Senior Research Associate - Center for Effective Family Services and System Reform; MD or CT locations

Senior Research Associate - Center for Effective Family Services and System Reform

Deadline: Until filled
Location: Baltimore, MD or New Haven, CT
Group: Grantmaking Professionals
Division: Center for Effective Family Services and Systems

Position Summary

Background
The Annie E. Casey Foundation is a private charitable organization dedicated to helping build better futures for disadvantaged children in the United States. The primary mission of the Foundation is to foster public policies, human service reforms, and community supports that more effectively meet the needs of today’s vulnerable children and families. The Foundation distributes approximately $150 million annually in grants to organizations that help states, cities, and neighborhoods improve the life outcomes of these children and families.

Job Summary
Reporting to the Director for Family Services and Systems Research (a unit within the Foundation's Center for Effective Family Services and Systems), the Senior Research Associate (SRA) will design, implement, manage, and consult on research and evaluation activities concerning the Foundation’s strategic consultation, grant-making, direct services, advocacy and other initiatives associated with the promotion of evidence-driven and scalable practice improvement and policy reform. The primary focus is in Child Welfare, Juvenile Justice, and Community-based family strengthening services. The duties of the SRA are varied, challenging and integral to the work of the Foundation’s service and system reform agenda which relies on the strategic use of data to promote proven programs at a scale sufficient to improve well-being in large populations of vulnerable children and families. The level and specific set of responsibilities assumed by the SRA will also vary considerably with the, capabilities, experience, and needs of the Foundation.

Position Responsibilities

Essential Duties & Responsibilities

Assist the Director with the ongoing design and management of the Research agenda. Specific responsibilities will include strategic planning, development of internal proposals that address foundation priorities, management of research grants and liaison with partners, oversight and deployment of research consultants.
To help ensure that Foundation activities are based on sound footing, the SRA promotes due diligence and the integration of insights from prior research within CEFSS policy advocacy, strategic consultation and other initiatives. Specific responsibilities include principal leadership on literature reviews and surveys of model programs and policies.
To help ensure that Foundation activities benefit from on-going evaluation feedback and data that can advance policy and practice reform efforts, the SRA promotes rigorous program and advocacy evaluation, data driven policy analysis, results-based accountability, and select developmental research that addresses priority gaps in the available research. Specific responsibilities range from working in concert with the Director and other senior staff to working as independent principal investigator on program evaluation and research involving data collection and analysis.
In concert with the Director, the SRA provide coordination and leadership on the design, implementation, monitoring and refinement of the research and evaluation plans in relation to 3-5 large projects. The SRA will also contribute simultaneously to other projects of smaller scope.
Enhance and expand the Foundation's efforts to promote sound public policies to strengthen vulnerable families as well those involved with the Juvenile Justice and Child Welfare systems. Specific responsibilities will include conducting studies that contribute to deeper understanding of disparities in services and outcomes, as well as managing ongoing grants that promote community-based innovations, identifying new grant opportunities, and integrating emerging knowledge about promising developments in the Foundation's agenda.
Serve as a technical resource and trainer to Foundation staff and, in particular, consult with units within CEFSS and other parts of the Foundation including cross-unit ad hoc workgroups. Advise on needs and methods of data capture through other on-going or planned data collection systems.
Represent the Foundation and, in particular, the Policy, Research and Communications agenda of CEFSS at conferences and meetings. Make public presentations describing the work results and implications in a variety of contexts.
Author, oversee and/or help to prepare Foundation-sponsored and other publications using the results of reviews and studies described above.
Collaborate in the development and implementation of other Foundation initiatives and projects, as requested or assigned.
Maintain technical competency and knowledge of current literature within Child Welfare and other designated arenas.
Review and analysis of proposals and identification of new grant opportunities; prepare correspondence as required.
Assist the Director to prepare annual budget requests and Board write-ups, as requested.
Perform administrative duties in support of the above work.
The duties listed above are intended only as illustrations of the various types of work that may be performed. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related, or a logical assignment to the position. Please see addendum for unit-specific requirements. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Position Prerequisites

Qualifications

The successful candidate will have a minimum of ten years of increasingly responsible research and program evaluation experience, including familiarity with Child Welfare and/or Juvenile Justice policies and operations. Advanced knowledge of quantitative and/or qualitative research, and demonstrated expertise in at least one, consistent with completion of PhD, Ed.D. or equivalent terminal degree in social work, policy, psychology, public health or related field, is highly desirable. Prior success working in policy and/or research within government, or as a policy reform advocate, is helpful. A demonstrated commitment to data driven policy and practice improvement is essential.

In addition, the candidate must combine:
Exceptional oral and written communication skills.
Sound and seasoned judgment, including a demonstrated capacity to both support and lead effectively when working with Foundation leaders, senior researchers, policy makers, consumers and advocates.
Organizational, analytical and planning skills that can sustain the multi-faceted work of complicated initiatives, as well as the specific activities of individual grantees and sites.
Computer skills that encompass databases designed for routine grants management, reporting and correspondence (e.g., Word, Excel), as well as for advanced database conceptualization, and statistical analysis (e.g., regression, survival analyses) using appropriate programs (e.g,. SPSS, SAS).
Familiarity with relevant national databases, on-going studies and technical trends.
Willingness and aptitude to work effectively in an environment of collective decision-making and cross-disciplinary cooperation as well as leadership to serve as principal investigator.
Independence and initiative to anticipate and act upon the needs of grantees and the goals of the Foundation.
Sensitivity to and respect for differences in personal, professional and business relationships on behalf of the Foundation.
Commitment to utilize the foundation resources in an equitable manner with regard to race, ethnicity and gender.
Commitment to a service concept of philanthropy and to the public trust it involves.
Tools and Equipment Used
Telephone, personal computer including word processing software, copy machine, fax machine, and ten-key calculator.

Physical Demands/Work Environment
Must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. The work is performed primarily in an office setting with some overnight travel required.

Compensation
A competitive starting salary is commensurate with experience and earnings history. A strong benefits package will be provided.

http://www.aecf.org/AboutUs/Careers/SrResearchAssoc.aspx