Jobs to Move America

Strategic Research Manager
Southern Program

Based in Birmingham, AL; Montgomery, AL; or Atlanta, GA

 

Location: Birmingham, Alabama, Montgomery, Alabama, or Atlanta, Georgia
Position: Strategic Research Manager
Department: Southern Program
Position Type: Full-time Exempt
Reports to: Southern Program Director
Salary Range: $78,000 - $91,000
Deadline to apply: Until Filled
Start date: March 1, 2025

At this critical time for lower-income, frontline communities and people of color, Jobs to Move America (JMA) is uniquely positioned to advance a powerful agenda for equitable job creation and climate justice. As the U.S. builds out a new green manufacturing sector, we must make sure that these companies create good jobs for all. As the Strategic Research Manager, you will support JMA’s Southern Program by helping to lead campaigns for community benefits agreements (CBAs) in Alabama, by developing strategies and tactics to engage companies and communities, and fighting for corporate accountability. Read more about our program here.

Who we are ─ About Jobs to Move America:
JMA is a national strategic policy center that supports reinvesting taxpayer dollars to create good jobs and a fair and prosperous society. We are committed to reclaiming our government as a force for good, expanding access to clean jobs for all working people, and transforming our economy through coalition building and policy development that centers environmental sustainability, racial and gender justice.

JMA is partnered with the AFL-CIO and more than half a dozen international labor unions. JMA also maintains regional coalitions of community, faith, environmental, and civil rights organizations across the U.S. We have offices in California, New York, Illinois, and staff in Alabama and Mississippi. We are quickly expanding.

To learn more, visit our website: www.jobstomoveamerica.org.

About the position:
Jobs to Move America (JMA) is seeking a Strategic Research Manager for its Southern Program. Under the supervision of the Southern Program Director, the strategic research manager will conduct the strategic research needed to develop and win campaigns for community benefits agreements (CBAs) in Alabama. The Strategic Research Manager will contribute lead thinking in up to two critical campaigns aimed at encouraging global manufacturing firms to create family-sustaining jobs in the U.S. and generate economic opportunities for historically marginalized communities, including low-income groups, communities of color, and women. This role will involve extensive research, strategic planning, community engagement, and a commitment to transparency and accountability for companies benefiting from public funding. The Campaign Manager will work under minimal supervision, overseeing campaign research, developing corporate profiles, engaging with a broad range of stakeholders, and designing strategic initiatives to further the goals of economic justice.

What You’ll Do ─ Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Campaign Leadership: Take initiative and do lead thinking to help execute up to two CBA campaigns to encourage global manufacturing firms to create family-sustaining U.S. jobs and generate economic opportunities for low-income communities, communities of color, women, and other groups that have historically faced systematic barriers to accessing family-sustaining jobs.
• Research Oversight: Lead the planning and implementation of all aspects of research for campaigns or programs with minimal supervision, including data collection, analysis, and reporting.
• Corporate Research: Lead efforts to complete strategic corporate profiles of firms in Alabama following a comprehensive framework provided by the Southern Director, and identify and analyze corporate pressure points
• Engagement: Develop and implement strategies for engaging with communities and workers, federal and municipal agencies, corporate shareholders, and more. Frequent communication with workers about the development of strategy is an essential duty of this position.
• Strategic Escalation: Take initiative to routinely develop and carry out strategic escalation tactics to further these strategies;
• Public Records Requests: Prepare, file and track public records requests and write findings memos;
• Survey Design & Administration: Design and administer original surveys to workers, company representatives, industry leaders, etc.
• Research Publications: Conceptualize, research, write and publish campaign materials and research reports that illustrate key findings to a variety of audiences, providing the fuel for our strategies.
• Transparency & Accountability Advocacy: Fight for transparency and accountability on state, local and federal levels so that companies receiving public funding can be held accountable to their promises.
• Administrative Responsibilities: Comply with all organizational policies and procedures, including timely attention to administrative responsibilities.
• Travel: Travel to campaign locations to conduct interviews with workers and community leaders that support campaign needs not to exceed 20% of the time.
• Organizational Development: Contribute to JMA’s organizational development, for example assisting with fundraising, providing peer evaluations, and participating in JMA staff committees (not to exceed 20% of the time).

About you ─ Required Qualifications:

• At least five years of full-time experience as a researcher for a labor union, community organizing project, impact investing firm, environmental justice group, or relevant academic project; OR at least five years of full-time experience as a journalist with strong investigative reporting clips.
• Excellent writing skills for a policy-making audience, including ability to succinctly summarize findings.
• Strong verbal communication skills and experience making presentations for a wide range of audiences, including testimonies to community organizations.
• Proficiency in using Microsoft Excel to execute complex formulas and to create illustrative graphs and charts. Experience with statistics to conduct data analysis.
• Proficiency in basic qualitative research skills, including internet searches, interviews, surveys, and organizing focus groups.
• Experience analyzing policy options and components, providing recommendations on policy options.
• Demonstrated commitment to economic, racial, gender, and social justice movements.
• Ability to work well in a team and take initiative. Detail-oriented and accountable to team goals and individual work plan.
• Experience and comfort working in multicultural settings.

Extra consideration will be given to candidates who:

• Have completed an intensive strategic corporate research (SCR) course;
• Have experience working with an individual and/or group from a marginalized community;
• Have experience working in the labor movement and/or community-labor coalitions;
• Are fluent speaking a language other than English;
• Have a bachelor’s degree, especially in public policy, economics, urban planning, or similar program, or equivalent experience;
• Have personal ties or desire to live and work in Alabama.

Other Physical Requirements:

• Regular travel across Alabama will be required. Occasional weekend and evening work is required. Must have access to reliable transportation.

What Else You Should Know ─ Compensation/Benefits:

• Salary Range $78,000 - $91,000
• 100% employer-paid medical, dental, and vision premiums for the employee and dependents
• Generous paid time off including 12 personal days, 12 federal holidays, and 2 floating holidays each year. JMA has a paid, two week winter break at the end of each December. Staff can accrue up to 20 vacation days and 20 sick days. After 5 years of work, all staff are eligible for 3 months of sabbatical leave.
• 401(k) plan with 5% employer contribution after 6 months of employment
• Flexible spending account (FSA)
• Cell phone reimbursement
• Utility/Internet monthly stipend for those working from home
• Work from home office set up provided if needed
• Training and professional development opportunities are available upon completion of the probationary period
• A strong commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion policies and practices
• Qualifying Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) employer
• JMA is a unionized workplace. This position is included in the collective bargaining agreement.

How to Apply:
Complete the form on THIS PAGE and upload a cover letter, résumé, and three work references. Only applications submitted via this process and/or meet the minimum requirements will be considered. No phone calls, please. Candidates who advance in the process will be asked to complete a pre-employment exercise.

JMA Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Statement
We are an EEO/affirmative action employer and encourage applications from all qualified candidates regardless of race, ethnicity, age, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, religion, or disability. We work to ensure fair treatment of applicants and employees and actively enforce zero-tolerance policies against discrimination and sexual harassment. Those who identify as persons of color, women, veterans, or formerly incarcerated persons, and/or have had experience working with one or more of those groups are strongly encouraged to apply.

JMA Diversity and Inclusion Statement
JMA believes that diverse, engaged, and motivated employees are essential to achieving our goals of economic, racial, and social justice. JMA believes that each employee's voice is valuable and that when all employees contribute ideas to the organization’s operation, it enhances the success of the organization overall.

In order to assist us in achieving our goals as a diverse and inclusive workforce, we ask optional self-identification questions in the job application.