.
  • Understanding of quantitative research methods, statistical analysis and modeling, and GIS.
  • Public speaking/presentation skills.

FOR A COMPLETE OVERVIEW OF THE POSITION SUMMARY, JOB RESPONSIBILITIES, QUALIFICATIONS AND MORE, PLEASE VIEW THE JOB DESCRIPTION HERE.

Location: Remote
Salary: $130,000- $160,000
Reports to: Executive Director

TO APPLY

Please submit a current resume and cover letter outlining your interest in the position and
capacity to do the job.

The cover letter can be addressed to Aiko Schaefer, Executive Director, and applications sent via email careers@justsolutionscollective.org. The position will remain open until filled, qualified candidates will be invited to interview on a rolling basis. Applicants who do not follow these instructions will not be considered.