Senior Associate of Research and Education, Reproductive Rights

About the State Innovation Exchange

The State Innovation Exchange (SiX) is a 501(c)(3) policy, strategy, and resource center for progressive state legislators. We empower, embolden, and equip state legislators to build and wield progressive governing power by/with/for the people they represent. We do this by providing legislators with the tools needed to shape impactful public policy and build their capacity to lead with their constituents. We foster long-term collaboration between legislators- across chambers, across regions, and across state lines - and with grassroots movements. Our vision is an equitable, resilient, healthy, and prosperous future for every person in the United States, which is secured and safeguarded by progressive state legislators. SiX’s sister organization, SiX Action is a 501(c)(4) that works alongside SiX to build the capacity of state legislators by providing policy development, communications tools, and technical assistance.

About this Position 

The Senior Associate of Research and Education, Reproductive Rights supports the capacity and reach of the organization’s reproductive rights research portfolio. This position plays a central role in synthesizing and translating research and expertise from the public health, social science, and clinical fields and works closely with all members of the reproductive rights team to maintain regular communication of resources and engagement opportunities to SiX’s Reproductive Freedom Leadership Council (RFLC) members. 

A successful candidate will have a deep understanding of reproductive health, rights, and justice issues including but not limited to: access to abortion, Black maternal health, birth justice, contraception access, gender justice, LGBTQ+ rights, menstrual equity, pregnancy criminalization, and sexual health education. Familiarity with public health, social science, and clinical data sources and experience translating data to non-research audiences will be key to success in this role. The Senior Associate of Research and Education, Reproductive Rights will liaise with other departments across SiX to promote cross-issue collaboration. 

The Senior Associate of Research and Education, Reproductive Rights will be expected to travel to provide in-state technical assistance and trainings, legislator engagement, state coalition representation, and represent SiX at in-state and national events.

The starting salary for this role is set at $75,000; this starting salary is non-negotiable in compliance with our internal salary bands and commitment to equitable and just salary practices. In addition, SiX offers competitive benefits including generous healthcare coverage options for you and your family, life insurance, a retirement match, flexible schedule and a generous leave and holiday schedule. This is a full-time, exempt position. The

position is remote and open to anyone living in the continental United States. The position will require significant travel, on average 1-2 times a month, depending on COVID-19 travel restrictions.

Note: Research suggests that women and Black, Indigenous and people of color may self-select out of

opportunities if they don't meet 100% of the job requirements. We encourage anyone who believes they have

the skills and the drive necessary to succeed here to apply for this role.

Role Responsibilities 

All staff at SiX have personalized role responsibilities – the outcomes and impacts you are expected to deliver as part of your unique role within the organization. As the Senior Associate of Research and Education, Reproductive Rights you will report to the Director of Research, Reproductive Rights and be responsible for delivering on the following expectations in your day-to-day work:

1. Program Implementation - Scientific Research Content: Support the consistent integration of scientific research and clinical expertise into RFLC programming. Manage resource development with national partners- including both written, video, and other digital materials. Manage and maintain SiX Reproductive Rights online resource library. Provide research-related content for bi-weekly RFLC newsletter. Conduct initial literature and data review for state legislator technical assistance requests. Synthesize existing resources from the field for state legislators in the form of briefing papers, fact sheets, and blog posts. With support from the Director of Research, Reproductive Rights, supervise short-term research intern writing projects. 
2. Program Implementation- Research and Provider Network: Conduct background research to build out network and contacts in rural healthcare, maternal health, and the full spectrum of reproductive health provider spaces. Represent SiX Repro research team in existing and new coalition spaces as needed and identify opportunities to amplify RFLC legislators’ voices within them. Advance the organization’s reputation, profile, and brand with external stakeholders and at key events.
3. Program Implementation – Trainings and Convenings: Assist Director of Research, Reproductive Rights in coordination and execution of in-state, regional, and national trainings, strategic conversations, and other research portfolio-led legislator events. Coordinate with SiX partners and state legislators in addition to travel, venue, and catering contacts as needed. 
4. Program Implementation- Program Evaluation: Manage ongoing data tracking, maintenance, topline reporting, and program impact analysis for the RFLC and SiX Repro program- ensuring the participation of all team members. Support Director of Research, Reproductive Rights in meeting SiX org-wide monitoring and evaluation and SiX Repro funder reporting deliverables. 
5. Knowledge Management: Ensure all reporting requirements for your portfolio are met on time. Work collaboratively to integrate cross-state and cross-program activities. Serve as in-house research and data expert on reproductive and maternal health. Participate in SiX Repro and org-wide team meetings and retreats (both virtual and in-person). 
6. Organizational Alignment: In partnership with the Director of Research, Reproductive Rights ensure that the reproductive health team meets its organization-wide expectations about living our organizational values, practicing equity and inclusion, ensuring compliance with applicable rules and regulations, and achieving coordination and cohesiveness with SiX’s strategic plan and overall programmatic goals.

Core Competencies

All staff roles at SiX are grounded in a set of core competencies that are standardized across the organization based on the type of role you hold. As the Senior Associate, Reproductive Rights Research and Education you will be responsible for delivering on the following core competency expectations in your day-to-day work:

1. Equity and Inclusion. You have a demonstrated understanding of the role that racial, gender, economic, and other inequities play in our society and movement-building and demonstrate an ability to effectively collaborate across lines of difference.
2. Program Implementation. You are able to successfully execute the activities of your program/issue area(s) and contribute to the success of your team and the organization overall. 
3. Partner Engagement. You are able to cultivate and maintain successful and professional partnerships with external stakeholders in the implementation of your work. 
4. External Communication and Brand Management. You are able to advance the organization’s reputation, profile, and brand with key stakeholders. You possess excellent written and verbal communication skills. 
5. Knowledge Management. You are detail-oriented and able to support in the collection, synthesis, and dissemination of information about your team’s work, internally and externally. 
6. Financial Administration. You are able to provide timely, accurate financial information as needed to comply with all internal financial protocols. 
7. Fund Development. You are able to assist with securing resources for the organization. Upon request, you may be asked to participate in the design and implementation of funding requests. You may be asked to participate in fund development, both in writing and in-person, to targeted audiences.
8. Compliance. You are able to comply with relevant nonprofit laws and adhere to internal policies, practices, and protocols. 
9. Organizational Culture and Values. You are able to practice and uphold organizational values in your day-to-day and long-term work. You participate in creating a team culture that is productive, collaborative, and equitable.

Organizational Values

All staff at SiX are responsible for upholding our organizational values, which were developed collaboratively by all staff. These describe the way we strive to do our work together and the kind of organizational culture we want to build. As the Senior Associate of Research and Education, Reproductive Rights you will be responsible for demonstrating the following behaviors in carrying out your day-to-day work:

1. Equity and Inclusion. Actively practice our commitment to racial, gender, economic, and social justice. Demonstrate an openness to cultivating progressive, inclusive leadership and welcoming different learning and leadership styles. Seek and accept feedback about ways to strengthen your awareness and understanding of how to create more inclusiveness in your speech and behavior. Practice humility and continuous learning. Commit to repairing relationships with your speech or behavior has promoted inequity or exclusion.
2. Collaboration. Proactively build relationships with your colleagues and partners. Demonstrate respectful speech and behavior. Be honest, kind, and direct in instances of conflict. Adopt a stance of “having each other’s back.” Resist habits of individualism and competition in favor of turning toward and building with one another.
3. Accountability. Demonstrate the ability to own and achieve your responsibilities at work. Attend to both the results and the process by which you achieve your results. Pay attention to details, anticipate roadblocks, offer solutions, drive work forward, include relevant stakeholders when making decisions, follow through with delivering high-quality work on time.
4. Integrity and Trust. Do not withhold information but democratize knowledge. Acknowledge both your successes and your mistakes. Practice forthrightness, “saying the thing,” graciously giving and receiving feedback, and building your own skills and capacity as well as that of your colleagues.
5. Initiative and Tenacity. Take responsibility for your success and the success of your teammates. Demonstrate the ability to manage and successfully execute on the work in the context of a remote organization. Offer and seek answers and options proactively, in consultation with your supervisor, colleagues, and partners. Challenge implicit assumptions and create explicit agreements.
6. Flexibility. Embody a “getting to yes” attitude and a propensity for working through roadblocks, building consensus, and course correcting when necessary. Engage in continuous learning and reflection. Seek feedback. Apply your learnings to subsequent projects and responsibilities. Welcome change and seek ways to adapt to new information, people, and circumstances.
7. Innovation. Commit to learning and growing the organization’s work. Stay open to possibility. Greet new opportunities with curiosity and a sense of possibility and openness. Contribute to a culture that lets us grow, try new things, succeed (or fail), and learn from our efforts.

How to Apply

Interested applicants should submit a compelling cover letter and resume to jobs@stateinnovation.org. Please indicate you are applying for “Senior Associate Research and Education, Reproductive Rights” in the subject line of the email. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis until the position is filled. Priority will be given to candidates who apply by April 19, 2024.

The State Innovation Exchange is an equal-opportunity employer. We encourage people of color, women, LGBTQ folks, and immigrants to apply for open positions. We do not discriminate based on race, color, religion, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, national origin, age, marital, and/or veteran status, or any other characteristic or activity protected by federal, state, or local law.