Research Team Lead; Volunteer

About Mentor A Promise

Mentor A Promise (MAP) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting children and youth ages 5–18 experiencing housing instability in New York City. Through mentorship, academic enrichment, social‑emotional learning, literacy development, and creative expression, MAP creates safe, consistent, and empowering spaces where young people can thrive.

Position: Research Team Lead (Volunteer, Unpaid)
Location: Remote and/or New York City

The Research Team Lead will lead the strategy, design, and implementation of MAP’s research agenda. This role will be responsible for overseeing data collection, analysis, and dissemination, ensuring research directly informs program improvement, policy engagement, and organizational growth.

The Director will collaborate with program directors, mentors, and external partners to generate actionable insights, build systems for monitoring outcomes, and publish findings that highlight the challenges and successes of students and families navigating housing instability.

• Develop and lead MAP’s organizational research strategy and annual research agenda
• Oversee collection and analysis of qualitative and quantitative data from MAP programs
• Design evaluation frameworks to measure program effectiveness and student outcomes
• Collaborate with program leaders (MAP Connect, MAP Roots, and others) to align research with program needs
• Produce reports, policy briefs, and presentations that communicate findings clearly to diverse audiences
• Ensure research supports grant writing, advocacy efforts, and external partnerships
• Supervise volunteers, interns, and fellows engaged in research and data analysis
• Maintain ethical standards in research, including confidentiality and data integrity
• Check and respond to emails daily; ensure all responses are provided within 48 hours
• Use research findings to recommend and implement organizational improvements

• Bachelor’s degree in education, sociology, public policy, social work, psychology, or a related field (advanced degree preferred but not required)
• Experience leading or contributing to research projects or evaluation initiatives, ideally in the nonprofit or education sector
• Strong analytical skills with proficiency in qualitative and/or quantitative methods
• Ability to translate data into clear, actionable insights for practitioners and policymakers
• Excellent communication and writing skills for professional and public audiences
• Experience supervising or collaborating with teams, volunteers, or interns is a plus
• Familiarity with housing instability, education equity, or youth development is a significant asset
• Commitment to equity, inclusion, and amplifying the voices of underserved communities

• Volunteer leadership role requiring approximately 5–10 hours per week
• Minimum 6‑month commitment preferred
• Remote‑first, with opportunities for in‑person collaboration in New York City

• Leadership experience in shaping the research and evaluation arm of a mission‑driven nonprofit
• Opportunities to publish and present findings that influence practice and policy
• Collaboration with a dedicated team of educators, mentors, and community partners
• Professional growth through mentorship, references, and leadership development
• The chance to advance equity and opportunity for children and youth experiencing housing instability

Interested candidates should apply directly through Idealist.

For any additional questions or concerns, please email us directly at hr
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Help lead MAP Research to turn data into action, insight into impact, and knowledge into opportunity for New York City’s most resilient youth.

Thank you for your interest in volunteering with our organization. At this time, our volunteer opportunities are limited to individuals who are based in the United States. This limitation is due to legal, safeguarding, data‑privacy, and programmatic requirements associated with our work. We appreciate your interest in our mission and your understanding of these constraints.