Research & Policy Manager

Commonwealth of Massachusetts•Boston, MA

13d

About The Position

Under the direction of the Deputy Director of Research and Responsible Gaming, the Research & Policy Manager is responsible for overseeing the successful implementation and oversight of the Massachusetts Gaming Commission (MGC) research program and providing gaming policy research on behalf of the Commission. This research program is required by M.G.L. c. 23K, § 71 , M.G.L. c. 23N s 2 3, and activities are guided by the Research Strategy for Gaming in Massachusetts . The Massachusetts Gaming Commission is committed to Responsible Gaming and funds critical research to inform the gaming industry worldwide. A Public Health Trust Fund supports robust problem gambling prevention and mitigation programs and services. An extensive research agenda informs strategies, practices and policies for responsible gaming and problem gambling prevention and treatment .

Requirements

Excellent project management and research skills.
Excellent report writing skills, including experience creating research syntheses and plain language reports.
Experience translating complex research into content tailored toward the needs of stakeholders, such as infographics and knowledge translation products.
Proficiency working with Microsoft Office.
Ability to design and implement applied social science research.
Interest in and experience with socioeconomic analysis, work in health equity, mental health issues, gambling, and community health.
Basic working knowledge of research methods, statistical methods, problem gambling services and goals, and program evaluation.
Experience working with diverse populations and community groups.
A Bachelor’s degree in Social Sciences or related field with at least three (3) years of experience with program planning, evaluation or large-scale research studies;
Equivalent combination of education and experience will be considered.

Nice To Haves

A Master’s degree in Social Sciences is preferred.

Responsibilities

Contract Management and Administration
Manage various administrative aspects of the research program including drafting procurements, contract management, and budget oversight
Meet with contractors on a regular basis to ensure deliverables are on track and barriers are resolved
Research Review
Facilitate the external research review process for MGC funded research projects
Coordinate review and review timeline with research contractors
Orient new members to the Research Review Committee
Plan and facilitate quarterly Gaming Research Advisory Committee meetings
Gaming Policy Research
Conduct and summarize gaming policy research on existing and emerging topics in the gaming space
Provide comparative review of gaming policy across jurisdictions and gaming products
Knowledge Mobilization
Translate MGC and external research findings into knowledge products such as research snapshots, briefs and whitepapers tailored to a wide range of stakeholders and audiences
Liaise with other state agencies and stakeholders to create and share knowledge about the impacts of gaming in Massachusetts
Develop quarterly research update reports
Massachusetts Open Data Exchange Project
Manage the Massachusetts Open Data Exchange (MODE)
Respond to requests from interested researchers for datasets
Follow up with researchers granted use of data
Player Data Project
Plan and facilitate ongoing meetings with the project team to ensure deliverables are on track and barriers are resolved
Work with the project team to facilitate process development for delivering, anonymizing, and storing data, as well as linking researchers with data