About Understood

Understood is a nonprofit focused on shaping the world for difference. We raise awareness of the challenges and strengths of people who learn and think differently. Our resources help people navigate challenges, gain confidence, and find support and community so they can thrive. 

Having a shared commitment to our values is a key factor in any hire we make. We have five core values: 

1. Continuously learn.
2. Act with intention.
3. Champion difference.
4. Inspire change.
5. Grow together. 

Come be part of an organization with an entrepreneurial spirit that’s helping to shape the world for difference. Together, we can build a world where everyone can reach their full potential. 

To learn more about Understood, please visit: www.understood.org.

Who you are 

As the Quantitative Research Manager on the Brand Research & Strategy team, you will support research initiatives to better understand current and new audiences and to identify actionable insights. We know that the journey of acknowledging and accepting differences can be emotional and nonlinear. For Understood to truly be impactful, we must build our knowledge through quant research and uncovering new human truths and insights. That’s why we’re on the lookout for a new team member to work on our quantitative research, including audience segmentations, issue awareness, brand tracking, and impact tracking.

Join our growing team in this newly created role! Reporting to the Associate Director, Insights & External Research, this new role requires a blend of hands-on data & insight mining and critical thinking. You’ll play a role in developing & programming our surveys and analyzing the data.  You will work collaboratively with marketing & other research counterparts, as well as other teams. The research you conduct will lead to insight-based recommendations that will have a true impact on the business and our audience.

Strong candidates have non-profit or for-profit client-side, agency/vendor, academic or corporate research experience with a track record of executing and analyzing complex surveys and data sets (drafting/testing/programming surveys, cleaning data for abnormalities, and mining data for insights). 

You “roll up your sleeves.” You’re an Excel wizard…and Stata (or similar) too! You know the science of asking questions. You dig in and synthesize. You pay attention to details. You spot patterns. You probe. 

This is a hybrid opportunity, which requires three (3) days per week in our NYC office.

What you’ll do

• Support varied types of mixed-methods quant research initiatives that touch vastly different audiences
• Draft and program surveys in DIY platforms (ie Survey Monkey, Qualtrics)
• Analyze raw survey data – this role requires a hands-on approach to data analysis 
• Determine how to connect existing and new data projects so they can all relate to each other (using typing tools from one in others, etc.)
• Conduct statistical tests such as chi-squared tests and regressions to uncover linkages, answer exciting research questions, and identify areas for further research
• Translate complex data findings into actionable insights that are clear and easy to understand
• Visualize complex data and results into charts and other infographics
• Contribute to written research outputs and presentations

Must-haves 

• 3+ years experience in quant research (surveys and data analysis) 
• Experience using self-serve research platforms (ie Survey Monkey, Zappi)
• Able to manipulate & interpret data tables from survey research in Excel, Stata, R or similar (willingness to learn Stata important)
• Should be able to write & run descriptive and statistical analyses
• Familiarity of R, SQL and data visualization tools a plus (ie Looker, Tableau)
• You are skilled and enjoy designing beautiful slides in PowerPoint/Google Sheets
• Some experience with writing or contributing to research briefs, white papers, or other written research outputs
• Experience and interest in data storytelling, especially for external audiences
• Committed to embodying and being a steward of our commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging

Nice-to-haves

• Nonprofit experience leveraging research and data for grant applications a plus
• This role is quant heavy but experience with various types of research methodologies (qual/quant, online/traditional focus groups, at-home ethnographies, etc.) a plus
• Familiarity with using text analytics/AI/NPL also a plus
• You are motivated to improve the lives of the people who learn and think differently, and the people around them, and are willing to empathize with their experience
• You enjoy collaborative, cross-functional teamwork and possess relationship-building skills 
• You enjoy problem-solving and are open to adapting and improving research practices/processes to meet research needs
• Analytical thinker with ability to discern clarity
• Curious and collaborative; proactively asks “why” and goes looking for answers
• Strong communication and relationship-building skills 

The base salary range for this role is minimum $95,000 - $110,000 maximum, depending on years of experience and qualifications. We offer a comprehensive benefits package that supports wellness for our team members and their families. You can learn more about our benefits and offerings.

Commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion

Understood encourages individuals of all learning styles and ethnic, racial, and socioeconomic backgrounds, including those whose life experiences may include the challenge of access due to a disability, to apply for this position. We are committed to maximizing the diversity of our organization, as we want to engage all those who can contribute to supporting this work.

Understood is an equal opportunity employer and considers all applications without regard to race, color, religion, creed, sex, national origin, ancestry, age, alienage or citizenship status, marital or familial status, domestic partnership status, caregiver status, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or expression, change of sex or transgender status, genetic information, medical condition, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, physical or mental disability (where the applicant or employee is qualified to perform the essential functions of the job with or without reasonable accommodation), any protected military or veteran status, or status as a victim of domestic or dating violence, sexual assault or offense, stalking, or any other characteristics protected by federal, state, or local law or that of persons with whom that individual associates, or any other legally protected characteristics.

For additional information on learning and thinking differences, including ADD/ADHD, dyslexia, dyscalculia, dysgraphia, dyspraxia, executive function challenges, nonverbal learning disabilities, processing issues, and more, please visit www.understood.org.

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