About UMass Amherst
UMass Amherst, the Commonwealth's flagship campus, is a nationally ranked public research university offering a full range of undergraduate, graduate and professional degrees. The University sits on nearly 1,450-acres in the scenic Pioneer Valley of Western Massachusetts and offers a rich cultural environment in a bucolic setting close to major urban centers. In addition, the University is part of the Five Colleges (including Amherst College, Hampshire College, Mount Holyoke College, and Smith College), which adds to the intellectual energy of the region.
Job Summary
The University of Massachusetts Donahue Institute (UMDI) Applied Research and Program Evaluation (ARPE) Senior Research Manager works collaboratively with the unit director and other members of the unit management team (Senior Research Managers and Research Managers) to design studies, develop project scopes, budgets and project work plans. They are responsible for ensuring that the overall quality of work produced on their projects is professional and consistent with UMDI standards.
ARPE’s philosophy reflects a rigorous but practical orientation, believing that research is most meaningful when findings can be applied to public benefit. We also believe that evaluative work is a key driver in advancing equity and strive to utilize culturally responsive and equitable evaluation practices in all of our work. To this end, we are actively working to engage a diverse team of researchers that is reflective of the communities served by the programs we study.
Essential Functions
- Develops sound research plans to meet client needs and manage client expectations to ensure that responsiveness is balanced with appropriate management of scope and budget.
- Implements research plans by collecting data, analyzing data utilizing a range of quantitative and qualitative methods, producing high-quality deliverables, and providing guidance and oversight to project teams.
- Leads efforts to develop new business in consultation with the business unit director to include working with existing clients to frame new research projects, vetting new opportunities, and writing competitive funding proposals.
- Works with the business unit director to develop and monitor effort analyses, budgets, and staffing plans to ensure that projects are resourced appropriately.
- Provides technical assistance and capacity building support to clients and their organizations, particularly regarding understanding and utilizing research findings.
- Disseminates findings via publications, conference presentations, etc., as appropriate.
- Provides ongoing mentoring and supervision to staff, including feedback relative to staff capabilities, completing formal annual performance reviews, and collaboratively developing annual goals.
- Fosters a work environment that values collaboration, cooperation, and respect for all staff and their contributions to the business unit and UMDI.
Other Functions
- Participates in UMDI and University-wide initiatives as required.
- Participates in recruitment and onboarding of new staff as required to staff funded projects.
- Other business unit duties as assigned.
Minimum Qualifications (Knowledge, Skills, Abilities, Education, Experience, Certifications, Licensure)
- Master’s degree and at least five (5) years of relevant professional research and management experience OR a bachelor’s degree and at least ten (10) years of relevant professional research and management experience.
- Substantive experience using quantitative (SPSS, Stata, R, or SAS) or qualitative data analysis software (NVivo or ATLAS.ti).
- Demonstrated success independently managing research projects and teams, supervising and mentoring staff, working successfully with clients and funders, and writing successful research funding proposals and/or leading other business development efforts.
- Demonstrated effective verbal and written communication skills.
- Proficiency with common business software applications such as Microsoft Office.
Preferred Qualifications (Knowledge, Skills, Abilities, Education, Experience, Certifications, Licensure)
- Doctoral degree.
- Academic disciplines: Education, Sociology, Public Health, Public Policy, Psychology or related social science discipline.
- Proficiency with advanced quantitative analysis methods such as multi-level modeling, time series analysis, item response theory analysis, propensity score matching/weighting.
- Leadership experience in public, private, or non-profit research consulting.
- A demonstrated history or network in relevant topic areas that can be leveraged in business development.
- Spanish language proficiency, including the ability to effectively conduct business and facilitate data collection activities in Spanish.
Physical Demands/Working Conditions
- Multiple hours in a stationary position while using office equipment and computers.
- Must maintain a home office, with high-speed internet access, sufficiently free of distractions to allow work to be done.
- Office environment is a busy, collegial office area resulting in multiple interruptions and requests for assistance.
- Must have the flexibility to travel within Massachusetts on an as-needed basis and occasionally outside of the Commonwealth to attend meetings, and/or conduct field-based data collection.
- Ability to move and transport items up to 20 pounds from one location to another.
- The physical/mental demands and work environment factors described above are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.
Additional Details
- This is a full-time, benefited position.
- This position may be initially supported through non-sponsored funding and will be transitioned to being funded primarily (e.g. 80%) through sponsored funds (grants & contracts) within a year. At such time, this position will be contingent upon the continued receipt of financially supporting grants and/or contracts.
- Applicants must be work authorized for employment in the U.S. on a full-time basis.
- Any job offer is specifically conditioned upon the potential candidate consenting to and successfully completing a background review.
- This position can be located in Boston or Hadley, MA.
- For more information about the Donahue Institute, please visit: https://www.youtube.com/@umassdonahueinstitute2556/videos.
Work Schedule
- Standard full-time work schedule consisting of five, eight-hour days and 40 hours each workweek. Work performed in addition to the regular work hours may be necessary, and may require a change in availability at specific times, to accommodate for variations in work demands.
- This position has the opportunity for a hybrid work schedule, which is defined by the University as an arrangement where an employee’s work is regularly performed at a location other than the campus workspace for a portion of the week. As this position falls within the Professional Staff Union, it is subject to the terms and conditions of the Professional Staff Union collective bargaining agreement.
Salary Information
PSU Level 30
Exempt Hiring Ranges
Special Instructions to Applicants
Along with your application, please submit a resume and cover letter. References will be checked at the finalist stage. Please be prepared to provide contact information for three (3) professional references.
UMass Amherst is committed to a policy of equal opportunity without regard to race, color, religion, caste, creed, sex, age, marital status, national origin, disability, political belief or affiliation, pregnancy and pregnancy-related condition(s), veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, genetic information, natural and protective hairstyle and any other class of individuals protected from discrimination in employment, admission to and participation in academic programs, activities, and services, and the selection of vendors who provide services or products to the University. To fulfill that policy, UMass Amherst is further committed to a program of affirmative action to eliminate or mitigate artificial barriers and to increase opportunities for the recruitment and advancement of qualified minorities, women, persons with disabilities, and covered veterans. It is the policy of UMass Amherst to comply with the applicable federal and state statutes, rules, and regulations concerning equal opportunity and affirmative action.