Brief Overview:
We are seeking a Director of Research and Evaluation for the HAVI to collaborate with the organization’s senior leadership to develop opportunities to advance our understanding of hospital-based violence intervention and trauma-informed care in the field of community violence prevention.
Position Description:
To heal communities affected by violence, The Health Alliance for Violence Intervention (www.thehavi.org) fosters hospital and community collaborations to advance equitable, trauma-informed care for violence intervention/ prevention programs. Our vision is to build a system of healthcare that mobilizes hospitals and communities to end violence, together.
Hospital-based violence intervention programs (HVIPs) vary in their design and scope. Essential components of HVIPs include a brief intervention to violently injured patients in the emergency department or at the hospital bedside and intensive community-based case management services following discharge. HVIP services are provided by culturally competent Violence Prevention Professionals. HVIPs are rooted in the philosophy that violence is preventable, and that violent injury offers a “teachable moment” and unique opportunity to break cycles of violence. HVIPs embrace a public health approach to violence prevention as they are grounded in data, which indicate that victims of violence are at elevated risk for re-injury and violence perpetration. This model has been the subject of numerous peer-reviewed studies indicating promising impact on injury recidivism, criminal justice contact, and trauma symptoms. HVIPs are now a recommended practice by the federal government.
The network has grown to hundreds of individuals, including physicians, nurses, social workers, therapists, violence prevention professionals, outreach workers and researchers who are affiliated with 49 member programs in the U.S., Canada, England, and El Salvador. Our goal is to support the growth of HVIPs throughout the United States. The HAVI is structured within 4 divisions: Capacity Building, Organizational Growth and Equity, Policy and Communications, and Communities of Practice.
The HAVI’s work is carried by three distinct, yet interconnected clusters. These clusters include: Capacity Building, Strategy and Impact, and Research and Evaluation. The Research and Evaluation Cluster is a new entity within the HAVI which has emerged from a need to elevate existing research in the field and to promote new research that could be used to support stakeholders across the network. These stakeholders include city and state government, hospitals/health systems, medical and public health organizations, researchers, the broader gun violence prevention movement, as well as other racial justice organizations.
The HAVI is a fiscally sponsored project of Health Resources in Action, Inc. (HRiA).
The Director of Research and Evaluation will collaborate with the organization’s senior leadership to develop opportunities to advance our understanding of hospital-based violence intervention and trauma-informed care in the field of community violence prevention. The Director will help increase multi-site HVIP research, create resources to support manualized training and technical assistance, build internal capacity for research and evaluation, and promote the establishment of a diverse research workforce that includes underrepresented groups as well as those with relevant lived experiences.
We seek candidates with a passion for violence intervention work and who understand the contributions our inter-disciplinary communities play in advancing this powerful model across the country. We also seek candidates with both a robust understanding of research and evaluation methods and with experience engaging communities in the research process.
The Director of Research and Evaluation will report to the Managing Director, Capacity Building. This is an exempt, full-time position with a salary range between $115,000 – $120,000, based on skills and experience. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, staff are working remotely. Staff who are fully vaccinated may work in HRiA’s Boston office as desired and/or conduct in-person work activities as necessary. This position can be fully remote or hybrid, based on the candidate.
Duties and Responsibilities:
This includes but is not limited to the following:
Management
- Lead and manage research and evaluation department including staff, hiring, budgets, program planning, implementation, evaluation, and other related responsibilities;
- Establish and implement departmental goals and priorities;
- Build and sustain departmental identity, relationships, and portfolio;
- Supervise and/or mentor at least 2 staff;
- Provide guidance to other senior staff on relevant research in the field and its impact on project development and implementation;
- Cultivate and maintain positive working relationships with key national/state partners and leaders including clients, community stakeholders, potential funders and the HAVI Board (as requested);
- Work alongside the Executive Team to manage important internal and external opportunities and challenges.
Project Work
- With the Managing Director, set a research agenda focused on violence intervention and prevention;
- Act as central point of contact for external research inquiries;
- Characterize the site-specific variabilities among HVIPs to inform research design and interpretation of findings across programs (emergency medicine, trauma, pediatrics, hospital-linked, and others);
- Develop and maintain a catalogue of HVIP research;
- Facilitate research collaborations among member programs;
- Promote mentorship of junior faculty, post-docs and graduate students conducting HVIP research with an emphasis on advancing careers of underrepresented minority researchers;
- Coordinate multi-site research studies;
- Lead new research;
- Contribute content expertise/specialty to projects and teams;
- Implement project activities or tasks as appropriate.
Thought Leadership
- Work with Research and Evaluation working group and the training and technical assistance department to support HVIP implement appropriate data collection;
- Promote innovative research methodologies and the value of different types of evidence (e.g., randomized control trials, community-based participatory research).
- Identify partners in multi-site research
- Connect with outside organizations and agencies involved in injury prevention, public health, policy/advocacy, and criminal justice research
- Join the leadership team of the Research and Evaluation working group.
- Submit and/or contribute to publications (e.g. journal manuscripts, practice beliefs, etc.) and/or conference abstracts, presentations, and workshops.
- Suggest ideas/improvements through participation in teams and committees.
Business Development
- Partner with Managing Director and resource development team to apply and secure research funding from private and public sources;
- Identify and assess funding opportunities;
- Lead and contribute to proposal writing;
- Support staff members’ new business development efforts;
- Write and contribute to proposals, scopes, budgets, etc.
Special Requirements
- Advanced degree, preferably doctorate level, in the fields of epidemiology, public health, or related field
- Methodologic expertise in quantitative and qualitative research
- Knowledge of the following research designs:
- Community-based participatory research methods
- Implementation science
- Quasi-experimental design
- Multi-site research
- Skilled at embedding racial equity in the research process
- Research or direct practice experience working with communities affected by violence
- History of obtaining federal funding or similar grant acquisition for own research
- Demonstrated experience in developing and leading a research team
- Solid management experience and demonstrated success in developing and leading strategic projects;
Candidate Qualifications:
- Strong analytical and planning skills;
- Well-developed oral and written communication skills, including public speaking and audience engagement;
- Knowledge of and facility with budget development and management;
- Ability to work collaboratively with a wide range of people representing various backgrounds, levels of training, and career stages;
- Ability to work independently, juggle multiple tasks and responsibilities, and meet deadlines;
- Ability to work remotely.
- Ability to travel nationally (10-25%)
- Ability to supervise others according to Strengths-Based Leadership Framework;
- Ability to work as a part of a team–leading when appropriate and accepting feedback;
- Ability to adapt communication appropriately for purpose and audience;
- Ability to design presentations using professional tools such as PowerPoint, Prezi, etc;
- A healthy sense of humor and the ability to work with grace under pressure.
This description is intended to indicate the kinds of work duties that will be required in this position. It is not intended to limit, or in any way modify, the rights of any supervisor to assign, direct, and contract work of staff under their supervision. The use of a particular illustration describing duties shall not be held to exclude other duties, not mentioned, that are of a similar level or difficulty.
How to Apply:
To apply, submit your cover letter and resume online. Please include in your cover letter experience (paid or unpaid) as it relates to this job description as well as any other relevant or adjacent skill sets. Please note that the interview process will consist of a minimum of two video interviews and the submission of relevant work samples and/or a written skills-based exercise. If you require an accommodation, we welcome your request at any point in the application process.
HRiA is an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer and is committed to providing access, equal opportunity, and reasonable accommodation for individuals with disabilities in employment, its services, programs, and activities. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran status, or genetic information.
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