Managing Director, Research

Council of State Governments•New York, NY

10d•$121,700 - $180,000•Hybrid

About The Position

The Council of State Governments Justice Center helps leaders in every state design and implement solutions for complex justice system challenges and make communities safer and healthier. We deliver trusted data, practical strategies, and cross-systems collaboration to create second chances, reduce harm, and transform lives. We're focused on four strategic priorities: Using data to drive action, Strengthening crisis response and addressing violent crime, Turning billions in new behavioral health resources into improved outcomes, and Growing the number of states committed to delivering reentry success by 2030. We have approximately 50 employees in states across the country who have decades of experience working in and with criminal, juvenile, and Tribal justice agencies. We have provided housing, mental health, and addiction services; served as educators and in workforce development agencies; and supported victims and survivors of crime. We have served governors, state legislators, and members of Congress on both sides of the political spectrum. What binds us together is a shared commitment to our mission; to one another; to a common set of values; and to the national, bipartisan advisory board that guides our work. The Research team supports work across the full span of the justice system, including pre-system contact and diversion, policing, courts, corrections, community supervision, and reentry. This work spans dozens of active projects at any given time: multi-year state engagements like the Justice Reinvestment Initiative, recidivism measurement and reporting efforts, data capacity-building initiatives with state corrections agencies, juvenile justice research, and original studies on topics ranging from charge degradation to prosecutorial discretion in probation. Each project blends technical data analysis with policy translation, stakeholder facilitation, and hands-on collaboration with state and local partners. The Managing Director, Research will oversee a team of researchers and data scientists working across this full portfolio; setting priorities, resolving competing demands on staff time, ensuring consistent quality across deliverables, and conducting original research alongside the team. This position is funded through June 2027 with the possibility of extension based on funding availability.

Requirements

Excellent interpersonal skills including self-awareness, sensitivity and valuing others, maturity, sound judgment, self-confidence, and a sense of humor with the ability to maintain balance and perspective
Master's degree in Criminal Justice, Sociology, Public Administration, Public Policy, or a related field and at least 10 years of relevant research experience, or a PhD in a related field and at least 8 years of relevant research experience
At least 5 years of experience formally supervising and managing research staff
Experience with administrative/case-level criminal justice or corrections data, including data linkage, cleaning and harmonization across inconsistent state or agency systems
Expert-level data analysis skills, with a strong preference for proficiency in R
Demonstrated experience working on quasi-experimental research designs (e.g., multiple regression, PSM, DiD, ARIMA, synthetic controls, or RDD) evaluating criminal justice programs
Strong project and portfolio management skills - sequencing, prioritizing, and deconflicting timelines and staffing across many simultaneous initiatives
Demonstrated ability to translate complex research and data into clear writing and presentations for non-research audiences, including elected officials, policymakers, funders, and other stakeholders
Stakeholder engagement and facilitation skills, with the ability to communicate the value of data and performance measurement to practitioner and government audiences, guide the application of data to inform operations, and engage effectively with government researchers and research offices
Efficient, organized work style with strong prioritization skills
Demonstrated budget management experience
Willingness to travel up to once a quarter for site visits or national meetings
Reliable and secure internet/data connection and flexibility for using a personal device for internet connectivity during business travel. A cost offset is provided by CSG

Responsibilities

Supervise research staff, including hiring, workload management, and day-to-day guidance across concurrent projects.
Independently develop research plans that reflect the needs of individual projects while fitting within broader portfolio priorities.
Oversee research execution, including development of concise progress reports to funding agencies and ensuring compliance with deliverables promised to a range of public and private funders.
Conduct analytical work using case-level criminal justice data from multiple, inter-related databases using accepted methodologies, and present results in a format suited to policymakers and stakeholders at the national, state, and local level.
Conduct original analysis using secondary data sources to inform policy design, such as estimating the impact of proposed policies on populations, costs, or other outcomes of interest.
Align staffing and expertise with project priorities by balancing workloads, proactively identifying resource needs and conflicts across initiatives, and ensuring teams are positioned to deliver high-quality work on time.
Lead large-scale data collection and analysis initiatives that compile and standardize publicly available data across states, making it more accessible, comparable, and useful for policymakers, researchers, and the public.
Participate in cross-team fundraising and business development efforts, including cultivating relationships with current and prospective funders and helping shape new project concepts.
Foster the professional growth of research staff through coaching, mentoring, performance feedback, and identification of opportunities to build technical expertise, leadership skills, and subject matter knowledge in support of the team's long-term capacity.