Senior Researcher-Task Lead

Description

Vistra Communications seeks a Senior Researcher to support the Department of the Army’s Office of the Chief of Public Affairs (OCPA) and the Department of Defense (DOD) Public Affairs. The Senior Researcher will provide strategic research and insights to inform Army communication efforts across various media channels and community outreach activities. This role involves leading audience analysis, conducting comprehensive media research, and developing actionable reports for Army communication campaigns. The Senior Researcher uses advanced media analysis and social listening tools to provide the OCPA with data-driven insights, ensuring optimized messaging and impact across Army’s traditional and digital platforms. 

Primary Responsibilities 

Metrics Development and Campaign Analysis 

• Collaborate with communication campaign leads to establish, track, and assess appropriate metrics for evaluating Army communication efforts. 
• Recommend alternative communication strategies to improve message deployment effectiveness across Army-owned platforms and mainstream media. 
• Advise on and utilize industry best practices in communication metrics, including data from mainstream media, social media, and other digital platforms. 

Media and Social Media Monitoring 

• Analyze and monitor content on mainstream media outlets and Army platforms (e.g., Facebook, Twitter, YouTube) to optimize messaging and enhance campaign performance. 
• Provide expert recommendations to identify key Centers of Influence (COI), relevant media outlets, and social media influencers to support OCPA communication objectives. 
• Conduct detailed monthly analyses of traditional and social media performance, delivering a comprehensive report including thematic analysis, trends, tone, and engagement metrics. 

Comprehensive Data Analysis and Reporting 

• Utilize business intelligence tools to compile multimodal reports that assess media content and Army messaging effectiveness, ensuring both quantitative and qualitative insights are auditable and replicable. 
• Oversee monthly, quarterly, and annual communication assessment reports, integrating insights on short- and long-term trends to guide Army’s strategic communication planning. 
• Design a message map to visually depict the dissemination of Army narratives across social media, tracking demographic and geographic engagement. 

Database and Knowledge Management 

• Establish and maintain a robust database system for capturing, storing, and accessing communication-related data, ensuring usability for both human and machine analysis. 
• Archive all collected data to be available for up to three years, and manage efficient database access for other PAOs and divisions. 
• Collect, evaluate, and maintain a database of public opinion poll data from sources like Gallup and Pew Research, providing analysis and recommendations on relevant findings. 

Social Listening and Advanced Analytical Expertise 

• Oversee the use of advanced social listening tools (e.g., Sprinklr, Talkwalker, Meltwater, Google Analytics) to monitor and analyze social media trends, engagement metrics, and communication campaign buzz. 
• Provide periodic reports and in-depth assessments of social media performance, trends, and sentiment analysis to support OCPA’s strategic goals. 
• Maintain and manage a database of trends across all Department of Defense (DoD) digital platforms, including defense.gov, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn. 

Collaboration and Communication Recommendations 

• Collaborate with OCPA’s Strategy and Plans Division, Media Relations Division, Army Outreach Division, and Digital Media Division to ensure alignment on communication efforts and strategy. 
• Communicate findings and strategic insights to OCPA leadership, advising on adjustments to messaging strategies based on collected data and media analysis. 
• Produce weekly "Good News Stories" reports, highlighting positive coverage and stories to enhance internal and external communication. 

Additional Responsibilities 

• Maintain awareness of industry best practices, making recommendations for analysis methodologies, presentation formats, and visualization techniques. 
• Ensure all data, analyses, and reports are compatible with Microsoft Office Suite programs and prepared for streamlined access. 
• Provide analytical expertise on trends and alerts to OCPA leadership, with timely reports that aid in decision-making and response planning. 

Requirements

Education: Master with 5 years demonstrated social science or behavioral research experience. Degree in Communications, Public Relations, Data Analytics, or a related field. Advanced degree in Media Analysis, Data Science, or a similar field preferred. 

Experience: 

• Extensive experience in media research, social media metrics, and data-driven communication strategy. 
• Proficiency in using industry-recognized tools for social listening and media monitoring (e.g., Sprinklr, Talkwalker, Meltwater, Google Analytics). 

Skills: 

• Technical Expertise: Skilled in data analysis, visualization, and reporting, with experience using business intelligence tools. 
• Analytical Thinking: Ability to interpret complex data sets, producing clear insights to inform Army messaging. 
• Communication: Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to translate data findings into actionable recommendations for OCPA leadership. 

Additional Requirements 

• Proven ability to respond to evolving Army communication needs and deliver under strict timelines. 
• In-depth knowledge of Army and DoD communication policies, media landscapes, and trends in public opinion and digital communication. 

US Citizenship Required: Due to the requirements of the federal contract that this position supports, U.S. citizenship is required. Citizenship will be confirmed via I-9/E-Verify at the start of employment.