DescriptionPosition Overview The Central Texas Food Bank (CTFB) is looking for a strategic thinking Director of Research to lead the organization's research efforts. The Director of Research oversees research initiatives, including community needs assessments, client insights, food systems research, and evaluate new initiatives in partnership with our data and analytics team to inform CTFB's growth and strategy.
Relationships Reporting to the Vice President of Strategic Insights, the Director of Research will lead a team of 3+ to harness the power of research-based insights and data to increase food access and food equity for all Central Texans. This position interfaces with external stakeholders, as well as internal CTFB departments to build and lead an innovative research agenda. Proven and demonstrated professionalism and effective communication skills to achieve goals are necessary for this role.
RequirementsYour Qualifications- Master's degree in an applied research related field, including Social Sciences, Public Health, Public Policy, Economics, Epidemiology, or other fields; PhD preferred
- Minimum of 4 years of applied research and/or evaluation experience, preferably in a nonprofit or service delivery environment
- Minimum of 2 years of direct supervision experience over full-time paid staff
- Ability to use written and verbal communication skills to easily translate data into understandable documents, communicate complex ideas and present data
- Ability to work with limited supervision and high levels of initiative
- Demonstrated ability to build relationships, influence others and offer strategic perspective
- Strong interpersonal skills and customer service demeanor
- Experience in logic models, applied research, policy analysis, organizational learning, program design and evaluation
- Experience working with quantitative and qualitative data through a mixed-methods approach
- Ability to create infographics, data visualization and statistical graphics preferred, particularly with Power Bi and ArcGIS
- Superior organizational, project management, time management and multi-tasking skills, with the ability to successfully handle multiple priorities simultaneously under aggressive timelines
- Values the voice of the community and project stakeholders in research design and interpretation
- Enjoy being a team player, ready to work with others on a regular basis to reach shared goals
- Strong attention to detail
- Knowledge of food insecurity, federal feeding programs, health and nutrition programming a plus
- Belief in CTFB's mission, vision, values and culture
- Display a willingness and desire to work with people from diverse ethnic, socioeconomic and religious backgrounds
- Display a commitment to service, above all else
Your Responsibilities- Plan and direct a portfolio of research projects, including but not limited to client/consumer insights, community needs assessments, food system innovation, and health equity initiatives
- Present findings visually, orally, and in writing, as appropriate, and develop briefs, presentations, reports, and publications that describe and interpret findings and provide actionable insights
- Develop new and/or improve existing research tools, processes, and workflows
- Manage CTFB survey tools and providing support to other CTFB teams as needed on survey and metric development
- Stay abreast of latest research and best practices related to major food systems initiatives, overseeing literature reviews to support development of new initiatives and pilots
- Partner with local academic institutions to develop a research internship program
- Support CTFB community/initiative partnerships through data and research to achieve broader community-level impact
- Build partnerships with academic and research institutions to support our mission
- Build capacity of CTFB staff and network partners to use research to support learning and strategy development
- Develop a high-performance team culture focused on leadership and accountability at all levels; continuous learning, collaboration, measurement, and goal achievement by modeling the way and enabling others to act
- Effectively coach team members and provide supportive and developmental feedback to enhance performance. Ensure team members develop the technical, leadership and professional skills necessary for success
- Set performance goals for team members that align to CTFB's strategy, and evaluate performance against goals on a regular basis
- Actively support and exemplify CTFB's values, goals, and objectives in all aspects of your role
- Contribute to a positive, mission-driven organizational culture by demonstrating professionalism, inclusivity, and a collaborative spirit.
- Support emergency efforts as needed, including stepping into alternative roles or responsibilities during times of heightened demand or organizational need
- Performs other duties as assigned
