Public Policy Research Manager

K.L. Scott & Associates

13h

About The Position

The Public Policy Research Manager oversees the firm’s research function. You will set the research agenda, lead the teams that execute it, and make sure every study KLSA puts its name on is methodologically sound, defensible, and useful to the people who have to act on it. The objective of KLSA public policy research is to assess the impacts of public policy on community outcomes and deliver clear recommendations to policymakers and government leaders. You are accountable for that objective across the firm. This is a hands-on leadership and tactical role. You will design studies, supervise analysts, review deliverables, brief clients, and represent KLSA’s research capability in front of federal program offices, evaluation stakeholders, and proposal teams.

Requirements

PhD in a social science discipline (public policy, public administration, economics, sociology, political science, education, psychology, or a closely related field) or an equivalent combination of advanced education and demonstrated research leadership
7–10 years of progressive experience conducting and directing applied policy research or program evaluation
Demonstrated experience leading research teams and managing multiple concurrent studies to deadline and budget
Expertise in quantitative and qualitative methods, including causal inference, survey design, sampling, and analysis of administrative and secondary data
Proficiency with at least one major statistical package (R, Stata, SAS, SPSS, or Python)
Track record of producing publication-quality technical reports and briefing senior decision-makers
Excellent written and oral communication skills, with the ability to move between technical and executive audiences
U.S. work authorization; ability to pass a federal background investigation

Nice To Haves

Experience supporting federal, state, or local government clients under contract
Familiarity with federal evaluation policy, the Evidence Act, and OMB evaluation and evidence guidance
Experience with proposal development and technical volume writing in a government contracting environment
Peer-reviewed publications or recognized policy briefs in a relevant domain
Experience with community-based or participatory research and stakeholder engagement
Working knowledge of data visualization tools (Tableau, Power BI) and geospatial analysis
Active or prior federal security clearance

Responsibilities

Set the firm-wide research agenda in alignment with KLSA’s advisory practice and client portfolio
Design and direct policy research studies, program evaluations, and impact assessments across multiple concurrent engagements
Select and defend appropriate methodologies, including experimental, quasi-experimental, mixed-methods, and qualitative designs
Translate findings into recommendations that policymakers and agency leaders can act on, not just read
Establish and maintain firm research standards, protocols, and quality controls
Supervise, mentor, and develop research staff, analysts, and subject matter consultants
Assign and balance workloads across teams and engagements; own delivery schedules and research budgets
Build the firm’s research bench through hiring, subcontractor relationships, and academic partnerships
Serve as the firm’s technical authority on research design and analytic rigor
Serve as principal research point of contact for client agencies and program offices
Brief senior government officials, advisory boards, and community stakeholders on findings and implications
Author and present technical reports, evaluation plans, policy briefs, white papers, and executive summaries
Facilitate stakeholder sessions, working groups, and data collection activities with community partners
Support proposal development by writing technical approaches, evaluation plans, and past performance narratives
Contribute to KLSA thought leadership through publications, conference presentations, and public commentary
Ensure research activities comply with federal requirements, including IRB protocols, human subjects protections, data privacy standards, and applicable OMB evidence-building guidance
Maintain research documentation consistent with KLSA’s ISO 9001:2015 quality management system
Own data integrity, reproducibility, and audit readiness across all research products