Senior Strategist, Insights & Intelligence

Senior Strategist, Insights & Intelligence About This Role Rational 360 is hiring a Senior Strategist, Insights & Intelligence to help build and advance the firm's research and analytics capabilities. This is a role for people who are intellectually curious, energized by emerging technology, and want to push the boundaries of how insights work is done in a high-stakes public affairs environment. The Senior Strategist will independently lead discrete workstreams across social listening, primary research, and emerging methodologies, with a particular focus on AI-powered applications including AI simulations and generative engine optimization (GEO). You will translate complex data into strategic insight for clients, help develop new service offerings, and contribute to a team culture defined by experimentation and rigor. This role is ideal for someone with two to three years of relevant experience who is ready to move beyond execution into independent problem-solving and client-facing work. About Rational 360 Rational 360 is a full-service strategic communications and digital company that helps organizations win in high-stakes public affairs, corporate communications, and reputation management. We combine data-driven insights, creative storytelling, and cutting-edge technology to deliver results for clients across industries. Our team is collaborative, entrepreneurial, and driven by impact. With a staff of approximately 120 and growing, Rational 360 is partially employee-owned and deeply invested in professional development, mentorship, and career advancement. Our teams work at the forefront of strategic communications, public policy, and media engagement across a wide variety of sectors. Responsibilities Research and Analytics • Lead media intelligence and social listening workstreams, designing Boolean queries, building dashboards, and synthesizing narrative and sentiment trends into actionable intelligence for clients • Design and execute primary research projects including surveys, focus groups, and in-depth interviews • Translate data across sources (social, survey, qualitative, secondary) into integrated insights that inform communications and public affairs strategy • Identify key findings and strategic opportunities proactively, flagging trends, risks, and shifts in the media and digital landscape relevant to client business AI and Emerging Methodologies • Build and iterate on AI simulation frameworks that model public opinion, stakeholder behavior, or message dynamics for client strategy • Apply and develop GEO approaches to understand and influence how clients' issues and messages surface in AI-powered search environments • Rapidly prototype new methodologies and research tools, evaluating their fit for client work • Stay current on AI applications in research, communications intelligence, and public affairs and translate that awareness into practical capabilities for the team Client and Team Contribution • Serve as a credible day-to-day research lead on client accounts, synthesizing findings and beginning to develop and defend strategic recommendations • Develop presentations and data visualizations that communicate complex findings clearly to non-technical audiences • Manage project timelines and vendor relationships to ensure on-time, high-quality delivery • Begin to coach and support junior team members, sharing knowledge and providing feedback proactively • Contribute to internal initiatives including methodology development, training, and new business proposals • Seek out feedback, embrace growth opportunities, and actively build skills across tools and platforms • 2 to 3 years of full-time experience in research, analytics, communications, or a related field; agency or consulting experience strongly preferred • Demonstrated experience with social listening platforms (e.g., Brandwatch, Talkwalker, Meltwater, Quid) and the ability to derive insight from unstructured data; backgrounds in other forms of opinion or consumer research are also of interest • Hands-on experience with primary research methods, including survey design, questionnaire drafting, basic programming, and data analysis; familiarity with qualitative methods a plus • Genuine curiosity about AI and a track record of experimenting with or applying AI tools in a professional context; experience with AI simulations or GEO is a significant differentiator • Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to distill complex information and present findings to clients with clarity and confidence • Comfortable with ambiguity; able to structure problems, prioritize independently, and iterate quickly • Strong attention to detail with the ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously • Proficiency in Excel; experience with data visualization tools (e.g., Flourish, Datawrapper) a plus Why Join Rational 360? Collaborative, mission-driven team environment Exposure to high-impact work across public affairs, communications, and digital Competitive compensation and benefits Hybrid work model with flexibility- this role will be required to adhere to our hybrid work policy which requires employees to work in-person from our HQ located in downtown DC on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. Salary range for this role is 68,500 to 79,000 USD annually. This role is not eligible for visa sponsorship. Applicants must be authorized to work in the U.S. without sponsorship now or in the future. Rational 360 is an equal opportunity employer. We value diversity and are committed to building an inclusive workplace.