Research Manager

The Aspen Institute•Washington, DC

3d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Research Manager will play a central role in Aspen Institute Financial Security Program (Aspen FSP) research on household wealth, providing substantive and technical support to an expanding body of work. Reporting to the Director, Insights and Evidence, the role manages and executes new and ongoing wealth research projects, with a primary focus on the essential wealth metric, a benchmark measuring how much wealth households need to build resilience and thrive. The position also provides quantitative and general research support to the Insights and Evidence team and research efforts across Aspen FSP. The Research Manager works in a collaborative, ambitious, and fast-paced environment, partnering with colleagues, funders, external partners, and stakeholders, including people who are not researchers. The work involves drawing timely insights from varied sources and applying rigorous methods with the creativity and flexibility to develop and test concepts and interpret data with known constraints. The role requires carrying work forward independently, using sound judgment, and communicating findings and their significance clearly. The Aspen Institute Financial Security Program works to illuminate and solve critical financial challenges facing American households and make financial security a national priority. Its work aims to support a more inclusive economy with reduced wealth inequality and shared prosperity.

Requirements

At least 5 years of experience in applied quantitative research.
Graduate-level research training, such as a master's degree or higher in economics, public policy, sociology, statistics, or a related field, or equivalent experience.
Strong command of quantitative and data science methods, with the ability to develop and test concepts and draw insights from existing data with known constraints.
Meaningful experience using statistical software such as R, Stata, or SAS.
Demonstrated research design and project management skills, including managing multiple projects and competing priorities.
Ability to advance work independently, make and own analytic decisions, and make recommendations.
Practical ability to work with non-research partners, translate results, and propose work responsive to the audience and opportunity.
Excellent written and verbal communication and relationship management skills, including the ability to produce written work requiring minimal editing.

Nice To Haves

Experience with program evaluation or performance management/measurement.
Experience researching economic policy issues such as income, education, or economic mobility.
Familiarity with household finance and financial security research and literature.
Experience with AI tools in data analysis and research.

Responsibilities

Design, manage, and execute research projects that provide actionable insights to strengthen household financial well-being.
Partner with the Director, Insights and Evidence, on new analyses and contribute ideas and analysis to guide future work.
Coordinate research across multiple projects and partners, keep work on track, and ensure commitments are fulfilled.
Maintain, update, and analyze essential wealth data; document methods and analytic decisions to support transparency and reproducibility.
Serve as a resource for colleagues and partners on what the data show and how to interpret them.
Carry projects from jointly developed approaches through completion with initiative and limited direction, making and owning analytic decisions and presenting findings and their significance.
Support the Insights and Evidence team and Aspen FSP through interviews, desk research, literature reviews, writing, and leadership of smaller projects on emerging issues.
Provide quantitative research and analysis support across Aspen FSP, including advice on research design, data sources, and methods, and quality control for analyses, figures, and data-driven claims.
Help develop and implement AI-enabled research approaches and infrastructure for quick-turn statistical analysis and rapid literature reviews.
Present research to partners, practitioners, and other stakeholders; prepare background research and materials; identify related work opportunities; and contribute technical expertise to funder engagement and stewardship.
Manage working relationships with partner organization staff through credible, reliable, clear, and timely communication.
Represent Aspen FSP at external meetings and public events, and support convenings through preparation and substantive note-taking.