Senior Health Care Research Expert and Technical Project Director (Senior Associate)

World at Abt

Solving the world’s most pressing issues and improving the quality of life for people worldwide is what we do every day at Abt. Creating a more equitable world is no small task, but we are driven by big challenges.

We are a team of 3,000+ people in over 50 countries working in unison and focused on the bigger picture. Only by sharing our commitment, energy, and innovation do we affect change and push the boundaries of what’s possible. We welcome diverse ideas, backgrounds, and viewpoints – joining Abt means access to exceptional thinkers at the top of their game.  

To thrive at Abt is to embrace flexibility and collaboration. Our open culture allows you to balance your work and personal life as needed to optimize personal well-being. Creating a more equitable world starts from within – we look after people around the world, and we’ll do the same for you.

Ready to embrace rewarding and meaningful work? Now’s your chance.

The Opportunity  

Abt Global seeks to expand its health care research team with the addition of a health care research expert with demonstrated success directing projects funded by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). As a member of the Research, Monitoring, and Evaluation Capability, you will join Abt’s team of experts to conduct policy-relevant health care research and evaluation focused on post-acute care and nursing home health care. You will leverage extensive experience in managing projects related to healthcare policy, program operations, and delivery; adeptly communicating with clients; and leading interdisciplinary teams to ensure on-time and on-budget administration and clients’ high regard for the work we do.  

Core Responsibilities  

• Serve as a project director or equivalent for projects focused on Medicare policy.  
• Contribute subject matter expertise in the development and use of CMS’s health care quality measures, quality improvement and provider rating systems for nursing homes or other post-acute care settings, and/or health care policy. 
• Demonstrate and apply knowledge of quantitative methods, leveraging skills to oversee statistical programmers and interface with the project team and the client on technical matters. 
• Demonstrate and apply knowledge Medicare policy with particular focus on post-acute care and nursing home health care settings and related programs. 
• Contribute deep experience and apply best practices in project management and delivery for smooth execution of research and program support/operations contracts for CMS and/or other federal clients.   
• Ensure accuracy, timeliness, and integrity with delivery of client deliverables.  
• Serve as primary point of contact with clients and provide client-centered and results-oriented leadership. Identify, anticipate, and respond to client objectives, needs, and requests, ensuring that they are understood by the project team. 
• Provide quality oversight to the team and ensure that the project adheres to Abt’s project quality standards and procedures and all deliverables are delivered on time and exceed client expectations for quality, rigor, and accuracy. 
• Develop and manage work plans, timelines, and budgets, reviewing and updating them throughout the project lifecycle to plan resources for the work to be completed.  
• Deliver regular progress reports; work with project financial analysts to prepare invoices; report on project health to Abt’s management team; and provide regular budget updates and financial projections. 
• Develop and manage subcontractor agreements, scopes of work, and performance; data use agreements; and other formal arrangements with external partners. 
• Manage project teams while sharing leadership and responsibility for high-quality project execution with a core team of experienced technical staff who are in such roles as Principal Investigator, Technical Project Director, Director of Analysis, and Task Leader.   
• Collaborate with the Research, Monitoring, and Evaluation Capability’s Leadership and people managers to articulate staffing needs of the project, establish expectations for staff time, and provide feedback on staff performance. 
• Lead with a collegial and cooperative style to effectively collaborate with multidisciplinary health care research staff who are responsible for developing and executing the project’s research design, analysis, deliverables, and other technical aspects of the contracted work. This includes communicating respectfully, meeting deadlines, and exercising initiative to resolve complex challenges.  
• Coach, review and delegate work to early and mid-career st