Research Program Manager - NC Collaboratory

UNC-Chapel Hill•Chapel Hill, NC

About The Position

The Research Program Manager supports the NC Collaboratory’s social science research portfolio by monitoring and coordinating projects within defined scopes, budgets, schedules, and deliverables. The position supports the Social Sciences team in developing plans, managing communications, and serving as a point of contact for administrators, contractors, stakeholders, and external audiences. The NC Collaboratory funds partnerships between academic research teams and local governments, community organizations, and State agencies to address policy issues and practical challenges in North Carolina. The Social Sciences team manages research in areas including K-12 education, opioid remediation, foster care, mental health, criminal justice, economic development, and local government. The portfolio may expand to other social science topics. Working with the Research Director, the position supports, coordinates, and manages complex research programs involving government and community engagement and public interest. The manager works with research teams to establish milestones, manage project scopes, and track and document performance. The role also helps develop communication materials, organizes meetings to share findings and resolve issues, and implements best practices for research-practice partnerships. In collaboration with the Social Sciences team and partner leadership, the manager helps develop research plans and review proposals for new partnership-based studies. The role includes grant management, meeting leadership and scheduling, activity and progress tracking, problem identification and troubleshooting, and oversight of budgets, expenditures, timelines, and deliverables. The manager also identifies resources such as meeting venues and supplies and develops reports, presentations, and other materials to communicate progress and achievements to stakeholders. A sign-on bonus is available to the successful applicant, paid in two installments within 12 months of hire: within 30 days of the hire date and 12 months after the hire date.

Requirements

Master’s degree in a related field of study, such as MPP, MPA, MPH, JD, or MA.
Ability to analyze complex information, synthesize research findings, and develop clear, evidence-informed recommendations for policymakers and other stakeholders.
Experience preparing professional written products such as policy briefs, research reports, legislative or program analyses, evaluation reports, executive summaries, presentations, or other decision-support materials.
Strong written and oral communication skills, including the ability to translate technical or academic information for nontechnical audiences.
Ability to manage multiple projects, meet deadlines, organize competing priorities, and work independently and collaboratively.
Experience translating academic research findings into concise, accessible public communication, such as policy briefs.
Attention to detail, sound judgment, intellectual curiosity, and commitment to accuracy, objectivity, and ethical research practices.

Nice To Haves

Experience conducting policy research, program evaluation, social science research, or applied quantitative and/or qualitative analysis.
Project, grant, or program management experience within a public institution, such as a State agency, or a community organization.
Proven ability to support research-practice partnerships.
Experience with research design, data collection, data interpretation, and methods appropriate to social science or public policy research.
Experience working in or with a state or local government agency, legislative office, public university, nonprofit organization, research center, or other public-sector policy environment.
Experience analyzing North Carolina state policies, programs, budgets, administrative data, or legislative priorities.
Knowledge of social policy issues relevant to North Carolina, especially K-12 education, health care and mental health, child welfare, or criminal justice.
Experience with program evaluation, implementation research, outcomes measurement, performance management, or evidence-based policymaking.
Experience conducting or interpreting qualitative research, including interviews, focus groups, document analysis, stakeholder engagement, or thematic analysis.
Experience managing or supporting grant-funded research or policy projects, including proposal development, budgeting, compliance monitoring, reporting, deliverable tracking, and coordination with funders and project partners.
Enthusiasm, conscientiousness, responsible stewardship of taxpayer-funded dollars, and willingness to work with multiple cross-sector teams.
Experience navigating challenging conversations and mediating conflict between team members and partners from different sectors.

Responsibilities

Monitor and coordinate research project activities within defined scopes, budgets, schedules, and deliverables.
Support the Social Sciences team in developing plans and managing communications.
Serve as a point of contact for administrators, contractors, stakeholders, and external audiences.
Support the Research Director in coordinating and managing complex research programs involving government and community engagement.
Work with research teams to establish milestones, manage project scopes, and track and document performance.
Develop communication materials and organize meetings to share insights and address issues.
Implement best practices for research-practice partnerships.
Help develop research plans and review proposals for new partnership-based studies in collaboration with the Social Sciences team and partner leadership.
Manage grant-related activities, including scheduling and leading meetings, tracking activities and progress, identifying and troubleshooting problems, and overseeing budgets, expenditures, timelines, and deliverables.
Identify and obtain resources such as meeting venues and supplies.
Develop reports, presentations, and other communication materials to share progress and achievements with stakeholders.