Director of Research

The client is seeking a Director of Research who will serve as a strategic leader and hands-on project manager and a member of the organization’s leadership team. Reporting to the Executive Director, the role will drive the organization’s research agenda, ensure the creation of high-quality research products, and translate findings into actionable insights that support the organization’s mission of advancing justice and opportunity for Asian American communities. The research focus will typically include areas such as civic engagement, economic empowerment, and community well-being and mental health, particularly in the context of a diverse immigrant population. The Director of Research will develop and lead the organization’s research strategy, prioritizing research opportunities aligned with advocacy and program goals. Responsibilities include technical leadership and data governance, such as designing and implementing research using large and evolving datasets (including public and administrative data sources), ensuring research is methodologically sound, ethical, and completed on time and within budget, and serving as principal investigator when required. The role will also include authoring high-quality research products (e.g., reports, presentations, briefs, and tools) and staying current on research methods, trends, and technologies to keep the organization’s research cutting-edge. The Director will lead the development of the organization’s data and research infrastructure and help deploy AI in data analysis, while overseeing data governance protocols for privacy, storage, retention, and compliance with IRBs or similar frameworks, including secure handling of personally identifiable information and adherence to confidentiality practices. In partnership with communications and other internal teams, the Director will translate complex research findings into accessible publications and materials that support advocacy, fundraising, and public awareness. The Director will provide research vision and strategic direction, participate in leadership team efforts to strengthen organization-wide impact and performance, and support cross-team collaboration and culture. They will supervise and build capacity for the research team through training and mentorship, pursue funding opportunities in coordination with leadership and development colleagues (including grants and partnerships), and engage with governmental statistical agencies and external stakeholders to advocate for Asian American visibility in their data. Confidential