Job Details
We re breaking the mold. SDK is a new generation of consulting firm that shapes the direction of policies, projects and systems. We do this by building public voices and transparency into the work from day one.
Our processes marry best practices of design thinking and change strategy with tried-and-true research, communications and public engagement know-how. Our individual products are deceptively, elegantly simple meeting designs; engagement processes; bold visuals; interactive websites and more. Yet we produce frames and strategies that fundamentally change how clients and people see issues.
SDK clients include high-profile projects and innovative agencies, foundations, nonprofits and more.
Mission: SDK helps shape the trusted, innovative public sector of the future through transparent processes, strong partnerships, true engagement and clear communications.
Values:
Lift Others. Creating inclusive and welcoming teams and projects means highlighting the positive contributions around us. Lifting our partners and team members. Contributing to lifting the communities we help serve.
Clarity is Kindness. SDK is a strategy firm that draws on the tools of process design, communications and engagement. We bring clarity to complex issues and help public voices shape direction. We speak with honesty and sincerity, and we expect the same in return.
Always Learning. SDK supports and informs diverse policy topics and agencies. We're always bringing smart questions and fresh eyes to every client-engagement. We're always learning and loving it.
Shine Bright. When we make great contributions, we're excited and unafraid to share that work. We love to make our partnerships and collaborations shine and ensure everyone wins.
Pace Setters. At SDK, we work hard, and we play hard.
Simplicity With Substance. Our work makes complex policy accessible, but we never talk down to people. We respect and value community knowledge and policy details, and our work thoughtfully bridges the two without getting cute or compromising quality.
Our aim is audaciously earnest: We do honest work that moves clients forward. SDK makes complex policy accessible to people and captures public priorities and perceptions in equally accessible ways. Then, we leverage the insights of community-informed research and our unique, customizable strategy process to shape what s next.
Are you the consultant we re looking for?
SDK is hiring a consultant to play a critical role in our growing team. This role is client-facing position. The person who will excel in this role earns trust and respect from people of all backgrounds, identities and experiences. You might be a great fit if:
- You are a person of impeccable integrity who earns trust and cares for relationships.
- You re never afraid to do the hard work needed to create great results and you ve got your own set of accomplishments to prove it.
- You write accessibly and clearly. You know great work is about the feelings we spark in others, not an exercise of ego.
- You re a team player comfortable working with executives and front-line staff, engineers and social workers, and everyone between. You own your expertise and bring out the best in the talents of others.
- You re comfortable navigating multiple agencies or organizations for one project to produce quality products everyone is proud to contribute toward.
- You understand that true solutions must be equitable and intersectional. Period.
- You think big and see around corners.
- You have your finger on the pulse of culture and know how to separate the signals from the noise.
About the Role:
This position is critical in the day-to-day operations of SDK and its clients. You will serve as the prime intermediary between assigned clients and the SDK team for implementing all project components. This position reports to the Founder and Principal Consultant and oversees project-related tasks of a diverse team to implement projects.
Specifically, this person will work on the following tasks:
Project Management (50%):
- Work with the company principal to translate client plans, engagement sequences and strategies into work plans
- Provide ongoing customer service to the clients, often operating within complex teams of multiple organizations, departments or across coalitions
- Prepare and manage an implementation plan and calendar for all project components, communicating needs and deliverables across the team, contractors and the client
- Collaborate with company principal to set project goals for assigned clients, and manage a team of individuals (most remote) on executing the approved work plan
- Provide clear direction to the team with discrete deadlines and ongoing motivation
- Ensure quality control and adherence to SDK standards for data and timeline tracking, contract compliance, reporting and related standards
- Work with Principal to help facilitate cross-sector or multi-agency meetings and guide shared decision making
- Prepare and organize notes from diverse stakeholder meetings. Work with Principal to distill notes into key themes, plans, strategies and action items
Research and Writing (40%):
- Distill information from focus groups, surveys, and other methods using SDK s customized tech stack and analysis methods.
- Work across cultures and languages to elevate community voices and distill key insights that change the way we see policy issues.
- Participate in stakeholder and opinion research by conducting interviews, drafting online survey questions and analyzing survey responses (filters and cross tabs), conducting media audits, and media / social media content analysis.
- Draft findings reports and design compelling visuals to illustrate strategic insights
- Contribute to conclusions and strategic recommendations
Help build SDK (10%)
- Contribute to business development by drafting proposals
- Draft articles, presentations, newsletters or other materials that illustrate SDK s intersectional and innovative approaches and impact
- Recommend system improvements, detail processes, and coach team members to ensure that SDK always delivers impeccably
Must-Have Qualifications
- Strong organizational skills, managing multiple competing deadlines with attention to detail
- Minimum 5 years progressive experience in research (market research, qualitative interviews), communications, and/or community engagement
- Proven track record of distilling complex information into accessible formats without compromising content
- Deep commitment to contributing toward public trust through transparent, accessible and equitable processes
- Excellent writing skills, from in-depth reports to tweets
- Excellent customer service and attention to relationship-building
- Thoughtful diplomacy to successfully manage strong, passionate opinions in constructive ways and discretion to respect client confidentiality
- Comfort using and leveraging technology to manage projects, tasks and workflows
- Bachelor s degree in Sociology, political science, public policy, public health or other fields with attention to systems-thinking and the human condition.
Even Better If You Have:
- Knowledge of Minnesota state and local government structure and culture
- Master s degree in public policy, public health, social work (community-oriented) or similar field with attention to the human condition.
- Advanced research and data visualization skills, such as ArcGIS or statistics software
- Experience with Microsoft suite, customer relationship management technology, online facilitation tools, and project management software.
Compensation
We expect this role to pay approximately $80,000 per year (range of $70,000 to $90,000 DOQ), including profit-sharing bonus structure, based on work plan and business benchmarks. This is a results-oriented role. The role provides a flexible paid vacation/ holiday/ safe and sick time, and a health insurance stipend.
Want to Apply?
Great! We re excited to hear from you.
This position requires impeccable attention to detail. Please follow instructions exactly.
- Send an email to ...@SDKcommunications.com
- Include three items: Resume, an amazing writing or project sample, and links to relevant social media (e.g. LinkedIn, blogs, Twitter)
- In the body of the email provide a brief (5 sentence) statement about why you re primed to excel in this role from day 1.
- Deadline for Applications is June 15th.