Sr. Research Director, Duke Margolis Institute for Health Policy Hybrid Washington DC or Durham NC

Duke University:

Duke University was created in 1924 through an indenture of trust by James Buchanan Duke. Today, Duke is regarded as one of America's leading research universities. Located in Durham, North Carolina, Duke is positioned in the heart of the Research Triangle, which is ranked annually as one of the best places in the country to work and live. Duke has more than 15,000 students who study and conduct research in its 10 undergraduate, graduate and professional schools. With about 40,000 employees, Duke is the third largest private employer in North Carolina, and it now has international programs in more than 150 countries.

Senior Research Director, Health Care Transformation

Robert J. Margolis, MD, Institute for Health Policy

The Robert J. Margolis, MD, Institute for Health Policy at Duke University (Duke-Margolis) seeks to address critical health policy challenges and improve health, health equity, and the value of health care through practical, innovative, and evidence-based policy solutions. The interdisciplinary nature of Duke-Margolis brings together policy experts, researchers, health care professionals, and students from across Duke's schools of medicine, nursing, law, public policy, business, and engineering, and fosters extensive relationships with stakeholders both internal and external. These relationships span foundations, private sector organizations, state and federal governments, and global entities. The Institute fosters excellence, leadership, and scholarship at every level.

Occupational Summary

Duke-Margolis is seeking a Senior Research Director to play a critical role in leading work in the Institute's Health Care Transformation research domain.

This role encompasses strategic design, management, and direction in this substantial health policy research domain. In addition, the Senior Research Director will serve as a strategic and management leader across Duke-Margolis. The Senior Research Director will help develop the Institute-wide strategic vision and the capabilities necessary to execute the Institute's mission. Through this role, they will support the engagement and development of our community of researchers, faculty, students, and public- and private-sector collaborators.

Specific goals for this position include (1) successfully leading the strategic development and execution of Institute activities within the Health Care Transformation research domain, and connected to other Duke-Margolis research domains; (2) identifying and guiding cross-cutting opportunities to increase the impact of and financial support for the Institute's research priorities; (3) developing and/or leading key components of Institute priorities that are synergistic with but distinct from domain research objectives, e.g. educational, operational, or analytic initiatives; (4) engaging high-profile external audiences to increase the visibility and impact of the Institute's work and expertise; (5) leading opportunities for mentoring and professional development for staff and faculty; and (6) advancing the financial sustainability of the Institute. In this role, the Senior Research Director will look beyond their specific heath policy domain/areas of focus and foster the success of the Institute as a whole.

Duke-Margolis has offices in both Washington, DC and on Duke's main campus in Durham, NC. Durham, NC location is strongly preferred, but exceptional Washington, DC candidates may be considered.. Employees are currently working in a hybrid capacity with a combination of teleworking locally to the base office area (DC/MD/VA or NC, respectively) and in-person team collaboration.

Work Performed

Hold senior strategic program responsibilities in design, development, execution, and operational sustainability planning for multiple portfolios of research projects in the Health Care Transformation domain, including cross-cutting work. Serve as principal investigator (PI) of individual projects and programs when appropriate. Ensure collaboration between portfolios in and across programs; increase and enhance collaboration with faculty and researchers from across the Institute, and with key collaborators regionally, nationally, and globally.

Oversee the execution and administration of work in the Health Care Transformation research domain in collaboration across Institute leadership, project PIs, and financial and compliance staff. Provide content leadership in policy research work products - both within the domain and to advance synergies across research topic areas.

Assist the Duke-Margolis Director in developing, communicating, implementing, sustaining, and evaluating organizational strategic initiatives.

Engage in regular deliberations across Duke-Margolis leadership to collaborate in developing and executing Institute strategy and operations effectively, and to develop strategies for expanding projects and furthering Duke-Margolis's impact and reputation as a national and international health policy leader.

Work across Institute leadership and support units to determine fiscal requirements for the Health Care Transformation research domain and for endeavors with broader Institute impact, prepare budgetary input and recommendations, and develop short-and long-term budgets that support financial sustainability goals for both the target programs and the Institute as a whole.

Work collaboratively with leaders across Duke-Margolis and Duke University to share topic area expertise and develop synergies that will enhance the Institute's work, heightening overall reach and impact.

Provide leadership in development and implementation of key components of Institute priorities that are synergistic with, but distinct from, the management of domain research objectives; e.g. educational, operational, or analytic initiatives, and shared and cross-cutting initiatives. Serve in corresponding leadership roles for those initiatives as appropriate.

Collaborate across Institute leadership and the development team to identify prospects for philanthropic support and grant/contract funding aligned with the Institute's priorities, develop target concept briefs, and support other activities to strengthen the Institute's financial sustainability and ability to carry out its mission.

Lead cross-Institute process improvement efforts as needed.

Recruit, manage, and directly supervise Institute staff, working collaboratively across Institute leadership to ensure appropriate staffing levels and advance Institute human resources and management goals, including those of inclusive excellence.

Serve as a mentor for staff across levels, fostering both health policy expertise and leadership skills. Provide guidance and support for the Institute's Research Directors and other senior staff, as well as Duke-Margolis core and affiliated faculty, to aid in career advancement.

Aid in the development of faculty health policy specialization through sharing of content expertise, health policy mentorship, and identification and development of research synergies with faculty interests.

Minimum Required Qualifications at this Level

Education/Training: Work requires analytical, communications, and organizational skills generally acquired through completion of a Master's degree in a field relevant to the specific position (e.g., health policy, public policy, public health, public administration, health economics, science, engineering, law, or field directly related to the position). Advanced degree beyond Master's preferred (e.g., PhD, PharmD, MD, JD).

Experience: 15 years of progressive experience in policy/research/data analysis or other relevant position is required. Significant senior or executive-level experience in a leadership capacity preferred. Education beyond the Master's degree may substitute for years of experience on a 1:1 basis.

Or an equivalent combination of relevant education and/or experience.

Desired Skills:

• Excellent organizational, communications, and interpersonal skills. Strong initiative, discretion, poise, and good judgment. Able to communicate complex information to a wide range of audiences clearly, precisely, and respectfully.
• Proven proficiency in obtaining funding, managing research projects/ teams to achieve programmatic and financial objectives, mentoring, and developing staff.
• Able to coordinate a variety of complex activities simultaneously and provide senior-level advisement across multiple teams and programs effectively.
• Able to function independently and collaborate effectively with cross-functional, multidisciplinary teams and stakeholders across different roles, backgrounds, and perspectives; experience with Duke-Margolis collaborative research and processes, or similar experience, is preferred.
• Strong research, writing, and analytical skills.
• Specialized, high-level content expertise in areas of health policy research relevant to the Health Care Transformation domain.

• Must be comfortable working in a fast-paced environment with varied and dynamic responsibilities; able to assess the impact of and respond flexibly to changing conditions.

• Flexibility to work at alternate times (evening, early morning, weekend), if required.

• Ability to travel approximately 10%.

• Track record of publication in peer-reviewed journals and/or impactful policy-relevant sources.

The intent of this job description is to provide a representative and level of the types of duties and responsibilities that will be required of positions given this title and shall not be construed as a declaration of the total of the specific duties and responsibilities of any particular position. Employees may be directed to perform job-related tasks other than those specifically presented in this description.

Engagements are renewable annually upon funding availability. Applications will be considered on a rolling basis.

Application Materials Required:

• Cover letter
• Curriculum Vitae
• Three References (names and email addresses)

Duke University provides an annual base salary range for this position as USD $175,000 to USD $250,000. Duke University considers factors such as (but not limited to) scope and responsibilities of the position; candidate's work experience, education/training, and key skills; internal peer equity; as well as market and organizational considerations when extending an offer. This pay range represents base pay only and excludes any additional items such as incentives, bonuses, clinical compensation, or other items. See hr.duke.edu/benefits for more info.