Director of Professional Research Programming and Strategic Initiatives

12-Apr-2024

Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health

65591BR

Job Summary

The Director of Professional Research Programming and Strategic Initiatives will lead and oversee the development of an evolving suite of non-degree educational programs for research professionals and work with the Dean for Education and other school senior leaders on initiatives designed to refine and implement the strategic education vision for Harvard Chan. The Director will report to the Dean for Education and work collaboratively with leaders in the Office of Education and across Academic Affairs and Administrative units.

Position Description

Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

Program Development and Implementation:

• Design and oversee the development, implementation, and growth of a portfolio of non-degree educational programs offered by Harvard Chan School, specifically for health and public health research professionals. The portfolio of programs will serve both internal Harvard Chan School members, as well as external health and public health research professionals. Programs are designed to be responsive to evolving research and educational needs and trends, and reach a diverse audience. Program Design phase:
• Identify the landscape of relevant and adjacent programs at the School, as well as relevant programs at peer institutions.
• Propose options for phased implementation of a set of programs, starting with the identification of topics that are highest priority and meet the greatest need for internal and external audiences, with attention to the synergies across those audiences.
• Design the portfolio so it can be nimble and responsive to evolving research and educational needs and trends, and so it will serve health and public health research professionals from diverse backgrounds.
• Develop a strategy to identify new programming by staying attuned to evolving educational industry trends, cultivating strategic partnerships, and conducting market analysis using data-driven insights.

• Lead the development of a set of evolving individual programs including:
• Recruitment of faculty instructors;
• Leading/supporting program design; and
• Identifying and prioritizing a pipeline of new programs in response to educational industry trends, the cultivation of strategic partnerships, market analysis, and evidence-based insights.
• Oversee program marketing, including advertisement and outreach to national and international audiences.
• In collaboration with the Office of Financial Services, set up and manage financial operations, including budgeting, pricing strategy, and resource allocation to sustainably grow a suite of programs and be in compliance with Harvard policies.
• Work closely with the Department of Information Technology on technology strategy and technical support for the program. 
• Identify feasible delivery options given existing space constraints. 
• Organize and manage program delivery, including support for and facilitating communication with instructors and participants.
• Conduct comprehensive evaluations that integrate internal and external feedback to optimize and refine program offerings for continued quality, attendee satisfaction, and accessibility.
• Establish standardized reporting for school senior leadership highlighting key feedback findings, budget performance and return on investment metrics. 
• Maintain strong relationships with other Harvard Chan and University offices to identify opportunities for partnerships and collaboration that will maximize the reach and impact of research programming.

• Lead and engage in strategic education projects and initiatives including, but not limited to:    
• Advise on key strategic educational priorities and opportunities.
• Conduct independent research and market analysis on the competitive landscape for education toward optimizing the School’s unique market strengths.
• Meet with and convene key stakeholders to gather information toward the strategic vision for education programs.
• Collaborate with the Dean for Education to manage quarterly meetings of research degree committees.
• Work with the Dean for Education and other senior school leaders to form and manage an Education Advisory Committee, who will advise on strategic analysis of the competitive landscape and options for future educational programming.
• Conduct other special projects and duties as assigned. 

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience is required.
• 8+ years of relevant experience is required.     

Additional Qualifications and Skills

The following job-specific skills and competencies are preferred:

• Master's Degree
• 3+ years' experience in higher education
• Experience with MS Office suite
• Excellent written and verbal communications skills; outstanding relationship-building skills; aptitude to understand audiences and expectations
• Excellent project management skills
  

• Awareness of and aptitude to appropriately and effectively understand, respect, and adapt to cultural and identity-based difference within group environments
• Knowledge of and commitment to concepts and issues tied to social justice, diversity, equity, and inclusion
• Skills related to creating and supporting an environment that allows for inclusion, effective intercultural engagement, and personal humility and authenticity
• Experience fostering and reinforcing an environment that values unique experiences, cultures, backgrounds, and goals

Additional Information

Join the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health to support our mission of health research and education, and to be a part of the oldest institution of higher learning in the country!

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• The Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health does not provide visa sponsorship, now or in the future, for staff positions.
• Harvard University requires pre-employment reference checks and background screenings.
• This position has a 180 day orientation and review period.

The health of our workforce is a priority for Harvard University. With that in mind, we strongly encourage all employees to be up to date on CDC-recommended vaccines.

Work Format Details

This is a hybrid position that is based in Massachusetts. Additional details will be discussed during the interview process. All remote work must be performed within one of the Harvard Registered Payroll States, which currently includes Massachusetts, Connecticut, Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Virginia, Washington, and California (CA for exempt positions only). Certain visa types and funding sources may limit work location. Individuals must meet work location sponsorship requirements prior to employment.

Benefits

We invite you to visit Harvard's Total Rewards website (https://hr.harvard.edu/totalrewards ) to learn more about our outstanding benefits package, which may include:

• Paid Time Off: 3-4 weeks of accrued vacation time per year (3 weeks for support staff and 4 weeks for administrative/professional staff), 12 accrued sick days per year, 12.5 holidays plus a Winter Recess in December/January, 3 personal days per year (prorated based on date of hire), and up to 12 weeks of paid leave for new parents who are primary care givers.
• Health and Welfare: Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision benefits, disability and life insurance programs, along with voluntary benefits. Most coverage begins as of your start date.
• Work/Life and Wellness: Child and elder/adult care resources including on campus childcare centers, Employee Assistance Program, and wellness programs related to stress management, nutrition, meditation, and more.
• Retirement: University-funded retirement plan with contributions from 5% to 15% of eligible compensation, based on age and earnings with full vesting after 3 years of service.
• Tuition Assistance Program: Competitive program including $40 per class at the Harvard Extension School and reduced tuition through other participating Harvard graduate schools.
• Tuition Reimbursement: Program that provides 75% to 90% reimbursement up to $5,250 per calendar year for eligible courses taken at other accredited institutions.
• Professional Development: Programs and classes at little or no cost, including through the Harvard Center for Workplace Development and LinkedIn Learning.
• Commuting and Transportation: Various commuter options handled through the Parking Office, including discounted parking, half-priced public transportation passes and pre-tax transit passes, biking benefits, and more.
• Harvard Facilities Access, Discounts and Perks: Access to Harvard athletic and fitness facilities, libraries, campus events, credit union, and more, as well as discounts to various types of services (legal, financial, etc.) and cultural and leisure activities throughout metro-Boston.

Job Function

General Administration

Department Office Location

USA - MA - Boston

Job Code

361059 Administrative Manager

Work Format

Hybrid (partially on-site, partially remote)

Department

Office of Education

Union

00 - Non Union, Exempt or Temporary

Pre-Employment Screening

Education, Identity

Commitment to Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging

At the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, we believe that diversity is integral to the Harvard experience and our mission of improving public health education, research and policy. Diversity of cultural backgrounds, identities, lived experiences, perspectives, and ways of understanding the world enriches our community and enables us to best meet the public health needs of the United States and the world. Ongoing learning and development related to diversity allows for both individual and institutional growth, and is necessary to foster and sustain a culture of inclusion. To achieve this, we are committed to ensuring equitable access to opportunities for learning, living, and working at the Harvard Chan School. We maintain an unwavering dedication to diversity, inclusion, and belonging as core to our institutional values and to actively counter, minimize, and address racism, sexism, xenophobia, homophobia, gender bias, and all forms of discrimination.

Learn more about the School’s mission, objectives, and core values , our Principles of Citizenship , and our diversity, inclusion, and belonging initiatives.

EEO Statement

We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, gender identity, sexual orientation, pregnancy and pregnancy-related conditions, or any other characteristic protected by law.

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