Emerging Career Professionals Market Researcher (Contract)

Please note, this is a 12-month, 1099 independent contractor position.

Department: Orthodox Union – ECP (Emerging Career Professionals)
Location: New York, NY (Hybrid or Remote – U.S. only)
Reports to: Director, Emerging Career Professionals (ECP)
Status: 12 month contract 

Compensation: $32–$38/hour

About the Orthodox Union:

Each day, Jewish individuals around the world are positively impacted by the work of the Orthodox Union (OU)—through its array of religious, youth, social action, educational, public policy, and community development programs.

The Emerging Career Professionals (ECP) department is a new and innovative initiative of the OU, dedicated to empowering and supporting Orthodox Jewish young professionals. Through targeted programs and partnerships, ECP seeks to foster meaningful Jewish engagement, leadership development, and community connection in key cities across North America.

To ensure its long-term success and meaningful community impact, ECP is seeking a mission-aligned, data-savvy Market Researcher to guide program strategy and expansion through thoughtful, evidence-based insights.

Position Overview:

The Market Researcher will lead applied research and analysis efforts that inform where and how the Orthodox Union’s ECP department can best serve Orthodox young professionals. This includes assessing community readiness for new programming, evaluating the effectiveness of current offerings, and identifying trends in professional, social, and religious life that shape the young adult experience.

This position is ideal for someone passionate about Jewish community development, data-driven decision-making, and translating research into real-world impact.

Key Responsibilities:

Location Strategy & Community Analysis

• Identify high-potential Jewish communities for ECP programming by analyzing: 
  • Demographic trend
  • Community infrastructure (e.g., shuls, schools, housing, professional opportunities
  • Young professional population density and need
  • Cultural and economic factors influencing engagement
• Develop and maintain profiles of current and prospective ECP cities.
   

Program Research & Evaluation

• Design and implement research studies and program evaluations to assess the impact and effectiveness of ECP initiatives
• Create and distribute surveys, conduct interviews or focus groups, and analyze both quantitative and qualitative data
• Translate findings into actionable recommendations for program planning, adaptation, and growth.
   

Strategic Support & Collaboration

• Collaborate closely with ECP leadership and field staff to align research efforts with programmatic goals
• Present insights and data through reports, presentations, and visual dashboards to guide strategic planning
• Stay informed about trends in Jewish engagement, professional development, and generational preferences that affect program relevance and success.
   

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Social Sciences, Public Policy, Marketing Research, Jewish Studies, or a related field
• 3+ years of experience in applied research, market research, community needs assessment, or nonprofit program evaluation
• Strong skills in survey design, data analysis, and qualitative research
• Proficiency with tools such as SurveyMonkey, Qualtrics, Excel, and statistical software (e.g., SPSS, R, or Stata)
• Experience translating data into insights and presenting findings to both technical and non-technical audiences
• Strong organizational and project management skills, with the ability to manage multiple timelines
• Deep understanding of and sensitivity to the Orthodox Jewish community, and familiarity with the challenges and opportunities facing young professionals
   

Preferred Skills:

• Experience with data visualization tools (e.g., Tableau, Power BI
• Knowledge of impact measurement, quasi-experimental design, or theory of change approache
• Background in Jewish communal service or professional Jewish educatio
• Experience conducting both primary (surveys, interviews) and secondary (demographic, market) research
• Strong interpersonal skills, with a collaborative and consultative work style