Research and Policy Team Lead
Proposed Position Title: Research and Policy Team Lead
Position Type: 0.5 to 1.0 FTE (negotiable)
Salary Range/Rate: $30-$40/hr, based on experience, education and other applicable factors. Benefits package available, Bird portion of coverage dependent on final position type.
Reports to: Principal consultant and other directors when necessary.
Location: Alberta-based – Current team members are mostly based around Calgary and Edmonton, but we’re not urban snobs, so apply if you’re interested, wherever you call home!
We all work remotely, so access to a reliable computer and internet connection is crucial.
About Bird Creatives
We’re a creative industries consultancy. That might sound fancy, but our mission is simple: to deliver exceptional services and value through creativity, connection and collaboration. Bird Creatives get right alongside clients with their projects, their passions and their people. When they have a need, we’re the (multi-talented and innovative) friend to call.
We accomplish this through developing an in-depth understanding of our clients and their needs, engaging our extensive network of influencers and professionals, and utilizing our years of combined experience in the arts, stakeholder engagement, strategic planning, and project and event management. We also like to have fun.
As a small but incredibly agile team, Bird contractors and staff take on various roles at various times depending on project needs, which also creates opportunity for creativity within your role and exploration of new skills and diverse areas of work.
Our Values – C.R.E.A.T.I.V.E
Curious: We approach every project with a sense of curiosity. We are not afraid to admit that we don’t know it all and will always ask questions to find the answer. Explore, investigate, learn, and repeat.
Respect: We respect each other and encourage everyone to bring their perspective and see the opportunity to learn from each other. We create meaningful work by being respectful and collaborative.
Empowering: We are community-oriented and believe in empowering others because the more we share, the more enriched our communities will be. That’s why we celebrate individual contributions of our team members, and empower them to share their successes with others.
Approachable: We take our work seriously, but not ourselves. That’s why people find us approachable and fun to work with. Because without a sense of humour, life is just dull.
Team: We value the collective power of teamwork to find solutions and create success that is mutually beneficial to all. We can accomplish more, faster, and better by working together. Let’s see what we can do together!
Innovative: We like to imagine what is possible. We challenge the norm, take risks and seek solutions through creativity and innovation.
Vibrant: We strive for a work culture of openness, authenticity and diversity. We encourage candid feedback and are committed to always finding ways to grow and thrive with our team and clients.
Excellence: Our word is our bond. We hold ourselves accountable and seek excellence on every level.
Position Description
This position will be new at Bird Creatives, with a focus on developing a research portfolio necessary to advance various areas of the creative economy at the local, provincial and national level. This includes policy and strategy analysis, development, implementation and monitoring, and quality control (e.g., we don’t just suggest policy, we care about following up and tracking for success).
The position of research and policy manager will include management of research and policy projects (you see where we got the title, right?) in support of indicators and outcomes related to client-based work. Research may include environmental scans of various industries, strategy audits, identifying best practices, identifying measurables, data analysis and interpretation (e.g., of stakeholder feedback or industry statistics) and, of course, policy analysis. The ideal candidate will be confident and comfortable with processes for gathering and interpreting both qualitative and quantitative data. Outcomes may include implementable strategic plans, policy briefs, strategy road maps/tool kits, and progress reports for clients and community stakeholders.
Our projects occur at organizational, municipal and provincial levels. Projects will likely include working with other consultants and staff at Bird who specialize in marketing, community engagement, copywriting and event management. This means that effective communication is just as important as your strong analytical and writing skills.
Bird Creatives is humbled to work with many different creative industries and has been entrusted with strategy work across the creative economy in Alberta. We are passionate about ensuring our work is incredibly well researched, community-empowering (i.e., from part-time weekend weavers to major industry leaders, we gather the information and craft the strategies they need to enrich their lives and those of their neighbours), and effective (how many strategic plans have you read once and never had to consult again? Not so with us!).
The ideal candidate is… well, we don’t know who you are yet. We’re a wonderfully diverse and welcoming team, so we’re not going to ask you to fit into a box. If you find the above position description imposing, just know that we aren’t looking for perfection, we’re striving for excellence, together.
Ideally, candidates will have at least five (5) years related experience. Demonstrable experience around policy analysis and strategy development is an asset, but we’re open to conversation around your skills. We work as a team, so as long as you know your strengths and weaknesses, we can plan together how to best bring about effective policies and truly inspirational (and implementable) strategies. Let’s see what we can do together!
Some questions to ask yourself as you consider applying:
- What is your level of comfort creating a research plan and carrying it out?
- Can you set realistic parameters that allow you to do excellent work within designated budgets and timelines?
- Can you work on multiple projects simultaneously?
- Can you work with multiple stakeholders and manage expectations?
Interested candidates can submit a resume and cover letter to info@birdcreatives.com by midnight, September 16, 2022.
Please put the job title into the subject line, for example, I’m your next Research and Policy Team Lead.
A real human will reply within two (2) business days (we do try to take weekends off).
