8 Questions with Yaakov Malomet
In “8 Questions With…,” we share a brief Q&A with a staff member. In this edition, we hear from Yaakov Malomet, who joined Rosov Consulting as a Senior Project Associate in 2021, with experience in nonprofit management and public policy research.
1. What’s your area(s) of expertise and how has it been beneficial and led to success in your work?
My background is in nonprofit management and public policy research, areas that are often valuable in our work at Rosov Consulting. From past experience in managing small and mid-size nonprofit initiatives, I have a first-hand understanding of our clients’ motivations, needs, and contexts in which they operate. My experience in public policy research also provides an understanding of how to develop effective program goals and understand larger societal impact.
2. What experiences have led you into your current career path?
Prior to joining the team at Rosov Consulting, I was the Program Director at Jerusalem Culture Unlimited (JCU), a capacity-building organization serving arts and culture NGOs throughout East and West Jerusalem. At JCU, I helped local organizations design goals and measure their achievements, experiences that directly relate to our work at Rosov Consulting.
Prior to JCU, I worked as an independent researcher and a research assistant a think tank, where I developed skills and a passion for qualitative research, the process of discovering new insights, and applying them to projects in the field.
3. What do you like learning about most through your work?
Through our work at Rosov Consulting, we have the opportunity to meet and learn from communities all over the world. Each project is different and serves as a fascinating window into the needs, growth, and development of a different community. It is always exciting to encounter new and exciting initiatives seeking to address large communal and global questions.
4. What do you like most about working at Rosov Consulting?
I love working with the talented, committed, and brilliant team at Rosov Consulting. The staff is always working together to brainstorm new approaches, offer helpful feedback and constructive insights, and co-create valuable research and evaluation for our clients. It has been a great experience to collaborate with people who care so deeply about the content and the quality of their work and believe in the power of teamwork to achieve greater results.
5. What are some challenges of your work?
One challenge of our work is translating large ideas into practical research questions that can produce applicable findings. Our clients do amazing work and impact many different aspects of their communities. Our challenge is to examine the multifaceted nature of their programs, reach all of the people that they impact, and communicate the difference that they are making, as well as areas where they could expand further.
6. What have been the biggest changes in the field and/or your work specifically since you started?
One of the biggest changes in the field has been the increasing interest and appreciation for the role that research and evaluation can have in the nonprofit sector. More and more nonprofit organizations are seeking out applicable insights on their communities, programs, and ecosystems.
7. How do you think your job and/or the field might change in the next 10 years?
I think that the field will continue to include new voices and perspectives, and as a result develop better strategies and tools to understand, define, and measure “impact.” Impact on personal identity, social communities, or civil society can often be hard to pin down. As circles of stakeholders expand to include more voices, and more nonprofits seek out these insights, research techniques will be able to provide clearer and more specific answers.
8. What do you think is essential reading to excel in your field?
eJewish Philanthropy’s Daily Phil newsletter is a great resource in understanding current trends in the American Jewish nonprofit sector, as well as a great roundup of exciting research conducted by our clients and partners in the field.
