Senior Vice President – Statistics and Data Science Department - Chicago Loop Office

NORC at the University of Chicago • Chicago, IL

1d • Hybrid

About The Position

NORC at the University of Chicago is an independent non-profit research institution that delivers reliable data and rigorous analysis to support key strategies and decision-making of governments, foundations, corporations, and nonprofit organizations. Clients around the world partner with NORC to transform increasingly complex information into useful knowledge in NORC’s major substantive areas -- economics, justice and society; education and child development; health and well-being; public affairs and media; and international programs – and on emerging topics. For over 80 years, NORC has conducted groundbreaking studies on critical issues, created and applied innovative methods and tools, and upheld the highest standards of scientific integrity and quality. NORC has been a pioneer in data collection, management, analysis, and dissemination, and a leader in advancing statistical and methodological science. NORC’s success derives from its unique combination of bringing scientific rigor and insight to solve practical challenges, entrepreneurial innovation, close affiliation with the University of Chicago, and our mission of providing trustworthy data and research. Over time, NORC has evolved in many ways, moving the needle with research methods, technical applications, and groundbreaking research findings. Our tradition of excellence, passion for innovation, and commitment to collegiality have remained constant components of who we are as a brand, and who each of us is as a member of the NORC team. With world-class benefits, a collegial environment, and an emphasis on continuous learning, NORC is a place where people join for the stellar research and analysis work for which we’re known, and stay for the relationships they form with their colleagues who take pride in the impact their work is making on a global scale. Headquartered in downtown Chicago, NORC maintains major offices in Washington, DC, and on the University of Chicago campus, along with additional locations across the United States. The Senior Vice President (SVP) for Statistics and Data Science (SDS) provides overall leadership and direction for the SDS department as part of the organization’s senior leadership team within the Research Science (RS) division. Reporting to the Executive Vice President and Chief Scientist for RS, the Senior Vice President has overall responsibility for promoting NORC’s mission and goals; contributing to company‑wide strategy and operational management; and developing NORC’s capabilities in statistics, data science, artificial intelligence, data integration, and emerging methods in ways that advance NORC’s research portfolio. The SVP/SDS will join a highly collaborative senior leadership team, partnering with executive and senior leaders across NORC to deliver impact, strengthen capabilities, and grow the organization. The SVP/SDS will also be supported by a team of talented SDS vice presidents and associate directors in carrying out the strategic and operational responsibilities of running the department. This is an exciting opportunity for an exceptional leader to join the senior leadership team of a nationally renowned organization and help shape NORC’s future as the research landscape evolves. The SVP/SDS will lead a highly successful and critical department and have hybrid cross-functional and business development responsibilities. The position requires vision, a highly strategic mindset, proven leadership skills, extensive management experience, a highly collaborative working style, established expertise in statistics and data science, and a passion for translating key trends in the field into opportunities to achieve NORC’s business goals. The successful candidate will build on NORC’s longstanding leadership in survey statistics, data integration, and methodological research while accelerating growth in areas such as AI/ML, machine learning, data processing pipeline development, privacy and confidentiality protection, and high-performance computing (e.g., large-scale computation, cloud platforms). The SVP/SDS will play a critical role in positioning NORC to address changing client needs, increasing competition, and rapidly evolving technologies. This is a hybrid role based in either our Chicago Loop or downtown Washington DC offices, with a minimum of 8 days per month in the office and occasional travel to our other offices. Qualified applicants must be eligible to work in the U.S. We regret that we are unable to offer visa sponsorship for this position. DEPARTMENT: Statistics and Data Science The SDS department provides the scientific foundation required to advance NORC’s project portfolio. SDS delivers rigorous, innovative, and fit-for-purpose solutions along the project lifecycle. The department provides leadership for NORC’s approach on a broad range of approaches for study design and the analysis of primary and secondary data. SDS expertise includes artificial intelligence and machine learning; Bayesian analysis; causal inference; disclosure avoidance; imputation; data linkage and statistical matching for combining multiple data sources; data quality assessment; efficient and reproducible workflow development; privacy-preserving methods; small area estimation; statistical methods for survey sampling, weighting, estimation, and inference; and visualization. The SDS department works closely with research, technology, and operational teams across NORC to ensure that statistical excellence and innovation remain central to the organization’s work. Many of NORC’s projects and proposals are led by substantive research departments that require significant contributions from SDS staff. SDS works closely with highly collaborative groups across the organization to ensure success through cross-departmental partnerships. To further capture the innovative spirit of NORC, SDS also leads projects that target departmental focus areas. Examples of recent project topics involving SDS staff include survey design, weighting, and analysis; AI for enhancing data quality, standardization, and integration; enhancing traffic safety data; linkage of health administrative data and surveys; and testing data visualization approaches for effective communication. SDS is composed of a geographically distributed team of over 60 professionals located across NORC offices and remote locations throughout the United States and who are engaged in an array of activities, including research and statistical operations for client projects across NORC’s portfolio, strategic research projects on emerging topics, and business development.

Requirements

• Advanced degree in statistics, biostatistics, survey methodology, data science, computer science, or a related quantitative discipline.
• At least 15 years of progressively responsible scientific, strategic, and organizational leadership experience within a research, academic, government, nonprofit, or private-sector environment.
• Demonstrated ability to build and lead emerging scientific and technical capabilities, foster innovation, and collaborate effectively across disciplines and organizational boundaries.
• Nationally recognized expertise in statistics, survey methodology, data science, AI, machine learning, or a related field, evidenced through publications, presentations, professional service, technical innovation, or other significant contributions.
• Proven success in business development, including identifying, pursuing, winning, and delivering research, analytic, or technology-based work.
• Extensive experience recruiting, developing, mentoring, evaluating, and retaining high-performing scientific and technical staff.
• Demonstrated success leading large, multidisciplinary teams and cultivating an inclusive, collaborative, and high-performance culture.
• Experience working with diverse client sectors, including federal agencies, foundations, nonprofit organizations, and commercial clients.
• Strong financial and operational leadership, including responsibility for budgets, organizational growth, resource allocation, and overall business performance.
• Exceptional communication, relationship-building, and stakeholder-engagement skills, with the ability to communicate effectively across scientific, technical, operational, executive, and external audiences.
• Demonstrated ability to balance scientific excellence, innovation, organizational priorities, operational effectiveness, cost efficiency, and business objectives in a dynamic environment.
• Leadership characterized by collegiality, integrity, transparency , accountability, sound judgment, decisiveness, and a commitment to continuous improvement and organizational values.

Nice To Haves

• Experience leading organizations through periods of technological and organizational transformation.
• Expertise with data and/or technology-driven modernization strategies.
• Deep familiarity with survey research, data production and data systems, federal statistical systems, data policy, and evidence-building activities.
• Established relationships within professional organizations such as ASA, AAPOR, FCSM or related scientific communities.
• Experience managing geographically distributed teams and fostering collaborative organizational cultures.

Responsibilities

• Oversee, manage, and lead all aspects of the Statistics and Data Science Department, including staff management and development, strategic partnerships, finance and operations, scientific leadership, and business development.
• Develop, implement, and champion the department’s long-term vision and strategy within NORC’s broader strategic framework.
• Collaborate with NORC senior leadership to advance enterprise-wide strategic priorities and strengthen NORC’s scientific competitiveness.
• Advance NORC’s leadership in the department’s focal areas in statistics and data science.
• Identify and develop new statistical and technical capabilities that strengthen NORC’s position in emerging research markets.
• Strengthen cross-project and cross-department collaboration to ensure that SDS expertise is effectively integrated into proposals, projects, and strategic initiatives.
• Lead the development of reusable methods, tools, platforms, and intellectual capital that increase organizational effectiveness and competitiveness.
• Expand NORC’s capabilities in the use of AI, data modernization, linked data systems, administrative data, modern data science topics such as open-source software, replicability and reproducibility, and advanced computational methods.
• Foster a culture of scientific excellence, innovation, collaboration, transparency, and continuous improvement.
• Recruit, develop, mentor, and retain outstanding scientific and technical talent.
• Create career and leadership development opportunities for team members.
• Build a cohesive and connected team culture for a geographically distributed team.
• Serve as a visible thought leader representing NORC to clients, professional organizations, academic audiences, policymakers, and the broader research community.
• Pursue and maintain an active program of externally visible scientific leadership through research, publications, presentations, professional service, and other thought-leadership activities.
• Lead and contribute to strategic business development efforts, including client engagement, opportunity identification, capture activities, proposal development, and partnership formation.
• Contribute to enterprise initiatives involving scientific quality, AI governance, data governance and stewardship, innovation, workforce development, and research modernization.

Benefits

• Generously subsidized health insurance, effective on the first day of employment
• Dental and vision insurance
• A defined contribution retirement program, along with a separate voluntary 403(b) retirement program
• Group life insurance, long-term and short-term disability insurance
• Benefits that promote work/life balance, including generous paid time off, holidays; paid parental leave, bereavement leave, tuition assistance, and an Employee Assistance Program (EAP).

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Executive