Research Program Manager - NC Collaboratory

A global higher education leader in innovative teaching, research and public service, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill consistently ranks as one of the nation's top public universities. Known for its beautiful campus, world-class medical care, commitment to the arts and top athletic programs, Carolina is an ideal place to teach, work and learn.

One of the best college towns and best places to live in the United States, Chapel Hill has diverse social, cultural, recreation and professional opportunities that span the campus and community.

University employees can choose from a wide range of professional training opportunities for career growth, skill development and lifelong learning and enjoy exclusive perks for numerous retail, restaurant and performing arts discounts, savings on local child care centers and special rates on select campus events. UNC-Chapel Hill offers full-time employees a comprehensive benefits package, paid leave, and a variety of health, life and retirement plans and additional programs that support a healthy work/life balance.

This department includes the North Carolina Policy Collaboratory at UNC-Chapel Hill. The Collaboratory disseminates the policy and research expertise of the University for practical use by state and local government. A collaboratory is a center without walls in which researchers can perform their research without regard to physical location, interacting with colleagues, accessing instrumentation, sharing data and computational resources and accessing information in digital libraries in a collaborative manner.

A SIGN-ON BONUS IS AVAILABLE FOR THE SUCCESSFUL APPLICANT OF THIS POSITION PAID IN 2 INSTALLMENTS WITHIN 12 MONTHS OF HIRE:
WITHIN 30 DAYS OF HIRE DATE & 12 MONTHS AFTER HIRE DATE.

This position supports the NC Collaboratory's social science research portfolio by monitoring and coordinating project activities within a defined scope, budget, schedule, and deliverables. The Research Program Manager will support the Social Sciences team to develop plans, manage communication while serving as a point of contact for administrators, contractors, stakeholders, and external audiences.

The NC Collaboratory develops research initiatives that target a pressing policy issue or problem of practice faced by policymakers and practitioners at the State and local level in North Carolina, and awards funding to support mutually beneficial partnerships between academic research teams and partners in local governments, community organizations and State agencies. The Social Sciences team currently manages studies on a wide range of topics in the social sciences, including K-12 education, opioid remediation, foster care, mental health and criminal justice, economic development, and local government issues. All of these studies aim to generate practical research findings that could help advance policy and practice related to these issues. Due to the dynamic nature of Collaboratory's research portfolio, future research project topics may expand to new areas within social sciences. The position will assist the Collaboratory Research Director in supporting, coordinating, and managing new, complex research programs involving extensive government and community engagement, as well as strong public interest.

The Research Program Manager will support the Social Sciences team by working with research teams to establish milestones, manage project scopes, and track performance to ensure milestones are met and documented. This position will aid in developing communication materials, organizing meetings to share insights and address issues, and implementing best practices for research-practice partnerships.

In collaboration with the Social Sciences team and leadership teams from partner entities, the Research Program Manager will help develop research plans and review proposals for new partnership-based studies. Other duties include grant management activities for these research studies, including scheduling and leading meetings, tracking activities and progress, identifying and troubleshooting problems, overseeing budgets, expenditures, timelines and deliverables. The Research Program Manager identifies and obtains resources such as meeting venues and supplies, developing reports, presentations and other communication materials to share progress and achievements to stakeholders.

Relevant post-Baccalaureate degree required (or foreign degree equivalent); for candidates demonstrating comparable independent research productivity, will accept a relevant Bachelor's degree (or foreign degree equivalent) and 3 or more years of relevant experience in substitution. May require terminal degree and licensure.

Master's degree in the in a related field of study (e.g., MPP, MPA, MPH, JD, MA) is required.

Demonstrated 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.

Demonstrated attention to detail, sound judgment, intellectual curiosity, and commitment to accuracy, objectivity, and ethical research practices.

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 (e.g., State agency) or 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/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.

The ideal candidate is enthusiastic, conscientious, a responsible steward of taxpayer-funded dollars, eager to work with multiple cross-sector teams, and has experience with navigating challenging conversations and mediating conflict between team members and partners from different sectors.

**ELIGIBILITY FOR SIGN-ON BONUS

A newly hired permanent full time or permanent part-time (more than 20 hours a week) employee are eligible for a sign-on bonus (this will be prorated for employees working more than 20 hours and less than 40 hours per week).

This Sign-on Bonus is contingent upon budget and final eligibility determination as of the effective date of hire. All recipients must sign the Pay Back Agreement form. Additional information regarding the Sign-on Policy can be found at https://oshr.nc.gov/documents/sign-and-retention-bonus-policy-1/open .

The University is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes all to apply without regard to age, color, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex, or sexual orientation. We encourage all qualified applicants to apply, including protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.