Program Manager | Research Coordinator - Sutherland

Program Operations Manager / Research Coordinator

Sutherland Labs is an international team of researchers, designers and creatives who work with leading brands to improve everyday experiences.

A small but mighty design research practice in San Francisco looking for an Operations innovator with research chops to join our smart, creative and warm team. If running a remote diary study in two languages; executing a field study in a major city with wearable technology; or delivering on a multi-country recruiting strategy sounds like a thrilling challenge, we hope you’ll get in touch.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

A. Program Operations:

• Create, optimize and roll out processes and a toolkit to support our researchers, in collaboration with other team members. An innovative mindset and ability to get the most out of Monday, Dovetail and similar platforms is highly desirable.
• Act as a key liaison between project teams and our business manager, delivering a seamless experience for clients during the sales and contracting phase of engagements, while ensuring that legal, compliance and finance requirements are met on a timely basis.
• Maintain our processes and Knowledge System, and contribute to the development of documentation to aid the organization of research activities.
• Liaise with recruiters and project leads to ensure participant recruitment is on time and to budget. Coordinate multi-track recruiting strategies, including guerrilla methods and user research platforms, as necessary. Directly communicate, follow up with, or schedule research participants when necessary.
• Assist the process of estimating costs, writing proposals and drafting contracts. Play a key role in managing the production, review, execution and delivery of documents.
• Reconcile and process invoices to clients and for vendors. Help identify and vet suitable vendors and suppliers for all our research needs - from recruiters to local informants, to technology vendors. Help position us to stay on the leading edge of research innovation through vendor relationships. Oversee vendor relationships, from sourcing to onboarding, through to signing off on invoices.
• Manage resource plans and calendars.
• Monitor project expenditures and highlight savings opportunities.
• Help create support materials and develop a trauma-informed, accessible and human-centric experience for research participants and our staff through all aspects of their engagement with Sutherland Labs. Coordinate and analyze participant feedback on their experience.
• Ensure compliance with data protection requirements throughout the course of client engagements.
• Support hiring, onboarding and offboarding processes for research team members. Coordinate team-building activities.

B. Research Coordinator:

• Manage asynchronous data collection activities, e.g. diary studies and unmoderated research exercises, including participation in the planning and execution of analysis.
• Manage the sourcing, coordination and production of digital and physical research deliverables, including video production operations (editing skills not required), production of workshop materials, and research stimulus.
• Participate in research sessions and workshops as a technical concierge, co-facilitator, or note-taker. Help organize research notes, recordings, and other artefacts.
• Support in-context research and in-person workshops as a concierge, scout, or site coordinator.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor’s Degree; however exceptional candidates may instead have experience that serves as an equivalent.
• 3+ years of Research Ops experience; or a strong point of view on how your experience would contribute.
• Entry level or early career qualitative research experience is a plus; enthusiasm for the research craft is essential.
• An eye for detail, exemplary organizational skills, and a drive to continually improve operational processes.
• A willingness to get scrappy and roll up your sleeves on occasion (We’re a small, warm team who are passionate about our work). We are pleased to offer our team a time-off-in-lieu benefit in recognition that we occasionally work extended hours
• Strong verbal, written, and communication skills.

Additional information:

Role is hybrid - Must be based in the San Francisco Bay Area and able to attend our offices in downtown San Francisco at least 2 days a week