Working Title: Associate Director for Applied Research and Evaluation, DCA – Operations, Research, & Advancement

Duke Job Title:  Administrative Manager

 

Occupational Summary:

The Associate Director for Applied Research and Evaluation is responsible for the development and implementation of the applied research agenda around five focus areas, which undergirds a digital data platform. This position will require the successful candidate to work closely with all units within the Duke Office of Durham and Community Affairs (DCA), and the DCA senior team and engage with a cadre of university, health system, and community partners. This position will assist in providing direction, supervision, and coordination of Duke’s Strategic Community Impact Plan’s (SCIP) five focus areas for targeted dissemination: Housing – housing affordability and infrastructure; Education – early childhood and school readiness; Employment – college and career readiness; Health – food security and nutrition; and Community – nonprofit capacity.

 

The Associate Director will be expected to manage and supervise DCA’s major quantitative and qualitative applied research and evaluation grants and projects from inception to publication and dissemination. The ideal candidate will have expertise in at least one of the SCIP areas of focus and have a background in designing applied research programs and conducting evaluation studies using mixed methods approaches, leading or coordinating complex research projects, and working in a collaborative setting. In addition to managing the office’s applied research endeavors, this position may also participate in select research projects. The ideal candidate will also have experience conceptualizing and preparing briefs, reports, articles, and grant proposals and responding to requests for research-based information. The Associate Director of Research will supervise and mentor a team, inclusive of undergraduate- and graduate-level community applied research assistants.

 

Work Performed:

Develop and implement an overarching vision for an applied research and evaluation agenda for the team aligning with the SCIP and mission of the office. Supervise and coordinate major quantitative and qualitative applied research and evaluation of grants and projects, from inception to dissemination of knowledge on the digital data platform. Supervise and mentor the research team consisting of full-time and bi-weekly staff and student interns. Design, manage, and execute large multi-phase research projects across the SCIP focus areas and relevant to DCA’s mission in collaboration with DCA units, and campus and community partners. Complete and interpret quantitative and statistical analyses on archival data sets. Collaborate with the Program Director for Partnerships and Technical Operations to develop evaluation frameworks, methodologies, and data collection tools, especially for the digital data platform. Collaborate with the Associate Director for Advancement to develop evaluation metrics and reporting processes for community grants and sponsorships. Build trusted relationships with campus and community partners and stakeholders by providing high-quality research support. Prepare research and evaluation reports summarizing key findings, conclusions, recommendations, and best practices. Share knowledge and understandings of community assets and community-identified needs. Provide training and technical assistance to internal staff, campus partners, and community partners. File and manage IRB applications. Present and publish research findings on the digital data platform and to other internal and external audiences/ Perform other duties as may be deemed necessary.

 

 

Minimum Required Qualifications:
 

Education/Training

Work requires analytical, communications and organizational skills generally acquired through completion of a master’s degree program.
 

Experience

Work requires knowledge of both statistical analysis and interpretation generally acquired through at least four years of relevant experience or an equivalent combination of education and relevant experience.

 

Preferred Qualifications:

 

Education/Training

Seeking a PhD or equivalent doctoral degree in computer science, economics, public health, neuroscience, political science, psychology, statistics, sociology, criminal justice, public policy, or another relevant field.
At least three years of experience in research/data analysis or related position, post-graduation from a PhD program. In addition:

 

Deep knowledge of, and experience with quantitative research methods and statistical methods including R or equivalent program/ language (like Stata, SAS, ArcGIS, or Python) to analyze complex datasets. Experience documenting and organizing code to facilitate reproducibility. Strong knowledge of, and experience with, social science research methods, including survey methods, and other quantitative research methods. Self-starter, able to define and initiate new projects and manage multiple projects with competing deadlines. Proven record of primary responsibility for managing and authoring major quantitative research reports and publications. The desire to work with a diverse team and a commitment to racial and social justice, as well as to principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion. Advanced proficiency with Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint. Excellent written and oral communication skills, strong presentation skills, and a strong desire to work in a collaborative, team-oriented environment. Ability to travel occasionally. Experience supervising and mentoring a research team. Familiarity with more than one statistical method. Familiarity with University IRB procedures. Knowledge of, and experience with, qualitative research and/or legal research methods. Experience with graphic/visualization programs.
 

Skills and Abilities

Strong experience within communities, community-based and grassroots organizations, volunteer/committee work, neighborhood or faith groups/councils/committees. (Can be a professional or volunteer role). Experience in community-engaged research and participatory methods. Knowledge of ethical considerations in community-engaged research. Cultural competency and respect for diverse communities. Written and presentation skills communicating data and statistical concepts to audiences comprised of campus partners, community partners and stakeholders with varying data-and statistical fluency. Strong familiarity with social science research methods and analyses. Excellent customer service and diplomacy skills. Willingness to address issues and take ownership, knowing when and how to escalate issues and concerns. Ability to work both collaboratively and independently on data cleaning and basic analysis. Strong attention to detail. Skill with highly organized data storage and documentation techniques that promote transparent documentation, collaboration, access, and reproducibility.

 

Application Documents:

Thoughtful Cover Letter (required) Resume (required) Professional References (3) (required)

 

Duke is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer committed to providing employment opportunity without regard to an individual's age, color, disability, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or veteran status.

 

Duke aspires to create a community built on collaboration, innovation, creativity, and belonging. Our collective success depends on the robust exchange of ideas—an exchange that is best when the rich diversity of our perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences flourishes. To achieve this exchange, it is essential that all members of the community feel secure and welcome, that the contributions of all individuals are respected, and that all voices are heard. All members of our community have a responsibility to uphold these values.

 

Essential Physical Job Functions: Certain jobs at Duke University and Duke University Health System may include essential job functions that require specific physical and/or mental abilities. Additional information and provision for requests for reasonable accommodation will be provided by each hiring department.

 

Minimum Qualifications

 

 

Education

Work requires a general business background generally equivalent to a bachelor's degree in a business-related field.

 

Experience

 

Work requires 4 years related business or administrative experience functions. acquire competence in applying general personnel practices, accounting and budgeting principles and coordination of major administrative A master's degree in a business-related field may be substituted for 2 years experience or an equivalent combination of education and relevant experience.

 

Duke is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer committed to providing employment opportunity without regard to an individual's age, color, disability, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or veteran status.

 

Duke aspires to create a community built on collaboration, innovation, creativity, and belonging. Our collective success depends on the robust exchange of ideas—an exchange that is best when the rich diversity of our perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences flourishes. To achieve this exchange, it is essential that all members of the community feel secure and welcome, that the contributions of all individuals are respected, and that all voices are heard. All members of our community have a responsibility to uphold these values.

 

Essential Physical Job Functions: Certain jobs at Duke University and Duke University Health System may include essentialjob functions that require specific physical and/or mental abilities. Additional information and provision for requests for reasonable accommodation will be provided by each hiring department.