Job Description

Senior Strategic Research & Communications Associate

Location: Washington, D.C. (Hybrid)

Type: Full-Time | Approximately five years’ experience required

CDM is hiring a confident and experienced team member who’ll help us build new research processes and capabilities to decode the communications chaos and develop strategic narratives that matter.

This is a hybrid role with a strong emphasis on research and strategy, paired with real-world communications execution. You’ll dive deep into policy topics, information integrity, emerging technologies, and the shifting dynamics of political and cultural power – and help us build the systems and capacities to regularly produce insights that shape compelling communications, briefs, events, and campaigns.

We don’t do traditional job descriptions because our work borrows from many different disciplines. But if you’ve got interesting, relevant experience, and are the kind of person who reads the news, questions everything, and figures stuff out faster than anyone else in the room – keep reading.

What You’ll Do

• Develop scalable, repeatable processes and capabilities to track and analyze key cultural, political, and policy trends – from climate to technology to democracy to industrial policy
• Recommend essential tools and services that we should be utilizing in our research work
• Lead highly insightful OSINT and social media monitoring research and analysis
• Write high-quality research briefs, memos, and strategic recommendations
• Feed into the production of communications for internal and external use
• Recruit and manage recent-graduate research associates to support with ongoing research tasks
• Keep operations running smoothly – managing your research team and contributing to the successful operation of the organization as a whole

Who You Are

• A capable researcher and clear thinker who thrives in fast-paced, ambiguity-filled environments
• Insatiably curious about politics, economics, sustainability, and how narratives shape power
• Comfortable toggling between undertaking research yourself and building systems and teams to do so – you can produce outputs on your own  and build the architecture necessary to produce research at greater scale
• Proven manager and team lead
• Confident working directly with senior leaders and external stakeholders
• Bonus if you’ve worked on comms campaigns, media production, research projects, or policy events

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree
• Approximately five years’ experience 
• Team management and recruitment experience 
• Highly organized and detail-oriented
• Strong critical thinking and communication skills
• Flexibility to travel or work non-traditional hours occasionally
• Willing and able to work in-person in Washington, D.C. three days per week

Benefits

• 401(k)
• Health, dental, and vision insurance
• Flexible hybrid work environment
• Mentorship and rapid growth potential

About CDM

We’re creative consultants and strategic storytellers who live at the intersection of message and moment. Our partners work on everything from climate to counter-extremism. Our job? Help cut through noise and shape culture.

We pair deep research with sharp writing and creative campaigns. We believe in bespoke solutions, human-centered narratives, and building a better future – one project at a time.

To Apply

Please send a resume, short writing sample, and a brief note on why this role excites you to  [email protected]

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