Who We Are:
SaverLife is a national nonprofit and advocacy organization using technology to improve the financial health of people living on low-to-moderate incomes. Through our fintech product, SaverLife supports our members in building financial health and savings, with a personalized user experience that includes financial content, savings rewards and incentives, trusted referrals, and access to a supportive online community. Leveraging our fintech product and research findings, we bring our members' voices and priorities into systems-level conversations to ensure current and emerging products, programs, and policies support their unique financial health journeys.

About the Role:

SaverLife conducts research in three areas: 1) Measuring impacts on members’ financial behavior and health of interventions through our app and platform; 2) Understanding members’ financial health, behavior, and decision-making; and 3) Understanding the structural and economic challenges members face to produce insights to support changes in public policies and industry practices related to financial health. SaverLife is recruiting for a Director of Research and Policy to help design, lead, and execute research projects in these core areas, write research reports, present research findings to various audiences, organize research procedures and results, and supervise team members.

 

This position reports to the Vice President, Research and Policy yet works with other teams including Communications, Marketing, and Product.

 

Responsibilities:

  • Independently lead SaverLife research projects, including supervision of team members, consultants, and/or contractors, and assist with the execution of additional research projects, including quantitative and qualitative data collection, management, and analysis (40%)

  • Write research reports and present findings to diverse audiences in coordination with the Communications team (20%) 

  • Develop research and policy strategy and ideas, and assist with research-related grant proposals and relationship building with research and policy partners (20%)

  • Provide overall project management and coordination with other SaverLife teams (10%)

  • Assist with developing research policies and procedures (10%)

 

Who You Are:

  • A strategic thinker who takes initiative

  • A competent and independent researcher.

  • Able to position research for real-world impact with a focus on policy change.

  • A team player, with qualities and abilities that allow you to work well with others during conversations, projects, meetings, or other collaborations.

  • Curious and creative.

  • Ambitious and energetic.

  • Highly detail-oriented.

 

What You Bring:

  • Masters degree involving research and statistics in a relevant field (e.g., consumer economics, economics, social work, public policy, behavioral science).

  • Three or more years of experience leading/managing applied research projects - including supervision of team members, writing reports, and presenting findings.

  • Ability to plan research and produce insights related to public policy and/or client/participant outcomes.

  • Proficiency in descriptive and inferential statistics.

  • Familiarity with and ability to use qualitative research methods.

 

Preferred qualifications:

  • Knowledge of and experience conducting research related to household financial health, behavior, and decision-making, and behavioral economics.

  • Track record of securing applied research grants.

  • Ability to communicate research findings to non-research audiences. 

  • Proficiency in multivariate analysis.

  • Experience using Stata and/or R.

  • Knowledge of and experience with machine learning.

 

SAVERLIFE EMPLOYMENT

At SaverLife, we are committed to a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace, and we provide equal employment opportunities for all applicants and employees. All qualified applicants for employment will be considered without regard to race, color, sex, gender identity, gender expression, religion, age, national origin or ancestry, citizenship, physical or mental disability, medical condition, family care status, marital status, domestic partner status, sexual orientation, genetic information, military or veteran status, or any other basis protected by federal, state or local laws. As part of our commitment to full inclusion of all qualified individuals, SaverLife will ensure that persons with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations for the hiring process. If reasonable accommodation is needed, please contact Kim Stott, Chief People Officer, at 267-303-7011 or kstott@saverlife.org.

This position can be located anywhere in the continental U.S. and is only open to candidates eligible to work in the United States. SaverLife is unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment visa at this time. Occasional travel is required.

Proximity to Washington DC is strongly preferred but not required. 

 

OUR OFFER AND SAVERLIFE BENEFITS:

  • This is a full-time exempt position with an annual salary between $120,000-135,000.

  • SaverLife is a remote-first organization. 

  • We offer a $50 per month internet stipend and reimbursement of up to $500 to set up a home office

  • We believe in work-life balance and are committed to keeping the workload in alignment with this value. We offer flexible work schedules and alternating Flex Fridays off.

  • Full individual medical, vision, and dental insurance. SaverLife also covers 50% of health benefits for employee families. 

  • Life and long-term disability coverage. 

  • Section 125 Flexible Spending Account (or HSA Account). 

  • 3 weeks of accrued vacation per year. 

  • 9 paid sick days per year. 

  • 11 paid holidays per year. 

  • 1,000 per year allocated for professional development. 

  • SaverLife 401K match of up to $6,000 per year.

Our Hiring Process and Timeline 

If this opportunity sounds perfect for you, please submit the following materials:

  1. A cover letter that describes your research experience and statistical and other quantitative skills in detail.

  2. A resume or CV.

  3. A writing sample no greater than two years old based on research you have conducted.

  4. Names and contact information (phone and email address) for three (3)  references who can speak to your research skills and experience and ability to work constructively with colleagues.

 

Applications will be screened on a rolling basis. Interviews will take place in November. If selected, a starting date of between January and February 2025 can be negotiated.