Description
Location: Remote (U.S.-based required, with proximity to D.C. area, preferred)
Hours: Approximately 20 hours/week
Compensation: $30/hour (1099 contractor)
Reports to: Founder, Cohesion Strategy
About Cohesion Strategy
Pluralistic Systems Strategists
At Cohesion Strategy, we provide ecosystem intelligence, coordination, and evaluation for pluralistic initiatives.
We work with foundations, nonprofits, coalitions, networks, and movement leaders who are helping people navigate differences constructively and build stronger, more resilient communities. Because pluralistic change happens across complex systems rather than within individual organizations, our work helps clients understand the broader landscape, align key actors, and generate evidence about what is working.
Our mission is to ensure that Americans see and feel that working across difference gets better results—and lead with pluralistic solutions first.
We do that by helping pluralistic initiatives see the whole system, coordinate the right actors, and prove their impact.
What makes Cohesion Strategy different is that we invest heavily in understanding the pluralism ecosystem as a whole. While many consultants focus on a single organization, program, or methodology, we continuously track developments across pluralism, bridge-building, social cohesion, multi-faith and interfaith engagement, democratic resilience, civic engagement, depolarization, and related fields. We synthesize research, practitioner learning, field convening insights, philanthropic trends, and emerging initiatives to identify patterns that individual organizations often cannot see on their own.
This ecosystem-level perspective strengthens everything we do. It helps our clients understand where they fit within a larger landscape, learn from innovations occurring across the field, identify opportunities for collaboration, and make decisions based on a deeper understanding of how change happens within complex pluralistic systems.
About the Role
Cohesion Strategy is seeking a curious, analytical, and mission-driven Research, Evaluation, and Learning Associate to support both our client-facing evaluation work and our ecosystem intelligence function.
This is an ideal role for a recent graduate with a Master's degree in Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) or a related field who wants to apply rigorous evaluation and research methods to some of the most pressing questions facing pluralistic initiatives today.
The Associate will lead much of the day-to-day execution of evaluation and other research-oriented client projects while helping Cohesion Strategy maintain a deep understanding of the broader pluralism ecosystem. This role sits at the intersection of evaluation, research, field-building, and strategic learning.
Key Responsibilities
Percentages will vary as projects evolve.
Evaluation, Learning, and Research for Clients (Approximately 60%)
Evaluation and Learning:
Lead implementation of evaluation projects for clients across the pluralism, bridge-building, democracy, and social cohesion sectors.
Conduct Outcome Harvesting processes, including interview design, evidence collection, outcome formulation, validation, and reporting. (We will teach OH if necessary)
Design and implement monitoring, evaluation, and learning frameworks.
Contribute to evaluation proposals, methodologies, and scopes of work.
Develop surveys, interview protocols, focus group guides, and other learning tools.
Analyze qualitative and quantitative data and translate findings into actionable recommendations.
Draft evaluation reports, learning briefs, and client-facing deliverables.
Stay current on emerging approaches to complexity-aware monitoring, systems evaluation, developmental evaluation, contribution analysis, outcome mapping, and other relevant methodologies.
Help clients demonstrate and strengthen their impact within complex pluralistic systems.
Research:
Lead or support landscape analyses, desk research, survey or focus group methodologies for bespoke projects.
Clean and correct data.
Perform analyses and develop visuals or memos.
Research and Ecosystem Intelligence (Approximately 30%)
Support understanding of evolving ecosystem intelligence by:
Monitoring emergent research, publications, events, and conversations across pluralism, bridge-building, social cohesion, democratic resilience, polarization, civic engagement, and adjacent fields;
Attending relevant conferences, webinars, and other field convenings and synthesizing key insights;
Producing concise research memos, literature reviews, field scans, and executive briefings for the Founder;
Identifying emerging trends, evidence gaps, influential actors, and promising innovations within pluralistic ecosystems; and
Helping build Cohesion Strategy's understanding of the broader systems in which its clients and partners operate.
Thought Leadership and Content Production (Approximately 10%)
Edit and strengthen research papers, articles, reports, presentations, and other publications produced by the Founder.
Support the operations and marketing staff in development of public-facing thought leadership and field-building content.
Contribute original articles, blog posts, research summaries, or commentary pieces where appropriate.
Help translate research and evaluation findings into accessible insights for practitioners, funders, and field leaders.
Requirements
What We're Looking For
In addition to MEL subject matter knowledge, we’re looking for someone who brings:
Deep intellectual curiosity and a love of learning.
A commitment to understanding what actually works—not simply what is commonly assumed to work.
Interest in pluralism, bridge-building, democracy, social cohesion, civic engagement, or related fields.
A willingness to question orthodoxies and examine evidence critically.
Comfort working with complexity, ambiguity, and evolving systems.
Strong independent judgment about evidence quality and research rigor.
An orientation toward detail, organization and systems optimization.
Excellent writing, synthesis, and communication skills.
Self-starting initiative and a growth mindset.
You do not need to come from the pluralism field. We welcome candidates who are excited to learn, bring fresh perspectives, and contribute to strengthening the evidence base for pluralistic change. There may be opportunities to expand the role as the organization expands. To apply, email Julia Kemner at julia@cohesionstrategy.com using the subject line “Pick me for eval!”
Include your resume and cover letter, each named in the format Last Name First Initial – Eval Associate (e.g., Ralph A – Eval Associate).
Cohesion Strategy is an equal opportunity contractor. We welcome applicants of all backgrounds and do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. We are committed to building a team that reflects the diversity of the communities and perspectives essential to a healthy pluralistic society.
