Associate Director of Research

About Sweet Grass

Sweet Grass Consulting is a vibrant collective of dedicated researchers and community development advocates who provide professional, evaluative, and research services to promote and support asset-based development initiatives in economically burdened communities. Our consulting and services are grounded in truth, dignity, and respect. Sweet Grass is a certified B Corp, dedicated to balancing profit with purpose through social and environmental standards of performance, transparency, and accountability to our clients and employees. Join our dynamic team on a trajectory of rapid growth!

Job description

The Associate Research Director will support and interface with clients and community partners on research initiatives that advance mission-driven impact. The ideal candidate will have experience designing and managing quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-methods research projects, translating findings into actionable insights for communities and organizations.

The Associate Director is responsible for planning, implementing, and overseeing research projects to meet client and community needs. This involves developing research designs, managing data collection and analysis, ensuring data quality and integrity, and facilitating participatory approaches that center community voices. The role also includes the preparation of reports and planning of presentations and data visualizations that make complex findings accessible to diverse audiences.

In addition, the Associate Director will support the Research Director across various networks and communities. This role requires both a strong project executor with advanced analytical skills and emotional intelligence, and a proactive leader with success managing multiple projects, staff, and clients. The Associate Director will collaborate with the Research Director to manage team workloads, pursue new opportunities, and deliver rigorous, community-centered research solutions. Regular travel to client and community sites is expected ten to twelve times a year.

Responsibilities

Research Leadership

• Design and oversee 3 to 6 research projects at a time, from planning through completion, completing 2-4 high-level projects per year.
• Develop frameworks that include both primary data collection (surveys, interviews, focus groups) and secondary data analysis (existing datasets, literature reviews).
• Conduct quantitative analyses and ensure research methods are rigorous, culturally responsive, and aligned with community needs.
• Contribute to high-level planning and organization within the Research Department to ensure timely, high-quality execution.

Community Engagement

• Build and maintain trusted relationships with Indigenous and other historically marginalized communities.
• Adapt methods and approaches flexibly in response to community preferences and cultural contexts.
• Serve as a visible and trusted partner who can engage directly in person and support participatory, community-centered research.

Team Collaboration

• Support the Research Director in managing workloads, priorities, and opportunities for the Research team.
• Provide mentorship and guidance to other team members, delegating tasks such as data gathering, literature reviews, and visualization.
• Contribute to colleagues’ projects in areas of expertise while modeling a strength-based, collaborative approach.

Communication & Reporting

• Translate complex findings into clear, concise, and actionable insights tailored to community members, organizational leaders, and funders.
• Lead the preparation of reports and presentations that prioritize accessibility and plain language in favor of overly academic writing.
• Serve as a primary point of contact with clients and partners, using effective, culturally sensitive communication across phone, email, text, and in-person interactions.

Qualifications

Required:

• Bachelor's Degree (or 5-7 years of direct experience)
• 4+ years of direct hands-on experience working in non-academic, applied research
• Experience with applied monitoring and evaluation methods
• Experience with data analysis in Microsoft Excel
• Statistics background (bivariate, multivariate, confidence intervals, chi-squared)
• Experience with the following entities/organizations/groups:
  • Indigenous Nations and Native-led organizations
  • Community Development Financial Institutions
  • Community Development Corporations
  • Federal and Philanthropic Foundations (ANA, NWAF, FORD, BUSH, etc.)
• Confidence to advise clients strategically, manage relationships, and surface opportunities for long-term value
• Experience in managing workloads, balancing multiple client needs, and proactively problem-solving in evolving environments
• Demonstrated ability to lead research projects from start to finish, including design, data collection, analysis, and report writing
• Proven success in translating research findings into clear, plain-language insights for diverse audiences, including community members, leaders, and funders

Preferred:

• Master’s Degree
• Experience with qualitative and quantitative analysis software (MaxQDA, SPSS, etc.)
• Experience with online database systems (SalesForce, Outcome Tracker, etc.)

Core competencies

• Initiative Taking: Actively seeks opportunities to take on demanding or difficult tasks, approaching them with confidence and persistence.
• Accountability: Demonstrates strong belief in the ability to complete work successfully and to a high standard, ensuring accountability to deadlines, clients, and peers.
• Communication and Relationship Building: Strong communication skills with the ability to clearly present research design, data findings, and implications to non-technical audiences, translating complex results into accessible insights for community stakeholders.
• Cultural Sensitivity and Understanding: Ability to comprehend and respect the cultural nuances and sensitivities of mission-driven organizations and the communities they serve, ensuring research and engagement are responsive and inclusive.
• Solution Orientation: Has a high positive impact on the attitudes and performance of colleagues through collaboration, encouragement, and example. Carries a positive, solution-focused mindset and consistently strives to deliver the best outcomes on all projects, even in the face of challenges.
• Commitment and Collaboration: Demonstrates dedication to Sweet Grass’ goals through a strong work ethic, teamwork, a positive attitude, and a willingness to tackle challenges while supporting and coaching others toward success.