The Conference Board of Canada Looking for Research Associate l – Education and Skills (6-month contract) at Ottawa, ON Full Time

Employment opportunity: 6-month contract

Reports to: Associate Director, Education and Skills

Location: remote work arrangement within Canada

The Conference Board of Canada is the nation’s largest independent applied research organization offering unbiased, evidence-based information and analysis to both industry and federal/provincial governments. We have one of the country’s largest private economic analysis and forecasting teams and are widely recognized for expert economic forecasting, modeling, and leading analysis. Simply put, we deliver insights that help leaders cut through the noise and make informed decisions.

We are looking for a Research Associate to join the Education and Skills team. The successful candidate will be a strong researcher and communicator who understands a range of knowledge areas.

Our Ideal Candidate …. will be a skilled researcher with well-developed writing, qualitative and quantitative analysis skills. They will possess intellectual curiosity and passion and commitment to a culture that values high quality, growth, creativity and thought leadership. The successful candidate will be part of a professional research and convening team and will undertake integrated, non-partisan, applied research for public policy and private sector decision-makers.

We are a virtual organization and as a remote worker you must be comfortable and able to work 100 per cent of the time from a home office. To be successful as a remote worker you need to have a self-starter attitude, possess strong organizational and time management skills and be a proactive communicator.

About the Role

Some of the things you will do every day:

• Conduct qualitative and quantitative analysis.
• Undertake literature reviews and environmental scans.
• Review interview and focus group transcripts.
• Code data in NVIVO qualitative data management software.
• Review user generated content on a digital story mapping platform.
• Assist in preparing research notes, written reports, and PowerPoint presentations.
• Actively contribute to and participate in a dynamic and highly productive team environment.
• Support the team on a variety of research projects by locating primary research sources, and analyzing data.
• Provide support to the stakeholders by responding to customer inquiries and assisting in business development activities.
• Develop and maintain systems to track customer outreach.
• Build and maintain relationships with external and internal contacts.
• Commitment to producing high quality work and demonstrating professional values in all aspects of work and interactions with colleagues and customers.

About You

Required Skills and Qualifications:

• A completed Masters’ degree in a related discipline.
• Minimum of two years’ experience in a professional applied research organization, handling complex research projects.
• A growth mindset with a commitment to business development and expanding brand awareness among our target stakeholders.
• Demonstrated experience with quantitative and qualitative data analysis.
• Previous exposure to conducting research on a broad range of policy issues facing Canada.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and an ability to work effectively as part of a team.
• Well-developed oral and written communication skills, with previous experience in a customer-facing role.
• Proficient with Microsoft Office suite – specifically Word, Outlook, PowerPoint, Excel. Experience with NVIVO is an asset. Some experience using SPSS would be a definite asset.
• Strong critical thinking/analysis skills.
• Ability to work independently.
• Demonstrated success in handling multiple responsibilities, outstanding organizational skills and the ability to handle multiple deliverables concurrently.
• Ability to make recommendations or decisions based on a wide range of criteria and information.
• Having a home office environment that provides for a productive, professional, and safe work environment during regular working hours is a requirement of this role.

We value the unique skills, experiences, and insights that each employee brings to The Conference Board of Canada. We are committed to fostering an inclusive and accessible work environment where everyone feels valued, respected, and supported and welcome members of all backgrounds and perspectives to apply. If you require an accommodation at any point during the recruitment process, please email [email protected] and we will work with you to meet your needs.

We wish to thank all applicants for their interest in The Conference Board of Canada. Please note that only those selected for an interview will be contacted.