Associate Director of Community Engagement, Center for Community and Public Health

Rice University•Houston, TX

5h•Hybrid

About The Position

The Kinder Institute for Urban Research is seeking a full-time Associate Director of Community Engagement to support the Center for Community and Public Health (CCPH), which focuses on advancing health equity in Houston through community partnerships and research addressing health disparities. This role works closely with the Center Director and Associate Director of Research to build and sustain partnerships, coordinate events and collaborative activities, and evaluate community-engaged initiatives. The Associate Director will serve as a key liaison between researchers and community stakeholders, support advisory board meetings, and help ensure community perspectives inform research priorities. The position also leads the development of community engagement strategies, partnership evaluation frameworks, and convenings that advance the Center’s mission. Additional responsibilities include supporting grant development, community-facing programming, and the dissemination of research findings. The Kinder Institute for Urban Research aims to improve lives through data, research, engagement, and action. The institute is currently working to build out five research centers focused on critical aspects shaping the social and cultural landscape of the Houston area. The five centers will research housing, education, community and public health, economic mobility and inequality, and population dynamics. Each center will investigate its topic area and will work across centers. To achieve this, each center is building interdisciplinary teams specializing in solutions-oriented research while using a partnership model of research. The partnership model work to jointly design, develop, and conduct research that values diversity in expertise and prioritizes the community in identifying and addressing the most pressing questions and challenges facing the Houston area. The goal is for the institute’s research to inform decision-making and bring about systemic change. The ideal candidate is a collaborative leader with experience working across academic and community settings. They thrive in partnership-driven environments and bring strong relationship-building, facilitation, and communication skills.

Requirements

Ph.D. or Doctoral Degree in health or social science, such as psychology, public health, epidemiology, sociology, or related field
Three or more (3+) years of postdoctoral experience working in community engagement, partnership development, community-based research, or collaborative public health initiatives
Demonstrated ability to build and maintain partnerships with community stakeholders
Experience facilitating collaborative meetings, advisory boards, and stakeholder convenings
Ability to translate research findings into accessible information for diverse audiences
Experience evaluating community engagement or research-practice partnership outcomes
Strong organizational skills with the ability to coordinate multi-partner initiatives
Excellent interpersonal skills such as patience, determination, flexibility, and decisiveness

Nice To Haves

Bilingual in Spanish
Adaptable to change and able to think creatively to address issues
Works well in a fast-paced and dynamic environment

Responsibilities

Consults and plans with the Community and Public Health Center Director and Associate Director of Research to develop, strategize, and facilitate the partnership process
Establishes, builds, and maintains relationships with community stakeholders
Serves as a liaison between the Center and community partners to support collaborative initiatives
Designs and implements frameworks to evaluate the quality, equity, and impact of partnerships
Translates evaluation findings into actionable improvements for research and partnership strategy
Develops applied learning experiences (e.g., courses, workshops, or trainings) that equip students and partners with skills in community-engaged and participatory research methods
Actively works to improve the institute’s reputation and research capabilities
Collaborates with the Community and Public Health Center Director and Associate Director of Research in the development of grant funding opportunities
Attends weekly staff and research team meetings
Supervises junior research staff and students by providing direction on community-engaged activities and supporting their professional development
Performs all other duties as assigned
Supports coordination of community-facing events and public programming
Assists with documentation of partnership activities and engagement outcomes
Helps identify new partnership opportunities aligned with the Center’s mission