Behavioral Research & Strategy Consultant

Appleseed is building a core team of seasoned behavioral strategists who are also skilled researchers and client partners. This is not an academic or theoretical role: our consultants deliver B2B client services, leading field-driven research and crafting human-centered strategies that stick. We work only with nonprofits and funders fighting poverty and/or protecting the planet. This role requires behavioral insight, leadership & storytelling ability, and a deep commitment to continuous learning.

We are seeking to fill a full-time Core Team role with significant ownership and influence in shaping Appleseed’s craft and culture. This opportunity begins with a ~4-month freelance project to explore mutual fit.

Role Type: Full-time (starting as Freelance Consultant)

 

 

• First Project Location, Start Date, Duration, & Fee: See upcoming project briefing below

 

 

• Core Team Salary Range: $87,000–$122,000 (growth potential to earn >$152,000)

 

 

• Work Week: 4-day week; Thursdays off

 

 

• Benefits: 30 additional PTO days (178 annual workdays vs. global average of 225-244), paid international travel, stipends for workspace, professional development, and if needed, healthcare.

 

 

Feel free to apply even if you are unavailable for a project immediately. We'd be happy to explore a fit now, so when the right project opportunity comes up, we can team up with no delay!

Who We’re Looking For 🦸

We want senior generalists who combine analytical sharpness, strong communication, and field fluency. Specifically, people who can:

• Apply behavioral frameworks to real-world problems in clear, actionable ways
• Lead research in unpredictable, low-resource contexts with composure and agility

• Diagnose root causes and craft strategic recommendations that land

• Turn messy insights into crisp, persuasive narratives clients can rally around

• Manage and build trust with clients as true partners

• Work independently and collaboratively across time zones
• Adapt quickly, lead calmly under stress, and foster team resilience

 

We especially want to hear from those who have played roles like:

• Communications strategist or insights lead in mission-driven orgs
• Narrative strategist or messaging lead in social campaign
• Behavioral or UX researcher with in-field experience
• Co-founder of a startup that achieved product-market fit

In this round we’re especially eager to meet people with proven strength in field-based research, behavioral diagnosis and strategy, or storytelling — even if your title has never said “design.”

The Role: What You'd Do

As a Behavioral Researcher, Strategist, and Client Partner, you’d be responsible for:

• Field research: Leading or supporting in-depth field research in low-resource settings using immersive qualitative methods (contextual interviews, observation, journey mapping, shadowing, co-creation sessions)
• Synthesis: Synthesizing motivators and barriers into behavioral diagnoses using Appleseed’s methodology, similar to COM-B, EAST, CBSM, or Fogg
• Deliverables & Storytelling: Crafting clear, persuasive, narrative-driven strategy deliverables — including frameworks, visuals, decision-making tools, and client playbooks; and telling stories that move clients to act and help them align their teams
• Intervention design: Designing interventions ranging from messaging to org change, habit formation, environment design, product and service design, and more.
• Client success: Guiding clients through insights, ambiguity, and hard choices, acting as a genuine thought partner; Building long-term client relationships based on trust and candor
• Team and project management: upholding Appleseed's values and ensuring clear, on-time, on-budget, and impactful delivery with yourself, teammates, and freelancers

• Internal leadership and learning: Contribute to Appleseed’s evolving craft, methods, and culture

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ABOUTAPPLESEED

🌍 Appleseed is a behavioral agency for global development. We are obsessed with one big problem across the sector: important solutions failing to stick.

Our clients are fighting to end poverty or protect the planet. When they struggle to engage people or drive uptake of a service, product, or idea, they and/or their funders will put us on the case. Appleseed consultants dive deep—taking an ethnographic approach to investigate the challenge and uncover human insights. Then we help our clients design accordingly and bring about changes required for impact.

We envision a day when all impact organizations design purely based on people’s needs and realities. We partner only with nonprofits and funders who seek to preserve human dignity as they go about fostering change within communities.

For more information, please check the Link: Behavioral Research & Strategy Consultant

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