SOMO, Corporate Researchers

Are you looking for a job in a dynamic and international organisation? Are you a curious person who loves to disentangle complex information and make it understandable? Are you committed to address corporate power and fight for social justice? Then we are looking for you!

SOMO (Centre for Research on Multinational Corporations) is currently looking for a senior and a junior corporate researcher. These two roles will work primarily on an exciting new initiative that aims to support civil society organisations from around the world that work on social, ecological and economic justice. The researchers will also support SOMO’s own strategic research projects. 

About SOMO

SOMO investigates multinationals. Independent, factual, critical and with a clear goal: a fair and sustainable world, in which public interests outweigh corporate interests. We conduct action-oriented research to expose the impact and unprecedented power of multinationals, to promote fundamental changes in our economic system, and to stop and reverse the harms done by multinationals. Cooperating with hundreds of organisations around the world, we ensure that our information arrives where it has the most impact: communities, courtrooms, civil society organisations, media, politicians and more.

In recent years, SOMO has grown from a small-scale organisation to a non-profit organisation with about 35 employees who work to contribute to a fair, just and sustainable world. The majority of SOMO’s staff work from our Amsterdam office, and collaborate with partners across all regions of the world.

The work culture at SOMO can be described as open, democratic and informal. Employees are involved, passionate, and focused on collaboration. People are ambitious, critical, talented with a drive to contributing to a fair and just world.

Structure

SOMO is organised in three departments (Advocacy & Communications, Programmes and Operations). Each department is represented in the Management Team.

The two corporate research posts will be part of the programmes department which is organised in project teams and expertise teams. The strategic projects conduct research on economic systems, sustainable supply chains, harmful business strategies, climate justice and big tech. SOMO hosts and participates in several national and international NGO networks. The new corporate researchers will join the corporate research team.

Job description and purpose

For the senior post, SOMO is looking for an experienced corporate researcher with proven expertise investigating multinational corporate structures, including capital and ownership structures, business operations and finances. Experience analysing corporate reports and filings is vital.

The senior corporate researcher is expected to investigate companies by making use of specialist databases and open source data, corporate and media reports, as well as shareholder and subsidiary filings. You must be able to think out-of-the-box in using available data in the best way and preferably can deal with larger data sets. Your corporate and financial literacy is already established and you feel comfortable questioning, analysing and interpreting financial reports. You are skilled at making opaque and complicated issues clear and concise, with ease. Communication and the ability to cooperate and work in a team is essential, but you will also be independent, organized, take initiative and be a self-starter. While you should understand the context, history and purpose of the specific research request, you must be able to stay focused on your specific research questions and your specialized role in problem solving, gathering evidence, or interpreting and relaying findings.

We expect the junior position to grow into their role, but to start we are looking for someone who has the ability, skills and motivation to become a strong corporate researcher. Some corporate and financial literacy is necessary, as is being a good team player.

Main responsibilities

• Carry out research on structures (corporate, capital, ownership), supply chains, corporate finances and business operations, using specialist databases and open source data, company filings, as well as corporate and media reports, to support a range of SOMO and partner projects 
• Work with partners to formulate their needs into concrete and feasible requests for corporate research
• Follow up on requests with data, evidence, and analysis and in some cases, recommendations, in clearly written, properly sourced and thorough text
• Develop, track and share new corporate research methods Generate and use corporate research data to develop data visualisation tools and to write content that is focused on achieving the goals of SOMO’s strategy
• Generate research and research methods that can contribute to strategic litigation and advocacy for legislative or policy change, where appropriate.

Key skills and experience

*For the junior researcher post SOMO will consider applicants that do not meet all the criteria below.

• A graduate or post-graduate qualification in a relevant field or work experience that has generated a similar knowledge level
• Substantial experience in carrying out technical research on companies, including on their structure and finances and an ability to critically analyse business operations
• Experience in working with partner organisations in a collaborative way
• Proven research, writing and analytical skills
• Experience in working with data tools, large data sets, and/or data visualization approaches.
• Good understanding of corporate actors and civil society actors working on corporate power
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
• Excellent speaking and writing skills in English, other languages are an asset
• A strong team player able to work with a dynamic team of colleagues within and outside SOMO

We offer

• An exciting and challenging position within a national and international network.
• An informal and dynamic work environment with the opportunity to undertake new initiatives.
• We initially offer a one-year contract of 32 to 36 hours a week (0.8-0.9 fte), with the intention to make the contract permanent after this year.
• A gross monthly salary between €3.750 and €5.039 for a junior, and €4.050 and €5.878 for a senior, based on 40 hours a week, depending on experience.
• A good holiday scheme, holiday pay, good pension and additional end of year bonus payment.
• Good education possibilities.
• Location: Amsterdam preferred; possibly open to locations within the EU.

Interested?

Please send your application (your letter of interest and CV in English, with one example of a publication you have authored, by e-mail before 24 March 2023. Candidates should be prepared for interviews taking place in the first two weeks of April.

For further information about the position, please contact Irene Keizer, I.Keizer@somo.nl

SOMO believes in the power and necessity of a diverse and inclusive organisation. We are striving for more diversity and better representation of people with different backgrounds in our team.