Overview

Code for America believes government can work for the people, by the people, in the 21st century. We build open source technology and organize a network of people dedicated to making government services simple, effective, and easy to use.

Our employees build and transform government services, making them so good they inspire change. We merge the best parts of technology, non-profit, and government to help support the people who need it most. With a focus on diversity, equity, inclusion, and deep empathy for both government and the people the government serves, we’re building a movement of motivated change agents driven by meaningful results and lasting impact. At Code for America you will contribute to meaningful 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. Come help us drive real generational change that lasts.

ABOUT THE POSITION

We are looking for a Qualitative UX Research Manager to join our Safety Net team. The Safety Net Program aims to realize our vision of a modern, people-centered social safety net that serves all. We are on a mission to reimagine and redesign how every eligible person in America accesses and interacts with the social safety net (benefits programs like Medicaid, SNAP, TANF, WIC, and others). You can read more about the Safety Net program area on our website.

Our qualitative research team is established as the premier team in government technology and published Principles and a Qualitative Research Practice Guide which drive our work across Code for America.

As a manager at Code for America, you will manage multiple researchers on the Qualitative Research Team across our Safety Net portfolio and contribute to research team direction and growth. You will manage and mentor several researchers and define best practices for conducting research with respect and dignity. You will also spend the majority of your time conducting qualitative research in collaboration with cross-functional Safety Net Program teams.

The Qualitative UX Research Manager reports to the Director of Qualitative Research.

In this position you will: 

Management Responsibilities (40%)

• Manage 2-4 Researchers working within the Safety Net team: conduct weekly 1 on 1s, mentor researchers, assist with goal setting and professional development
• Collaborate with Research Managers to foster a collaborative, humble, and equity-centered qualitative research culture. Develop and expand our research practice and capabilities.
• Support the recruitment and onboarding of new members of the qualitative research team.
• Advocate for research needs by partnering cross-functionally with your peers in Client Success, Data Science, Design, Engineering, and Product.

Research Responsibilities (60%)

• Conduct qualitative research: build research plans, recruit participants, conduct research and analyze the results to provide clear and actionable insights to internal stakeholders and wider external audiences.
• Effectively and confidently use a variety of qualitative research methods including group facilitation, in-depth interviews, observations and quick intercepts. Understand which method to use to get the result you want and collaborate with qualitative UX researchers in the appropriate use of these methods.

Requirements

• You have 6 years+ experience as a UX Researcher.
• You have 2+ years of experience as a direct manager of qualitative UX researchers. This includes collaborating with recruiters to hire diverse candidates as direct reports, creating onboarding plans for new joiners, and conducting formal development talks with direct reports.
• Proven experience of creating strong qualitative UX research to influence and impact product development or service delivery.
• Ability to manage multiple high-priority initiatives, including early-stage product strategy as well as delivery of tactical and incremental product and service improvements.
• Ability to work collaboratively within a multidisciplinary team.
• Ability to work in a fast paced agile environment.
• A passion for our mission of making government services better for people who need them

You’re an ideal candidate if you have:

• Direct management experience in a matrixed organization
• Experience with both product development/digital delivery and agency models
• Experience in creating processes to foster and encourage an open and supportive culture of researcher collaboration
• Ability to conduct research in language(s) other than English preferably Spanish or Mandarin
• 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 in speaking at community and professional venues about your work as a qualitative researcher
• We strongly encourage individuals impacted by the criminal justice system (individuals with criminal records, family members of individuals with criminal records, etc.) or who have participated in social safety net programs (SNAP, welfare, WIC, Medicaid, etc.) to apply.

What you’ll get: 

Salary: 

Code for America’s salary bands are transparent internally as a part of our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. We are happy to extend this transparency during the recruitment process. As a part of our equitable hiring practices, we aim to target the midpoint of the 2nd quartile of the range for all new hires.

The targets for this role are dependent on the market/geographic location. The targets for this role range from ($128,945 – $157,850) 

Benefits and perks: 

• Values:
  • Leadership and teammates who value Equity, Inclusion, and Diversity (DE&I)
  • A collaborative, cross-functional, hardworking and fun environment
• Medical & Retirement:
  • Full benefits package with 100% coverage towards select medical, dental and vision plans and contributes 80% of the cost towards dependent and family coverage
  • 401k plan with matching funds up to 3%
• Professional development:
  • Bi annual 360 review process alongside compensation reviews
  • $1000 annual (per calendar year) stipend towards professional development
  • A manager and org-wide structure that supports and enables professional development
• Flexible Time:
  • Unlimited Paid Time Off policy
  • Flexible working hours- we aim to hold all internal meetings between 10 AM – 3 PM PT
• Employee enablement support:
  • $200 stipend in first paycheck for remote environment setup
  • Additional equipment reimbursement of up to $500 for remote enablement
  • Cell phone and/or internet reimbursement  of up to $50 per month

Equal Employment Opportunity: 

Code for America values a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace and strongly encourages women, people of color, LGBTQ+ folks, people with disabilities, members of ethnic minorities, foreign-born residents, and veterans to apply. 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.