Senior Research Associate, Education And Skills

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.

Our Education and Skills research group is seeking a Senior Research Associate to join its team.

Our Ideal Candidate… will be an experienced researcher and communicator who has a deep understanding of business, academia, government, and public policy issues related to education and skills, and can convey insights to a variety of audiences. They will have the ability to think strategically and respond quickly to multiple priorities and deadlines in a concise and compelling way. In this role, you will be expected to conceptualize strategic research issues, manage, and conduct major research projects utilizing your experience with qualitative and quantitative research methodologies, and produce high quality written work, leveraging your communication skills. Overall, the successful candidate will be part of a professional research and convening team and will undertake integrated, non-partisan, and compelling 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. Having a home office environment that provides for a productive, professional, and safe work environment during regular working/business hours is a requirement of this role.

About the Role

Some of the things you will do every day:

• Play an active role in business development by contributing to securing funding for research projects, and engaging executives and senior leaders to identify possible projects or opportunities for them to join one of our Executive Networking Councils or Research Centres.
• Commitment to producing high quality work and demonstrating professional values in all aspects of work and interactions with colleagues and customers.
• Produce high quality, well written research reports, executive summaries, articles, and proposals.
• Analyze and quickly translate complex research results into key messages for senior executives and decision makers; write high quality, easy-to-read reports and media-friendly articles.
• Manage projects to ensure deliverables are on-time, within budget and meet client expectations.
• Undertake research projects of varying complexity.
• Conduct research applying advanced quantitative research techniques and/or appropriate qualitative methodologies.
• Become familiar with Conference Board research in immediate and related knowledge areas.
• Deliver excellence in product and customer service.
• Conceptualize new research opportunities and projects.
• Speak with authority, providing insights to customers through presentations at conferences and business meetings.
• Lead, manage, and contribute to research projects of varying sizes, scopes, and complexities.

About You

Required Skills and Qualifications:

• Master’s degree or PhD in the humanities, social sciences, or a related discipline.
• Bilingualism would be an asset.
• Ability to translate complex research findings into concise reports and products.
• Experience using SPSS, NVIVO, or other statistical analysis programs.- Strong project management skills.
• Ability to travel in Canada and internationally when it is safe to do so
• Substantial experience and in-depth knowledge of economic or public policy research on a broad range of education and skills themes.
• Ability to communicate research findings to all levels of internal and external stakeholders and audiences.
• Demonstrated understanding of quantitative and qualitative research methodologies including literature reviews, interviews, case studies, surveys, and quantitative data analysis.
• Outstanding interpersonal skills, including the ability to communicate effectively with internal and external stakeholders at all levels.
• 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.
• Ability to write clearly, concisely, and quickly; published work would be an asset.
• Minimum of six years’ experience in a professional research environment with responsibility for handling complex projects from inception to completion.
• Proficiency in the use of computers in an MS Office environment and experience with statistical software for time series analysis.

At CBoC, we believe that putting People First is key to our success and attracting the best people. We are committed to providing a supportive and inclusive work environment where everyone can thrive and we are proud to offer a comprehensive benefits package that includes:

• Healthcare benefits from Day One to support your physical and mental wellbeing, including a $1,000 benefit for Psychologist, Social Worker or Psychotherapist services
• Employee Family Assistance Program (EFAP): We understand that life can be unpredictable and challenging and EFAP supports you and your family during difficult times.
• Maternity and parental leave top-up plan
• Virtual First – work from home anywhere across Canada with a budget to set up your home office
• Work/Life Balance: In addition to 20 days annual vacation, we close between Christmas Day and New Year’s Day, observe 13 holidays per year and offer Friday afternoon closures during the summer months
• A modern, defined benefit (DB) pension plan: We care about your future and offer a pension plan with a 5% match from Day One

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.