Director, Personnel, Readiness and Health Program (PRH), National Security Research Division (NSRD)

RAND•Washington, DC

1d•Hybrid

About The Position

RAND Corporation’s National Security Research Division (NSRD) is seeking candidates for the Director of the Personnel, Readiness and Health Program (PRH). This position reports to the Vice President and Director of NSRD and is a five-year term appointment, renewable with management approval. Program Director roles and responsibilities are expected to require approximately 80% of time, leaving 20% of the Director’s time to conduct their own research. Prospective PRH Program Directors need to demonstrate an ability to rebuild and sustain relationships with primary sponsors within the Department of War (DOW) and have a plan for energizing PRH’s analytic agenda. With an annual level of effort of ~$10M, PRH’s national security projects span the following policy domains: Personnel Management. Ensure that the total force remains highly capable and affordable. Rigorous manpower assessments guide the efficient allocation and mix of personnel. Pay and compensation research—including work featured in the Quadrennial Review of Compensation—ensures that DOW can maintain a capable, agile and cost-effective total force amid a growing global demand for specialized skills. Readiness. U.S. and allied forces face growing conventional threats in Europe and the Pacific region, even as they continue to confront terrorism. Commanders need to ensure that individuals and units are ready to meet varied but uncertain mission demands, often requiring expanded combat capabilities as well as linguistic and cultural skills. PRH projects address all aspects of force and individual readiness, encompassing unit readiness and data reporting, force education and training, personnel readiness and safety, and force resiliency. Support Services and Programs. Defense manpower experts know that “service members enlist, but families reenlist.” An extensive set of services—such as education, spousal employment, and quality-of-life programs—are believed to enhance satisfaction with military life and encourage families to “reenlist.” Additional services provide support to active and reserve servicemembers transitioning to the civilian labor market from military service. PRH research teams investigate how to improve these services, how to fill unmet needs, and how to determine which services are most cost-effective. Health Services and Systems. If the costs associated with operating military health systems continue to rise, the costs will claim a steadily growing share of overall defense budgets. Among the factors at issue are beneficiary cost-sharing arrangements and the costly practices of health care providers. Much can be learned from health system reforms in the private sector. PRH analysts explore the policy options available for managing access, quality, and costs in military healthcare systems. To conduct this research, PRH draws upon researchers from a range of disciplines including (but not limited to) economics, sociology, psychology, operations research, management science, and research programming. The Program Director, reporting to the Vice President and Director of NSRD, is responsible for developing strong relationships with its research sponsors, leading and guiding the program’s research agenda, ensuring that the program’s research meets RAND’s high-quality standards, and expanding its business base in the U.S. and internationally. The Program Director also assists in recruiting, onboarding, and mentoring RAND staff and supporting corporate and division objectives and initiatives.

Requirements

Experience working directly with senior national security officials.
A proven track record in business development.
National or international recognition as a policy expert in their field.
Ability to manage a portfolio of 20-25 projects on time and on budget without sacrificing quality.
Evidence of excellent strategic leadership and organizational management capabilities.
Exceptional abilities in interpersonal relations, managing staff and client relationships, and in written and oral communications.
A strong commitment to RAND’s core values of quality and objectivity.
An excellent research track record in PRH’s policy domains evidenced through experience in academia, government, or elsewhere.
Strong research and analysis capabilities.
Deep knowledge of the policy environment.
A track record of organizational management success, including the ability to build business and to maintain and manage a complex research program.
An active Secret clearance is required.

Nice To Haves

Top Secret or Top Secret-eligible clearance is preferred.

Responsibilities

Developing strong relationships with research sponsors.
Leading and guiding the program’s research agenda.
Ensuring that the program’s research meets RAND’s high-quality standards.
Expanding its business base in the U.S. and internationally.
Assisting in recruiting, onboarding, and mentoring RAND staff.
Supporting corporate and division objectives and initiatives.
Providing intellectual leadership.
Evaluating and overseeing complex, multi-disciplinary analysis.
Ensuring that briefings, written reports, and other products meet RAND standards for quality and objectivity.
Providing advice to the Vice President and Director of NSRD as part of the leadership team.