Data & Media Insights Lead
About MiddeskMiddesk makes it easier for businesses to work together. Since 2018, we’ve been transforming business identity verification, replacing slow, manual processes with seamless access to complete, up-to-date data. Our platform helps companies across industries confidently verify business identities, onboard customers faster, and reduce risk at every stage of the customer lifecycle.Middesk came out of Y Combinator, is backed by Sequoia Capital and Accel Partners, and was recently named to Forbes Fintech 50 List.About The Role: You'll own Middesk's data-driven storytelling for national media. This role turns real-time news cycles, government and fraud trends, and Middesk data into timely, credible insights that earn coverage in top-tier outlets.This is not a content marketing role or a PR generalist role. It's an investigative research and analytical storytelling role for someone who can read the news, spot where data adds clarity, conduct original research, and work closely with a data scientist to produce insights journalists actually want.Your output is clear: original data stories backed by rigorous research that land in national media and build Middesk's credibility in high-visibility conversations.What You'll Do: Original research & investigations: Lead deep, proactive research that uncovers novel insights, including:Filing and tracking Freedom of Information requests to surface public data others aren't usingResearching and synthesizing academic studies, regulatory filings, and government reportsInterviewing subject-matter experts, academics, regulators, and industry practitioners to build context and credibilityIdentifying emerging patterns in fraud, business formation, and enforcement before they hit the news cycleBuilding ongoing relationships with researchers and experts who can validate or challenge findingsData-driven media storytelling: Own Middesk's external, data-led media narratives, including:News-cycle-driven data insightsOriginal data analyses tied to fraud, business identity, and government trendsMedia-ready narratives, charts (in collaboration with our brand designer), and story anglesTranslate complex data into clear, defensible insights that journalists can quickly understand and trustNews cycle & trend intelligence: Proactively identify moments where Middesk data can add signal, context, or counterpoint to the public conversation. Be the first at the company to spot and react to:Fraud trendsGovernment enforcement actionsRegulatory changesHigh-profile cases and policy momentsBroader business and economic news tied to entities and identityPartnership with data science: Work in tight partnership with a dedicated data scientist to:Shape hypotheses based on news, research findings, and emerging trendsDefine analyses that are fast, relevant, and defensiblePressure-test findings before they go externalTurn raw outputs into clear storylines, headlines, and talking pointsMedia narrative packaging & pitching: Develop complete, media-ready story packages, including:Clear story angles and headlinesKey findings and takeawaysSupporting charts or data pointsQuotable context journalists can referenceCredibility & quality bar: Act as the final editorial checkpoint for all external data stories, ensuring Middesk earns trust through rigor and evidence. Do this by:Maintaining a high bar for accuracy, defensibility, clear sourcing and methodology, and non-promotional, insight-first framingEnsuring Middesk's data stories can withstand journalist skepticism, public scrutiny, and regulatory or policy-aware audiencesHow Success Is Measured: Media impactConsistent placement of Middesk data stories in national and top-tier outletsJournalists proactively referencing or returning to Middesk for data-backed contextResearch quality & depthOriginal insights that couldn't exist without your investigative workFreedom of information requests, expert interviews, and academic research directly inform published storiesTimeliness & relevanceMiddesk data is tied to active news cycles, not retrospective thought piecesStories feel timely, necessary, and additive to the conversationData credibilityInsights are quoted accurately and not walked backMiddesk is seen as a reliable and serious source, not a hype-driven commentatorInternal leverageMiddesk leadership relies on your work to respond quickly to breaking newsData stories reduce the need for reactive scrambling by creating a repeatable motionWe're Looking For Someone With: 8+ years in data storytelling, investigative journalism, investigative reporting, research, or insight-driven content rolesProven experience conducting original research including filing FOI/FOIA requests, analyzing public records, and synthesizing academic or regulatory sourcesExperienced interviewing academics, experts, regulators, customers, and subject-matter experts to build depth and credibilityProven experience turning research and data into stories that land in national or top-tier mediaStrong instinct for news value: you know what's interesting nowComfortable working closely with data scientists and questioning assumptionsClear, disciplined writer who can explain complex findings without oversimplifyingCalm under pressure and comfortable working on tight timelinesCalmly opinionated: you can defend narrative choices without being rigidMotivated by clarity, credibility, and long-term impact, not content volume or trends