Project Director

The Public Health Institute (PHI) is an independent, nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting health, well-being, and quality of life for people throughout California, across the nation and around the world. As one of the largest and most comprehensive public health organizations in the nation, we are at the forefront of research and innovations to improve the efficacy of public health statewide, nationally, and internationally.

PHI was distinguished as one of the top 50 "Best Non-Profit Organizations to Work For" by the Non-Profit Times in a national search.

SUMMARY:

Fiscally sponsored by the Public Health Institute (PHI), the Youth Action Hub (YAH) is a participatory action research hub and network driven by young people with lived expertise of housing instability. YAH conducts rigorous research that has direct implications for policies and practice to transform social systems-advancing health, housing, and wealth equity for young people. YAH works closely with organizational and community partners across the state to translate research into solutions.

The Research Scientist I will serve as the Project Director on Youth Action Hub. The Project Director is responsible for the overall management and coordination of program activities, including the implementation of current program activities and grants, as well as fund development, personnel oversight, operational management, and coordination of partnership activities.

The Project Director is credentialed as a Principal Investigator at the Public Health Institute. This position reports to the Associate Vice President of Research Program Administration.

This is a regular full-time, time-limited position that is expected to end on May 29, 2026, with a possibility of extension dependent on funding availability. At PHI, a time-limited position is defined as regular employment with an expected end date of no more than one year from the beginning of the position. In rare circumstances, time-limited positions may be extended (e.g., when additional funding is available) to a maximum total length of up to eighteen (18) months from the start of the employee's original time-limited position.

This is a remote position that may require occasional travel to attend in-person meetings, conferences, or other work-related work activities.

Full salary range for this position: $84,177 to $124,412 per year. The typical hiring range for this position is from $84,177 (minimum) to $104,295 (midpoint), based on 100% FTE. The starting salary is determined using a variety of factors, such as the candidate's knowledge, skills, and experience, as well as internal equity consideration and budget availability.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES include the following:

Program leadership

• In partnership with the staff and advisory board, define strategic direction for the program.
• Cultivate, grow, and support a strong advisory board.
• Scope out, build and sustain relationships and strategic partnerships with partners and other stakeholders to foster collaboration, generate and share learning, mutually build capacity, influence agendas and debates, and raise the program's profile.

Research leadership and capacity building

• Contribute to ongoing projects and the development and implementation of new research agendas.
• Develop and support the coordination of participatory action research projects.
• Develop and apply concepts and strategic thinking, theoretical frameworks, appropriate methodologies, and protocols for the research projects.
• Train and mentor junior researchers in all aspects of the research process, including data collection and analysis, and interpretation of findings to contribute to the advancement of knowledge in the field and to application to real world solutions.
• Build capacity of the team to work with other researchers, staff, students, and external partners to advance research goals.
• Ensure that research projects comply with scientific, ethical, and regulatory standards.

Operations and management

• Hire, supervise, and collaborate with program staff, providing clear workplans and regular evaluations, professional development opportunities, and a common sense of purpose.
• Supervise the work of colleagues, partners, consultants and other collaborators.
• Refine data systems, ensuring they follow best practices around data privacy and data maintenance.
• Establish and implement project management systems and work closely with project coordinators.
• Ensure that all projects, policies, and practices are in alignment with PHI's and the program's values, mission, and direction.
• Oversee day-to-day administrative operations, working with PHI administrative departments to ensure compliance.
• Handle fiscal management and grant/award requirements of projects.
• Lead on the preparation of technical documents for grant reporting.

Business development and fundraising

• With staff and advisory board, create a program charter and strategic plan.
• Develop ideas and lead in writing proposals for new or renewed research funding.
• Liaise with the Development and Bid and Proposal teams to prepare relevant budgets and other grant information to finalize proposals.
• Build and maintain relationships with existing and prospective donors and funders.
• Lead a team of staff and advisory board in developing a fundraising plan.

Communications, research dissemination, outreach and influence

• With staff, partners and advisory board, set direction for a communications plan.
• Actively disseminate key findings and messages through peer-reviewed journals, conference presentations, reports to stakeholders, events, social media, among others.
• Use innovative deliberative tools and mechanisms to engage and influence stakeholders.

Perform other duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required.

Minimum Qualifications

• 3 years of related research experience.
• Bachelor of science degree in related field, or substitute with 4 years of additional relevant experience.

Other Qualifications

• Extensive Youth Participatory Action Research expertise and experience.
• Strong knowledge of research methodologies, statistical analysis, and relevant scientific principles.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to work effectively with a diverse team of researchers and stakeholders.
• Experience in planning, organizing, and managing research projects.
• Ability to mentor junior researchers and supervise staff including establishing work plans, monitoring productivity, coaching, motivating, and managing performance.
• Experience in writing grant proposals and securing funding for research projects.
• Familiarity with business practices including fiscal managements, personnel and payroll, and contracting.
• Experience in developing and managing operational budgets.
• Intermediate to advanced skills in Microsoft Office Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
• Ph.D. or equivalent degree in a relevant field preferred.
• Must be able to pass the background checks required for this position.

FAIR LABOR STANDARDS ACT (FLSA) STATUS

This position is classified as exempt based on the job duties. However, based on the FTE, salary level of the employee, or federal/state/local laws, the employee may be classified as nonexempt.

The Public Health Institute is committed to a policy that provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, sex, religion, national origin, ancestry, age, marital status, pregnancy, medical condition including genetic characteristics, physical or mental disability, veteran status, gender identification and expression, sexual orientation, and to make all employment decisions so as to further this principle of equal employment opportunity. To this end, the PHI will not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race, color, sex, religion, national origin, ancestry, age, marital status, pregnancy, medical condition including genetic characteristics, physical or mental disability, veteran status, gender identification and expression, sexual orientation, and will take affirmative action to ensure that applicants are offered employment and employees are treated during employment without regard to these characteristics.

For further information regarding Equal Employment Opportunity, copy and paste the following URL into your web browser: http://www.dol.gov/ofccp/regs/compliance/posters/pdf/eeopost.pdf

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We're so pleased the Public Health Institute is an organization you would like to work with. Do you have questions about this opportunity? If so, email our recruitment team at Recruitment@phi.org.

Additional information about PHI's benefits and compensation offerings can be found here.

The Public Health Institute is committed to providing access and reasonable accommodation in its services, programs, activities and employment for individuals with disabilities. To request disability accommodation in the application process, contact the Recruitment Team at least 48 hours in advance at Recruitment@phi.org.