United Domestic Workers of America
AFSCME Local 3930

Research Manager (Child Care)
Research Department

Based in California
(hybrid)

 

UDW Overview: 
United Domestic Workers of America, UDW/AFSCME Local 3930 is a statewide labor union that represents more than 225,000 home care and family child care providers in 45 counties in California. Founded in 1979, UDW is a diverse, progressive labor organization that seeks dynamic, committed individuals who will support our members and those for whom they care locally, statewide and at the national level.  

UDW is one of California’s largest labor unions. We consistently support and lead important social justice initiatives like fighting for racial justice, income inequality, and affordable health care for all. We are committed to respect and dignity for seniors, people with disabilities, and the children in our care. We fight for better working conditions and fair pay for home care and child care providers, and full funding for life-saving programs like In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) and subsidized family child care. For more information about UDW, please visit our website at www.udw.org. 

Job Information:  
Job Title: Research Manager (Child Care) 
Job Type: Exempt (Salary) 
Department: Research 
Reports to: Amanda Ream, Director of Strategic Research 
Job Location: Hybrid (subject to change as-needed based on organizational needs) 
Schedule: Full-time - Monday to Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM 
Salary Range: $100,000 – $125,000 /year 

Job Summary: 
The Research Manager (Child Care) serves as UDW's strategic lead on child care research, policy, and collective bargaining support. This position also participates in setting organizational strategy and policy priorities regarding childcare. This position is responsible for coordinating with UDW's Legislative team to manage the childcare portfolio, integrating research, policy analysis, legislative strategy, budget analysis, and collective bargaining priorities into a unified strategic approach that advances the union's childcare objectives. As the Research Manager (Child Care), you will serve as one of UDW's subject matter experts on California’s childcare systems, policy, funding, and collective bargaining while managing cross-departmental initiatives and fostering collaboration among internal departments, external partners, policymakers, and coalition organizations.

This position combines research, policy analysis, and strategic planning to advance UDW's childcare priorities. The Research Manager (Child Care) develops research priorities and strategy, analyzes emerging policy and budget issues, identifies strategic opportunities, and develops recommendations that inform UDW's childcare priorities and long-term strategy. Working across departments, the Research Manager (Child Care) coordinates cross-functional initiatives, formulates research-based policy recommendations, facilitates collaboration among internal and external stakeholders, and translates complex policy, budget, and research findings into actionable strategies that strengthen the union's advocacy and bargaining efforts. This position works closely with UDW’s State Government Affairs department.

Duties and Responsibilities: 

• Serve as the organization's primary researcher on childcare policy and strategic initiatives. 
• Help manage the development and implementation of UDW's childcare research, policy, legislative, and strategic agenda. 
• Manage research and policy analysis related to the childcare field, workforce issues, funding, legislation, regulations, and state budget proposals.
• Lead research and strategic analysis supporting the union’s policy and legislative efforts in Sacramento and collective bargaining, including fiscal analyses, provider surveys, labor market research, compensation analyses, reimbursement methodologies, and funding models. 
• Provide strategic analysis, recommendations, and guidance to organizational leadership on childcare policy, legislation, budget proposals, collective bargaining, and emerging issues.
• Assess emerging policy, legislative, political, budget, and funding developments to identify opportunities, evaluate risks, and recommend strategies that advance UDW's priorities.
• Develop strategic recommendations that inform UDW's legislative, bargaining, advocacy, political, and member engagement efforts. 
• Participate and help manage childcare initiatives across UDW’s internal departments- including Research, State Government Affairs, Communications, Organizing, Political, and Executive Leadership- to ensure alignment across departments to ensure alignment with organizational priorities.
• Participate and help manage cross-functional planning efforts and foster collaboration among internal departments and external partners to advance UDW's childcare agenda. 
• Collaborate with department leaders to develop and implement childcare initiatives that support the union's strategic goals. 
• Develop policy briefs, white papers, fiscal analyses, issue briefs, executive summaries, reports, presentations, and other research products that support executive decision-making and organizational priorities. 
• Monitor, analyze and evaluate legislation, regulations, budget proposals, and implementation efforts, using qualitative and quantitative data to inform policy recommendations and advocacy strategy.
• Prepare research memoranda, policy analyses, issue briefs, and executive summaries to support organizational decision-making.
• Participate and represent UDW in meetings with coalition partners, policymakers, government agencies, researchers, and stakeholder organizations, while building collaborative relationships that advance the union's childcare priorities. 
• Develop presentations, trainings, educational materials, and communication resources that strengthen organizational understanding of childcare policy, funding, legislation, and collective bargaining. 
• Translate complex policy, budget, and research findings into actionable information for leadership, staff, members, and external audiences.
• Perform other duties and special projects as assigned.

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Comprehensive knowledge of California early learning and care system, public funding, collective bargaining, and state legislative, regulatory, and budget processes. 
• Advanced knowledge of public policy research methods and the ability to analyze complex legislative, budget, fiscal, and regulatory issues using qualitative and quantitative data. 
• Demonstrated ability to develop strategic policy recommendations and exercise independent judgment in support of organizational decision-making. 
• Ability to identify emerging policy, legislative, budget, and political trends and assess their impact on UDW's strategic priorities. 
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to prepare research and policy briefs, reports, presentations, and other materials for diverse audiences. 
• Ability to communicate complex research, policy, budget, and research findings in a clear and actionable manner to executive leadership, staff, members, policymakers, and external partners. 
• Demonstrated ability to lead cross-functional initiatives, coordinate multiple stakeholders, and build collaborative relationships across departments and external organizations. 
• Strong project management, organizational, and analytical skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities, deadlines, and complex initiatives simultaneously. 
• Ability to work independently, exercise sound judgment, and adapt to changing organizational priorities, legislative developments, and political environments. 
• Experience representing an organization before coalitions, policymakers, government agencies, or other stakeholder groups. 
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications and research, legislative tracking, and data analysis tools. 
• Ability to maintain professionalism, discretion, and confidentiality when handling sensitive organizational matters. 
• Demonstrated commitment to advancing labor, economic, and social justice through public policy, advocacy, and collective bargaining.

Preferred Qualifications, Education and/or Experience:

• Bachelor's degree in Public Policy, Political Science, Economics, Labor Studies, Education, or related field; Master's degree preferred.
• Significant experience in childcare policy, research, collective bargaining, labor organizations, or public policy. 
• Significant experience working on childcare, education, labor and/or human services advocacy and policy.
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, rapidly changing environment while managing multiple priorities and deadlines.

Requirements:  

• Ability to work after hours and during the weekends as required. 
• Some travel is required with reliable transportation. 

Preferred Bilingual Language(s) in either: 

• Spanish  
• Vietnamese  
• Korean 
• Tagalog 
• Russian  
• Assyrian 
• Somali 
• Arabic 

Employee Benefits: 

• Health Insurance 
• Dental Insurance 
• Vision Insurance 
• Life / AD&D 
• Long Term Disability (LTD) 
• 401(k) Savings Plan 
• Pension Plan 
• Paid Vacation Days 
• Paid Sick Leave 
• Personal Day (8 hours) 
• 16 Paid Holiday 
• Floating Holiday 
• Upskilling through eLearning Platform

COVID-19 Vaccination Requirement:
United Domestic Workers of America has adopted a COVID-19 vaccination policy to safeguard the health and well-being of our employees. As a condition of employment, our employees are required to be fully vaccinated for COVID-19 unless a reasonable accommodation is approved or as otherwise required by law.

Employee Benefits:

• Health Insurance
• Dental Insurance
• Vision Insurance
• Life / AD&D
• Long Term Disability (LTD)
• 401(k) Savings Plan
• Pension Plan
• Paid vacation Days
• Paid Sick Leave
• Personal Day (8 hours)
• 16 Paid Holiday
• Floating Holiday 
• Upskill through eLearning platforms

Physical Demands 
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the functions. While performing the duties of this position, the employee is regularly required to talk and hear. The employee frequently is required to use hands or fingers, handle, or feel objects, tools or controls. The employee is required to stand; walk; sit; reach with hands and arms; climb or balance; and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 30 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this position include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, and the ability to adjust focus. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate. 

Work Environment
The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is primarily exposed to an office-type environment. The employee will frequently work on or around office equipment and furniture. The noise level in the work environment is low to moderate. The employee will frequently work with deadlines under pressure and will occasionally be required to work alone. The employee is occasionally exposed to outdoor environment can include exposure to vehicles, moving mechanical parts; vibration; odors, fumes, gasses, smoke, dust, or airborne particles; and outside weather conditions.

Equal Opportunity Employer
UDWA is an equal opportunity employer, and, as such, does not discriminate an employee or applicant based on race, creed, color, age, sex, national origin, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, religious affiliation, disability, or any other classification protected from discrimination under applicable law.

Notice of E-Verify Participation
This employer participates in E-Verify and will provide the federal government with your Form I-9 information to confirm that you are authorized to work in the U.S. If E-Verify cannot confirm that you are authorized to work, this employer is required to give you written instructions and an opportunity to contact Department of Homeland Security (DHS) or Social Security Administration (SSA) so you can begin to resolve the issue before the employer can take any action against you, including terminating your employment. Employers can only use E-Verify once you have accepted a job offer and completed the Form I-9. For more information on E-Verify, or if you believe that your employer has violated its E-Verify responsibilities, please contact DHS (888) 897-7781, dhs.gov/e-verify 

Women, people of color and members of the LGBTQIA+ community are strongly encouraged to apply.

To Apply:
Please email your cover letter, résumé, and list three references to jobs@udw.org with the Job Title and city you are applying for in the subject line.