About Us

The Voter Participation Center (VPC) is the nation’s largest non-partisan, non-profit organization dedicated to registering and mobilizing voters from the New American Majority (NAM) – people of color, unmarried women, and young people – who make up the majority of the potential electorate, but have been historically underrepresented in political participation and power. Using direct mail, digital and social media outreach, guided by rigorous data science and experimentation, and working closely with a multitude of partner organizations, VPC connects with millions of voters each year, building the foundation for a more representative democracy. Over the past 20 years, VPC has helped more than 6.1 million people register to vote. VPC is driven by a commitment to constant research, testing, experimentation and evaluation, and thus offers many of the most cost-effective, proven, high-impact programs in the civic engagement field.The Center for Voter Information (CVI) is VPC’s partner organization. It is a separate but affiliated 501(c)4 non-profit that works to engage both the NAM and members of the broader electorate who share its values.VPC-CVI does not sponsor work visas for potential or hired employees under any circumstances.

The Role

The VPC and CVI seek a creative and resourceful researcher to join our Innovation, Learning, and Impact (ILI) Department as a Deputy Director of Research and Innovation. The Innovation, Learning, and Impact team reflects VPC and CVI's substantial and long-term commitment to fostering innovative and evidence-based programs. The Deputy Director of Research and Innovation will cultivate innovative ideas to improve program outreach to the NAM by supporting VPC and CVI to discover insights about the NAM, prioritize the right experiments and tests, and partner with program staff to develop ideas into formats and messages to test. The Deputy Director will also conduct secondary research and contribute to primary research projects, interpret findings from internal and external qualitative and survey research, support external research partners, and engage with experts inside and outside the civic engagement community.The successful candidate will be a collaborative teammate who is excited by the possibilities of stewarding innovation and improving research capabilities for VPC, CVI, and the civic engagement community. This is an excellent opportunity for an individual with a background in civic engagement program research, consumer marketing research, opinion research, or behavioral research to play a key role in an organization committed to leveraging innovation and research to maximize program impact. This is a full-time position. While we prefer candidates to be based out of our Washington, D.C. office, where our staff work a hybrid schedule coming into the office Tuesday and Wednesday, remote candidates are also welcome to apply.We very much welcome applications from individuals who are a good fit for the role, even if they do not meet all the requirements listed below.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Contributing to quantitative and qualitative research and innovation projects to understand voter behaviors, including working with external vendors and designing primary research (including generating hypotheses, writing survey questionnaires, and interpreting results)
• Collaborating with colleagues across VPC and CVI to develop messages, creative formats, and approaches for mail and digital communications for testing in-program randomized control trial experiments and outside of program in quantitative surveys
• Communicating analysis plans, research findings, and program ideas to non-technical staff and external stakeholders through effective writing and graphics in memos and slide decks
• Providing analysis and insights to support external communications and program decisions
• Engaging experts and practitioners to discover and develop promising potential innovations
• Documenting ideas, external theories, and key trends impacting the NAM in civic engagement spaces and beyond to drive innovation within VPC and CVI
• Monitoring academic and private sector innovations for opportunities to adapt and implement ideas in VPC and CVI programming
• Managing projects involving stakeholders inside and outside the organization with support from the team members.

Must-Have Skills/Qualifications:

• A demonstrated commitment to and passion for erasing inequities and gaps in political participation in this country
• At least three years of experience conducting research in the social sciences, behavioral sciences, consumer marketing, political campaign research, or similar fields
• Survey research experience
• Academic training in the social sciences or similar training and work experience, including facility with qualitative and quantitative data and statistical methods (e.g., ability to interpret experimental results and understand measures of uncertainty)
• Experience managing projects with multiple stakeholders
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Excellent organizational, management, and interpersonal skills
• Ability to work independently in a team environment, fostering positive partnerships, teamwork, and cooperation
• Strong logical reasoning and analytical skills
• A track record of getting results in a fast-paced environment

Nice-to-Haves:

• Experience with digital marketing and digital experiments in a consumer or political context
• Knowledge of and experience supporting voting rights and civic participation in the United States

Salary and Benefits

The salary range for this position is $94,573 - $105,699 annually, commensurate with experience. This is a full-time position. This position is exempt under the Fair Labor Standards Act and is not eligible for overtime pay. Our comprehensive benefits plan includes 100% employer-paid medical, dental, and vision insurance for employees and immediate family members; 100% employer-paid short and long-term disability and life insurance for employees; generous paid time off; professional development stipend; access to a 403(b) retirement plan with a 3% employer match, and more.

How to Apply

Not sure you meet all the qualifications? We encourage you to still apply! To apply, please submit a resume, a brief response on how your skills and experience make you a good fit for this position, and at least three professional references. A cover letter is not required. Applications will be considered on a rolling basis until a successful candidate is identified. References are not contacted until you are notified.V

PC-CVI is an Equal Opportunity Employer and welcomes people from all backgrounds, experiences, abilities, and perspectives to apply. We strongly value the leadership of people of color, LGBTQ individuals, and other traditionally marginalized communities, and encourage candidates from these communities to apply.

We strive to create and maintain a working environment that is inclusive, equitable and welcoming. At VPC-CVI, diversity, equity, and inclusion are directly aligned with the fundamental belief that people are inherently capable but often lack opportunity. We know that a diverse workforce allows us to see problems in more nuanced ways, creating the thought leadership needed to fulfill our mission and reach our goals.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $94,573.00 - $105,699.00 per year

Benefits:

• Dental insurance
• Health insurance
• Paid time off
• Retirement plan
• Vision insurance

Schedule:

• Monday to Friday

Experience:

• Market research: 1 year (Preferred)
• Project management: 1 year (Preferred)
• Business consulting: 1 year (Preferred)

Ability to Commute:

• Washington, DC (Preferred)

Ability to Relocate:

• Washington, DC: Relocate before starting work (Preferred)

Work Location: Hybrid remote in Washington, DC