Associate Director, Research and Strategic Advisory Services (Academic Innovation)

Wisr•Richmond, VA

55d•Remote

About The Position

At EAB, our mission is to make education smarter and our communities stronger. We work with more than 2,800 institutions to drive transformative change through data-driven insights and best-in-class capabilities. From kindergarten to college to career, EAB partners with leaders and practitioners to accelerate progress and drive results across enrollment, student success, institutional strategy, data analytics, and advancement. We work with each partner differently, tailoring our portfolio of research, technology, and marketing and enrollment solutions to meet the unique needs of every leadership team, as well as the students and employees they serve. Associate Directors on our Strategic Advisory Services team (within the Research Discovery & Design division) help design research projects and services that address the major strategic, management, and operational issues facing education today. Our researchers conduct in-depth interviews with campus executives at diverse institutions and perform data and root-cause analyses to identify market-leading strategies and best practices in our pursuit to make education smarter. As a member of our team, you will play an important role in innovating and producing syndicated research and high-value services for partner organizations, including executive roundtables, on-campus workshops, webinars, and publications. You will also be a valued expert to EAB partner organizations, advising them on strategy and best practice implementation. This particular role will be positioned within our Academic Innovation pillar, which focuses on urgent challenges facing today's academic leaders such as program portfolio management, curricular and co-curricular innovations, instructional efficiency and cost management, sponsored research, and faculty affairs (recruitment, workloads, rewards and recognition). The Academic Innovation team primarily supports provosts and academic deans, providing a combination of thought leadership, strategy guidance, tactical best practices, and hands-on implementation support. A successful candidate for this position will: Bring strong professional judgment and clear communication skills, with the ability to translate complex findings into accessible insights for campus leaders Thrive in collaborative, fast-moving environments - taking initiative, following through on details, and adjusting quickly as priorities evolve Combine analytical rigor with intellectual curiosity and agility, getting up to speed on key issues quickly and taking ownership over sub-terrains Be willing to draw on a range of sources and deploy various methods to generate actionable advice for campus leaders that is both strategic and tactical in nature Have experience beyond academic research and publications to include consulting, client-responsive projects, or advisory work that translates insights into strategy and action This hire may be based in Washington D.C. or Richmond, VA; this position is also open to remote employment in the continental U.S. The position may require occasional travel (up to approximately 10%) for presenting research findings to our partners as well as facilitating strategy sessions. This role is listed as Associate Director, Research and Strategic Advisory Services for posting purposes; the official and internal title of this hire is expected to be Associate Director, Research Discovery & Design to align with EAB business norms.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree, with an excellent academic record and 5+ years of post-graduate, professional experience; or 4+ years of post-graduate, professional experience and an advanced degree; or bachelor's degree and 4+ years of post-graduate, professional experience, including 2+ years of experience in EAB Research
Willingness to travel up to 10%
Experience with at least two of the following:
Management or strategy consulting
University/education strategic planning
Conducting long-term research (at least 3 months in duration)
Conducting primary and secondary research
Higher education experience

Nice To Haves

Advanced degree or equivalent experience demonstrating strategic, analytical, and business problem-solving capability (MA, MPP, PhD, JD, or similar preferred)
Majors and/or advanced degrees in education, economics, political science, data analytics, statistics or other quantitative fields preferred
Experience working in a team environment, as well as independently and autonomously in ambiguous and fast-changing contexts
Proven ability to communicate effectively with senior executives in both oral and written formats
Experience with solution-focused problem solving and thinking through problems creatively
Experience working with clients in a consultative role
Demonstrated experience in managing projects and meeting deadlines
Commitment to embracing a continual learning environment and contributing to a dynamic and welcoming culture of fairness, authenticity, and belonging in support of EAB's mission, values, and aspiration.

Responsibilities

Design and lead strategic research projects from conception to completion, ranging from two to four months for smaller projects to approximately nine months for the largest, most complex projects .
provide intellectual leadership and analytical direction throughout all stages of the research process, working through extensive primary and secondary research, hypothesis generation and testing, rigorous analysis of findings, design and execution of implementation resources, and the final presentation of ideas
Synthesize complex ideas into actionable insights for executive audiences
Use persuasive writing, storytelling, and graphics to communicate ideas and information
Manage relationships with internal and external stakeholders
Conduct market-sizing, testing calls, and product design analysis for new research and product enhancements
Collaborate with individual project leads, subject matter experts, and delivery teams to ensure that deliverables are designed for scalable execution and interactive partner engagement
Manage and coach junior-level researcher staff by developing critical skills, providing actionable feedback, and managing workloads
Deliver initial services and presentations to executive-level clients and leadership teams

Benefits

Medical, dental, and vision insurance plans; dependents and domestic partners eligible
20+ days of PTO annually, in addition to paid firm and floating holidays
Daytime leave policy for community service and flextime for fitness activities (up to 10 hours per month each)
401(k) retirement savings plan with annual discretionary company matching contribution
Health savings account, healthcare and dependent care flexible spending account, and pre-tax commuter plans
Employee assistance program with counseling services and resources available to all employees and immediate family
Wellness programs including gym discounts, incentives to promote healthy living, and family access to the leading app for sleep, meditation, and relaxation
Fertility treatment coverage and adoption or surrogacy assistance
Paid parental leave with phase back to work program for birthing and non-birthing parents
Access to milk shipping service to support nursing employees during business travel
Discounted pet health insurance coverage for dog and cat family members
Company-provided life, AD&D, and disability insurance
Financial wellness resources and membership in a robust employee discount program
Access to employee resource groups, merit-based advancement, and dynamic professional growth opportunities