Social/Policy Research Associate/Lead

At Voice of Commons, we welcome individuals who are passionate about leveraging their skills and creativity to advocate for the marginalized. If you believe your expertise can contribute effectively to our mission and support our partnering leaders, political parties, and like-minded organizations, we encourage you to explore this opportunity with us.

As a Social/Policy or Legal Researcher, you will play a critical role in producing high-quality, evidence-based insights to guide political strategy, legislative advocacy, and campaign direction. Your work will directly inform leadership decisions and contribute to amplifying the voices of marginalized communities.

You will collaborate with campaign professionals, policy analysts, and social leaders to craft research that is both actionable and rooted in academic rigor. This is a unique opportunity to influence progressive politics through thoughtful scholarship and strategic policy framing.

Key Responsibilities

• Conduct primary and secondary research on key socio-political, legal, and policy issues impacting marginalized communities.
• Produce detailed content pieces such as articles, briefing notes, legal memos, and policy reports to support party leadership and allied social movements.
• Analyze legislative developments and assess their implications for the state.
• Simplify complex academic and legal material into accessible content for use in campaigns and grassroots mobilization.
• Work closely with political stakeholders to integrate research findings into messaging, strategy, and campaign development.
• Identify emerging issues, risks, and opportunities within political and legal frameworks relevant to the organization's mission.
• Ensure methodological soundness, data integrity, and ethical standards in all research activities.

Qualifications Experience

• Bachelor's, Master's or Ph.D. or equivalent research degree in Law, Public Policy, Political Science, Social Sciences, or related disciplines, preferably from a reputed institution.
• 2-10 years of full-time or part-time experience in consultancies, research organisations, media or NGOs.
• Proven experience in conducting original research in social sciences, law, or public policy preferably in collaboration with think tanks, academic institutions or media houses. Journalistically exploratory work experience will be considered.
• Demonstrated ability to synthesize complex information into clear, actionable insights.
• Strong academic writing, policy analysis, and documentation skills.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and/or data analysis tools (R Studio, STATA, GIS) is desirable.
• Proficiency in Tamil and English is mandatory.

Additional Requirements

• Deep alignment with the organization's values of social justice, equality and democratic transformation.
• Ability to think beyond specific schools of principles and biases.
• Ability to work independently and manage multiple research assignments in a fast-paced environment.
• Willingness to communicate physically and telephonically with a wide range of stakeholders.
• Flexibility to work extended hours and travel across Tamil Nadu, based on campaign needs.

Disclaimer: This job posting & Location has been aggregated from external source. Role details, content, and availability are subject to change. Applicants are advised to confirm the latest information directly on the company website before applying.