Position Summary: 

The OCF Senior Research Officer is responsible for managing and overseeing a research and implementation science agenda that supports the priorities of the Office of Children and Families (OCF), which are to promote safe children, strong families, and supported schools and communities. Under the guidance of the Chief of PMT, the Senior Research Officer will collaborate closely with OCF’s Research and Evaluation team to set a research and implementation agenda that is rigorous, actionable, and clearly aligns with the strategic vision, priorities, and initiatives of the OCF executive leadership team. Within OCF, this position will work primarily with, but is not limited to, the Department of Human Services (DHS) to provide implementation expertise and conduct internal assessments and original research that inform, evaluate, and support key practice initiatives and system improvements for child welfare. To build a sustainable infrastructure to support this work, the Senior Research Officer will lead a Research and Implementation Science team that is designed to work across OCF practice departments to provide analytic support and carry out a robust research portfolio. The Senior Research Officer will guide OCF to conduct a broader array of more rigorous research and evaluation studies that answer executive leadership’s most pressing questions and that generate findings that are actionable and lead to system improvements. 

The Senior Research Officer will also provide consultation and support to the broader staff within the Research and Evaluation Team regarding the conceptualization and design of studies and reports as well as assist with technical writing projects across the agency. More broadly, the Senior Research Officer will engage a wide range of stakeholders (e.g., City leadership, external researchers, university partners, foundations, policymakers) to actively partner in research studies that have direct, tangible benefit to OCF and the families it serves. The Senior Research Officer will chair OCF’s External Research Committee, which is designed to review, approve, and monitor study proposals from external researchers.

In addition to these core research functions, the Senior Research Officer will also maintain an original portfolio of major system improvement projects, providing project management and oversight for major system initiatives. Such core projects include but are not limited to the implementation and evaluation needs of the Family Support through Primary Prevention grant, key strategies from the City’s Cross-Agency Disproportionality Workgroup, as well as key strategies that promote antiracist and equity-driven practice. Examples of related tasks include the bidding and selection of contracted research partners, the managing of large contracts with national research firms, overseeing the Grants Officer’s work in applying for major grant opportunities to fund system initiatives, and work within OCF teams and across City stakeholder groups.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Provide leadership in the development and implementation of readiness assessments, equity assessments, and original research in partnership with other key leaders at OCF
• Lead an Implementation Science resource “center” that disseminates information and provides training and capacity building opportunities for staff across the Office of Children and Families
• Identify and develop strategic research partnerships with external stakeholders that align with OCF’s strategic vision, priorities, and initiatives to produce tangible deliverables useful to OCF
• Serve as the Project Director for the Enhancing Primary Prevention in Philadelphia grant and guide the implementation and evaluation teams, including, maintaining a collaborative relationship with the Philadelphia Department of Public Health
• Design and conduct internally supported studies (quantitative, qualitative, or mixed-methods using either primary data collection or secondary data analyses) that investigate research questions consistent with the strategic vision and priorities of OCF
• Conduct best practice scan(s) for integrating Implementation Science into the operations of large organizations and systems and prepare memos and presentations on findings and recommended next steps
• Lead internally comprised teams in the development of research topics and questions. research design. data collection, analyses. interpretation of findings, and dissemination of information
• Collaborate with DIN in the design and production of a portfolio of reports that inform, evaluate, and support key operations within child welfare
• Contribute to internal capacity building within PMT to design and conduct rigorous and actionable research (e.g.. provide trainings, consultation, support, peer reviews, etc.)
• Ensure that project requirements are achieved in a timely fashion and within budget guidelines.
• Convene and engage PMT and OCF teams on a regular basis to build collaborative relationships among project learn members and across roles and functions
• Participate actively in workgroups and committees, as well as leadership and staff meetings
• Support PMT and other divisions in the production of written reports, briefings, data presentations, or other materials for internal and external audiences
• Supervise and mentor PMHCC staff and interns as assigned, both to contribute to their professional growth and development as well as the productivity of PMT
• Oversee and implement data and research related duties and projects as assigned
• Develop and lead OCF’s Research Team to build internal capacity to carry out major research studies over time
• Chair OCF’s External Research Committee to review, approve, and monitor external research studies that are beneficial to OCF and provide actionable findings that benefit children and families known to OCF
• Provide project management for a portfolio of key systemic initiatives
• Seek funding opportunities and apply for major grants as needed to support key systemic initiatives
• Independently, with little oversight, develop presentations that clearly communicate research findings to diverse audiences

Skills Required:

• Expert knowledge of and experience with quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods research, including the ability to conceptuali7e, design, execute, and clearly present meaningful research
• Experience writing papers and reports for both technical audiences, child welfare professionals, and the general public
• Strong communication skills with the ability Io translate findings and information from empirical studies to various stakeholder groups either in written or oral format
• Strong project management skills with the ability to construct and implement work plans in a collaborative fashion
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving ability and organizational skills
• Experience and knowledge of Philadelphia’s child welfare system as well as best practice in the broader field of child welfare
• Proficiency using both Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and analytic software such as Stata, SPSS, NVIVO, or Dedoose
• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to collaborate and interact well with team members and other internal/external stakeholders
• Experience working with leadership level staff at various city departments, local and state officials. and academic institutions
• Strong skills in developing. leading. and managing a diverse Research Team
• Advanced presentation skills
• Grant-writing skills and ability to put together a team to implement major funding opportunities
• Write and oversee requests for proposals (RiPs) for major contracts with research firms
• Chair committees and internal teams to support research and evaluation that is beneficial to DM5 and the children and families it serves

Education and Experience:

• A doctoral degree in social work, social welfare, public health or a related field
• A minimum of 5 years experience in the design and conduct of research and a minimum of 10 years social work experience in a child welfare field.

Essential Functions: 

Ability to physically perform the duties and to work in the environmental conditions required such as maneuvering in office space — reaching file cabinets, fax and copier machines when necessary. Must be able to sit for up to 2 hours looking at the computer monitor and using a keyboard and mouse typing or performing data entry’ functions. Able to travel.

Equal Opportunity Employment: 

PMHCC is committed to equal opportunity. It is our policy to support equal employment for all employees and applicants without regard to race, religion, color, sex, sexual preferences. age, national origin, disability, behavioral health status, military status or any other characteristic protected by law.

Americans with Disabilities Act:

Employees as well as applicants who are currently, or become disabled must be able to perform the functions of the job with either reasonable accommodation or unaided. PMHCC will examine reasonable accommodations on a case by case basis with accordance to the law.