Senior Director, Research Jobs

Department: Design & Impact

Employment Type: Full Time

Location: Remote

Reporting To: SVP, Chief Design & Impact Officer

Compensation: $115,000 - $155,000 / year

Description

The JED Foundation is seeking a Senior Director of Research with experience in youth suicide prevention research to lead our research program. The Senior Director of Research will ensure that JED continually disseminates high-quality, accurate information on its work with schools and young people to a variety of academic and non-academic audiences. This is a hands-on role as the first researcher into the team, you will be doing much of the research work directly. The successful candidate will be responsible for managing a Senior Data Scientist and overseeing research and program evaluation initiatives aimed at preventing young adult and teen suicide. The ideal candidate will have a proven track record of developing research teams, successful grant applications, conducting research, and experience managing multiple research/evaluation projects.

Candidate Profile: Mental health methodologist with substantial experience designing, implementing, and overseeing original studies. PhD in Psychology, education, or equivalent degree required, with an understanding of public health systems and mental health care for young people. Background working with large data sets, implementation science, and market research is desirable. Fluency in various statistical and data analytic/visualization packages/software is preferable. Demonstrated experience with developing a learning culture and team management to effectively manage multiple research projects simultaneously.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the development of a robust research agenda for JED that supports JED’s organizational growth and scaling. Propose new project ideas based on internal data and gaps in the field. Oversee generation of research related to JED’s programs, conduct traditional academic studies, and collaborate internally and externally on a variety of market research projects.
• Educate staff and other JED stakeholders about the latest JED-generated findings and research.
• Collaborate with colleagues within the Data & Impact team, senior leadership, as well as on the Knowledge & Advising team on major research projects from conception to dissemination/publication. This may include overseeing research/data analysts, hiring consultants and research firms, analyzing data, collecting input from expert stakeholders, writing up reports and publications, working with communications to promote research findings, and submitting manuscripts for publication. Contribute to thought leadership and promotion of JED as an expert in mental health promotion and suicide prevention through peer-reviewed publications.
• Oversee Data Science team members to direct activities related to research and program evaluation projects.

Competencies Skills Knowledge and Expertise

Competencies:

Scope and Execution:

• Seasoned Director, often with a larger span of control.
• Independently drive complex decisions. Spot company-level operational weaknesses and roadblocks and work to resolve them with other senior team members across the company.
• Have highly specialized skills or ownership/leadership of a critical business need.
• Proactively identify opportunities and implement ideas to improve the quality and efficiency of your function's output.

People Leadership & Management:

• Manage cross-functional relationships with other managers across the company.
• Take initiative for broad company projects where you direct other managers and leaders.
• Can independently navigate the most complex management challenges and know when to loop in others.
• May oversee other Directors.

Communication:

• Are an expert at communicating relevant and nuanced information to varying audiences. You liaise between employees and senior leadership.
• Mentor others in how to effectively organize and share stories/information within functional area.
• Help to shape broader company communications & messaging that drives performance, understanding, and connection.

Collaboration and Cross Team Impact:

• Solve for information, communication, and cross-team process gaps or breakdowns in collaborative processes.
• Role model effective collaboration across distributed teams.

JED Citizenship

• Are a champion and model example of all JED's guiding principles and engage in evolving our standards with the organization.
• Seize the opportunity to raise others' visibility.
• Reinforce our culture of belonging and inclusion; you showcase humility, empathy, respect, and connectedness in all of your interactions.
• Suspend ego and see beyond own/functional needs when working with others.

Learning and Feedback:

• Drive innovation by introducing new information/best practices. You recognize when best practices are not "best" for JED, and can find alternate solutions to accomplish similar outcomes.
• Have the network and comfort to effectively seek external advice and resources when the answer does not exist within your team or our walls.

Qualifications and Experience:

• Ph.D. in Psychology, education, or equivalent degree is required.
• Ability to work collaboratively with program staff, funders, partners, and other stakeholders.
• Experience with data management and data analysis techniques for large datasets.
• Research, analytical, and critical thinking abilities: data analysis, expertise in research and evaluation methodologies, clear presentation of results, and ability to translate technical information to lay audiences.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills, with experience presenting research findings to various audiences.
• Experience managing a team of researchers.
• 5+ years managing and mentoring a team.
• 7+ years of experience conducting research in the field of youth suicide prevention or JED-aligned interests, such as young adult mental health and wellness, help-seeking, equity, etc..
• Strong quantitative research skills, including experience with statistical analysis software (e.g., SPSS, SAS, R).
• Experience publishing research, data, and program outcomes.
• Experience writing grant proposals and securing funding for research projects is preferred.

Pay Ranges / Location / Travel Information

Pay Ranges:

The range listed on this job posting is based on JED's compensation posting ranges. Salaries may be higher or lower depending on experience and geographic location.

Location/Travel Information:

Please note that this position is largely remote but will require retreat/business meetings at JED’s central office in NYC or other locations as designated by JED leadership. Additional travel may be required.