Senior Manager, Applied Research & Evaluation

About the role

The Senior Manager, Applied Research & Evaluation plays a crucial role in blending applied research, program evaluation, and cross-sector partnership to help Understood understand, assess, and communicate impact. Reporting to the Associate Director, Applied Research & Evaluation, this is a hybrid role requiring a minimum of three (3) days a week in our NYC office, with a focus on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday. The role involves conducting and coordinating applied research projects and evaluations, generating insights, and communicating findings to various stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Conduct and, as needed, coordinate applied research projects and utilization-focused or rapid-cycle evaluations using qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches.
• Use best practices in ethical and rigorous research in real-world and online settings while adapting for organizational needs and timelines.
• Contribute to a shared understanding across the organization of research processes and outcomes.
• Generate research- and evaluation-based insights that help improve our offerings for increased impact.
• Write descriptive, analytical, critical, and persuasive summaries, reports, briefs, presentations, and marketing materials that contribute to public and industry understanding of our impact.
• Support applied research and evaluation conducted with and for partner organizations in the fields of behavioral health, psychology, organizational psychology, and other social/behavioral sciences.
• Support the Advancement team with grant proposals to secure funding for the organization and applied research and evaluation projects through the development of protocols and assets.
• Maintain high standards for privacy and confidentiality, as well as data governance, management, and security.

Requirements

• Experience: 5+ years of experience in the same or similar roles, including at least 3 years of experience in consumer or public-facing industries. You have contributed to projects or workstreams beyond assigned tasks.
• Domain expertise: You systematically investigate real-world challenges and assess the effectiveness of programs and interventions. You combine methodological rigor with practical problem-solving to produce evidence that informs strategy and drives improvement. You leverage quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-methods approaches to generate insights that support measurable impact and organizational learning.
• Strategic thinking and execution: You own components of a project or a routine workstream within a team. You solve problems within your assigned work and identify cross-project or cross-team issues. You connect your work to broader team goals.
• Stakeholder and cross-functional partnership: You work with teammates and key cross-functional partners for the project or workstream. You coordinate cross-functional work and hold partners accountable for on-time delivery.
• Communication: You communicate clearly with teammates, your manager, and cross-functional partners. You adapt your communication to the audience.
• Data and analytics: You use data to develop insights and make decisions within owned components of a project or workstream.
• Project management: You plan and manage components of a project or workstream, including cross-functional dependencies. You set milestones, flag risks, and hold contributors accountable to deliver.
• AI fluency: You use AI tools to improve output and productivity. You apply AI to specific tasks or problems within your work. You follow company guidelines for responsible AI use.
• Collaboration and ways of working: You take ownership of work and align with team goals. You proactively identify improvements to processes or workflows. You respond to challenges with adaptability. You deliver high-quality work that supports team outcomes.

Qualifications

• Advanced degree in research, psychology, education, or a related social/behavioral science field.
• Experience designing research for and with marginalized populations.
• Background in behavioral health and neurodiversity.
• Knowledge of one or more of the following: behavior change, human development, psychology, organizational psychology, critical theories, or related frameworks.

Skills

• Strong research and evaluation skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously.
• Proficiency in qualitative and quantitative research methods.
• Experience with data analysis and interpretation.
• Strong project management and stakeholder engagement skills.
• Understanding of ethical research practices.

Benefits

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.

Pay

The base salary range for this role is a minimum of $115,000 - $130,000 maximum, depending on years of experience and qualifications.

Schedule

This is a hybrid role that requires a minimum of three (3) days a week in our NYC office, with a focus on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday.

Equal Opportunity Employer

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.