Associate Director for Applied Research and Evaluation, DCA - Operations, Research, & Advancement

 

 

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 kn