Research Program Manager - Social Policy Institute, Washington University in St. Louis
POSITION SUMMARY:
The Social Policy Institute at Washington University in St. Louis seeks a research program manager with experience in behavioral economics or decision science.
The research program manager will spend the majority of their time assisting in the development and testing of multiple research initiatives, as well as managing the development, facilitation, and communication of these initiatives under the direction of Research Assistant Professor Stephen Roll.
The work undertaken by the research program manager will largely focus on the design, implementation, and evaluation of behavioral economics interventions in household finance- and healthcare-related settings, with an emphasis on the financial security and health outcomes of vulnerable populations. Oftentimes, these interventions will be field experiments conducted in partnership with industry, government, or nonprofit partners. These interventions may be conducted in both domestic and international settings.
The research program manager will be responsible for managing and directing daily activities between multiple research projects, which include meeting multiple deadline schedules and supervising staff.
The research program manager will also be responsible for coordinating communication efforts, cultivating strong internal and external relationships, participating in development activities for the Institute, and contributing to a positive and dynamic environment.
PRIMARY DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
Research and Writing
- Develop and manage key components of program and policy evaluations, including research questions, intervention design, research design, data collection and measurement, and data analysis.
- Maintain close communication and coordination with research partners concerning implementation of evaluations and engage in constructive problem-solving with research partners should challenges arise.
- Align research activities and products with deliverables identified through grant agreements and contracts, engage and communicate with funders and research partners concerning project progress.
- Conduct literature reviews and contribute to the identification of evidence-based best practices to inform policy and program recommendations.
- Lead the preparation of manuscripts for submission to peer-reviewed journals.
- Support research brief and other content creation efforts.
- Present the results of the research at high-level academic conferences and in practice and policy-oriented settings.
Project Management
- Manage the coordination of all project activities and oversee team and project timelines.
- Plan and coordinate high-profile stakeholder meetings as needed. Supervise staff associated with the projects, including project coordinators and research assistants.
- Work with vendors and consultants on pricing, project oversight, and timely delivery of project products.
Special Projects and Development
- Develop grant proposals and identify new funding streams.
- Under supervisor’s direction, work on special initiatives such as researching organizations, collecting materials, creating drafts, attending meetings, planning events.
- Assist in the organization of internal team meetings, including developing agendas and leading discussions.
Perform other duties as assigned.
Required Qualifications
- A Bachelor’s degree and three years of relevant project management or research experience.
- Experience managing and analyzing quantitative data using STATA, MATLAB, R, SAS, or similar software.
- Understanding of applied behavioral science or behavioral economics.
- Strong verbal and written communication skills.
- Program development and project management experience.
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience with dissemination and implementation research.
- Demonstrated experience in designing and implementing behavioral interventions and randomized control trials.
- Content area expertise on household financial and health behaviors, and familiarity with research on low-income populations.
- Experience working with and managing relationships with corporate or non-profit research partners.
- Excellent organizational skills, ability to manage multiple tasks, and ability to balance competing demands.
- Demonstrated familiarity with behavioral research.
- Strong interpersonal and communication (oral and written) skills.
- Demonstrated ability to work effectively with diverse groups, including faculty, staff, students, public affairs, and health and news organizations.
- Strong analytic skills and the ability to think strategically and programmatically.
- Ability to represent the projects and Principal Investigator effectively with scholars, students, and community groups.
- Ability to assess the amount of time required for a task and meet multiple deadlines.
- Highly organized with attention to detail in editing, record-keeping, and monitoring the progress of the study milestones.
- Strong ability to work under pressure to meet deadlines.
Salary Range
The hiring range for this position is $44,987 - $57,369 annually.
Pre-Employment Screening
All external candidates receiving an offer for employment will be required to submit to pre-employment screening for this position. Current employees applying for a new position within the university may be subject to this requirement. The screenings will include a criminal background check and, as applicable for the position, other background checks, drug screen, employment and education or licensure/certification verification, physical examination, certain vaccinations and/or governmental registry checks. All offers are contingent upon successful completion of required screening.
Benefits
This position is eligible for full-time benefits. Please click the following link to view a summary of benefits: https://wustl.box.com/s/8wkhs25yssf0775x9d6nd6vqa7obpth7
Applicant Special Instructions
The work will be mainly performed in an office at the Brown School. The position will have a private cubicle/carrel or an office shared with one other person. Primary work conducted in an office setting with travel locally, nationally, or internationally for data collection and dissemination. Work outside normal business hours may be needed. This position is supported through external grant and contract funding.
EOE Statement
Washington University is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, genetic information, disability, or protected veteran status.