Bilingual Qualitative Research Manager

Job description

Code for America believes government can work for the people, by the people, in the new digital age, and that government at all levels can and should work well for all people. For more than a decade, we’ve worked to show that with the mindful use of technology, we can break down barriers, meet community needs, and find real solutions.

Our employees build and transform government and community tools and services, making them so good they inspire change. We merge the best parts of technology, nonprofit, and government to help support the people who need it most.

With a focus on transparency and fairness, and deep empathy for partners in government and community organizations and the people that our partners serve, we’re building a movement of motivated change agents driven by meaningful results and lasting impact.

At Code for America, you contribute to exciting work while learning and developing in a supportive and flexible environment. Our compensation and benefits are holistic and thoughtfully curated to represent our employees and our mission. Help us drive real generational change that lasts.

Code for America is looking for a talented Bilingual Qualitative Research Manager who will conduct meaningful research in English and Spanish while managing a team of researchers across portfolios. You’ll apply diverse research methodologies to deliver actionable insights while advocating for research needs, fostering a collaborative team culture, mentoring researchers, and expanding our capabilities to improve government services.

About the Role:

Code for America is looking for a passionate Bilingual (English-Spanish) Qualitative Research Manager to join our team. Our qualitative research team strives to be a leader in mixed methods, people-centered approaches and has published its Principles and a Qualitative Research Practice Guide, which drive our work across the organization.

In this role, you will manage multiple researchers across different portfolios, as well as contribute to research team practices and development through establishing repeatable processes for conducting research with respect and dignity. The majority of your time will be spent conducting qualitative research in collaboration with cross-functional teams.

Qualitative Researchers at Code for America are an integral component of all of our program areas. There are currently three program areas at Code for America:

• Criminal Justice, which focuses on Automatic Record Clearance,
• Tax Benefits, which focuses on free trustworthy tax services and simplified tax filing,
• And the Social Safety Net. Focus areas in this portfolio include food benefits, integrated benefits applications, and training & capacity building.

This role will report to the Director of Qualitative Research and is expected to travel no more than 15% of the time.

In this Position You Will:

Management Responsibilities

• Manage 2-4 researchers across different Code for America portfolios: conduct weekly 1 on 1s, mentor researchers, assist with goal setting and professional development
• Serve as a technical thought leader by providing guidance to improve research methodologies and outcomes
• Collaborate with Qualitative Research leadership to foster a collaborative, humble, and equity-centered qualitative research culture, while developing and expanding our research practice capabilities
• Support the recruitment and onboarding of new Qualitative Research team members
• Advocate for research needs by building strong partnerships with cross-functional peers in Client Success, Data Science, Design, Engineering, Product, and Programs

Research Responsibilities

• Conduct qualitative research in English and Spanish: develop research plans, recruit participants, conduct research, and analyze findings to deliver clear and actionable insights to internal stakeholders and wider external audiences
• Effectively and confidently apply diverse research methodologies including: group facilitation, in-depth interviews, field observations, and surveys
• Exercise expert judgment in selecting research methodologies to achieve objectives and collaborate with qualitative researchers in the appropriate use of these methods
• Build and maintain strong relationships with our research staff, research participants, and community stakeholders to ensure respectful, ethical, and productive research engagements

Other duties as assigned

About You:

This position is a perfect fit for a compassionate multilingual (English-Spanish) research leader who excels at both methodological rigor and thoughtful people management, especially someone driven by a commitment to making government services more accessible to all communities. If you are passionate about leading a team while conducting impactful multilingual research, this role aligns perfectly with your values and skills.

• At least 6 years of experience as a UX Researcher.
• Professional fluency in Spanish and experience conducting research in Spanish.
• At least 2 years of experience as a direct manager of qualitative UX researchers.
• Demonstrated success in delivering impactful qualitative research that influences product development and service delivery decisions
• Ability to manage multiple high-priority initiatives simultaneously, balancing strategic vision with tactical execution and driving incremental improvements across products and services
• Excellent collaboration skills with a proven ability to work effectively within cross-functional teams
• Adaptability and tenacity in navigating ambiguity within a fast-paced, agile environment
• Experience with both product development and digital delivery

It’s a Bonus if You Have:

• Experience mentoring and/or managing people conducting multilingual research
• Experience in creating processes to foster and encourage an open and supportive culture of researcher collaboration
• Experience working with public servants, government agencies, non-profit organizations, and/or in local communities.
• Familiarity with trauma-informed practices, including secondary or vicarious trauma
• Familiarity with decolonizing research techniques and frameworks
• Experience with both qualitative and quantitative UX research
• Experience with opportunity spotting and project scoping
• Experience in speaking at community and professional venues about your work as a qualitative researcher
• Personal experience with the social safety net, justice system, or other mission-relevant government services

What You’ll Get

Salary:

Code for America’s salary bands are transparent as a part of our commitment to transparency and fairness. As part of our hiring practices, we aim to target the midpoint of the 2nd quartile of the range for all new hires.

Offer targets vary based on market / geographic location. The offer targets for this role range from $128,945 to $157,850, annually.

Benefits and Perks:

Values:

• Leadership and teammates who share a strong work ethic and values, and who respect and care for one another
• A collaborative, cross-functional, hardworking, and joyful environment

Employee Enablement Support:

• Laptop provided
• $700 remote environment setup; $200 stipend and up to $500 reimbursement, in accordance with our equipment policy
• Cell phone and/or internet reimbursement of $50 per month

Professional Development:

• $1000 annual (per calendar year) stipend towards professional development; prorated at time of hire
• Up to $1000 of professional development funds can be rolled over each year, up to a maximum of $2000

Retirement & 401k Plans:

• Employees under 3 years are eligible for a 100% employer match of up to 3% of employee contribution
• Employees with 3+ years are eligible for an additional 50% employer contribution over 3%, to a maximum of 5%

Medical:

• Full benefits package with options up to 100% coverage toward select medical, dental, and vision plans
• Employer contributes up to 80% of the cost towards dependent and family coverage

Remote Work:

• Code for America employees may work remotely across the US
• Code for America employees main residence must be within the US
• Full-time employees work 40 hours per week, Monday - Friday
• Collaborative working hours: we aim to hold all internal meetings between 10 AM - 3 PM PT. We expect all Code for America staff to be available during these set working hours

Time Off:

• Open personal time off, a minimum of 16 paid holidays, and an org-wide closure from Christmas Day through New Year’s Day
• Paid sick time; up to 96 hours annually
• Competitive paid parental and family leave
• 4 weeks of paid sabbatical after 4 years of service, with an option of up to 4 additional weeks of unpaid time away

Equal Employment Opportunity:

Code for America is an equal opportunity employer. Applicants will not be discriminated against because of race, color, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, religion, national origin, citizenship status, disability, ancestry, marital status, veteran status, medical condition or any protected category prohibited by local, state or federal laws.

Code for America Workers United:

This position is not covered by a Collective Bargaining Agreement between Code for America and Code for America Workers United, affiliated with OPEIU, Local 1010. The agreement was ratified on October 27, 2023, and is currently in effect.

#LI-MD1