Associate Director, Research Discovery & Design

$61,500 - $95,000/Yr

EAB - Washington, DC

Full-time - Mid Level

Remote - Washington, DC

Educational Services

About the position

The Associate Director, Research Discovery & Design at EAB plays a crucial role in developing research agendas and designing projects that address strategic and operational challenges in education. This position involves conducting in-depth interviews, performing data analyses, and producing high-value services for partner organizations, including workshops and publications. The role is focused on engaging with executive-level clients and requires flexibility and speed in delivering insights and solutions.

Responsibilities

• Lead start-to-finish research projects, including strategic and root cause analysis.
• Formulate and defend original points of view.
• Synthesize complex ideas into actionable insights for members.
• Effectively use persuasive writing and graphics to communicate ideas and information.
• Manage relationships both internally and externally.
• Lead projects and manage towards deadlines.
• Conduct market-sizing, testing calls, and product design analysis for new research investigations.
• Collaborate with project leads and teams to ensure deliverables are easy to execute and deliver to partners.
• Coach junior-level researcher staff by developing critical skills and managing workloads.
• Deliver services and presentations to executive-level clients and leadership teams.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree with an excellent academic record and 5+ years of post-graduate professional experience; or 4+ years of post-graduate professional experience and an advanced degree; or bachelor's degree and 4+ years of post-graduate professional experience, including 2+ years of experience in EAB Research.
• Experience in management or strategy consulting, university/education strategic planning, conducting long-term research, or conducting primary and secondary research.
• K12 or higher education experience.

Nice-to-haves

• Advanced degree in liberal arts, sciences, or professions (MA, PhD, JD).
• Majors or advanced degrees in economics, political science, data analytics, statistics, or other quantitative fields.
• Experience working in a team environment and independently.
• Proven ability to communicate effectively with senior executives in both oral and written formats.
• Experience with solution-focused problem solving and creative thinking.
• Experience working with clients in a consultative role.
• Demonstrated experience in managing projects and meeting deadlines.

Benefits

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance plans; dependents and domestic partners eligible.
• 20+ days of PTO annually, in addition to paid firm and floating holidays.
• Daytime leave policy for community service and flextime for fitness activities (up to 10 hours per month each).
• 401(k) retirement savings plan with annual discretionary company matching contribution.
• Health savings account, healthcare and dependent care flexible spending account, and pre-tax commuter plans.
• Employee assistance program with counseling services and resources available to all employees and immediate family.
• Wellness programs including gym discounts and incentives to promote healthy living.
• Gender affirming care coverage.
• Fertility treatment coverage and adoption or surrogacy assistance.
• Paid parental leave with phase back to work program for birthing and non-birthing parents.
• Access to milk shipping service to support nursing employees during business travel.
• Discounted pet health insurance coverage for dog and cat family members.
• Company-provided life, AD&D, and disability insurance.
• Financial wellness resources and membership in a robust employee discount program.
• Access to employee resource groups, merit-based advancement, and dynamic professional growth opportunities.