Job Type:

Position Description

GRT's mission is to cultivate RAND's world-class intellectual capital and scientific community, and to promote an equitable and inclusive culture. GRT is designed to facilitate the flow of people, methods, ideas, and knowledge across our entire research portfolio. GRT consists of five departments, the four disciplinary research departments are: Behavioral & Policy Sciences (BPS), Defense & Political Sciences (DPS), Engineering & Applied Sciences (EAS), and Economics, Sociology & Statistics (ESS), and GRT Operations department (GRTO) which includes research assistants, term, and adjunct staff.

We are seeking a leader for our Defense and Policy Sciences Department (DPS) which is home to a range of researchers from disciplines including political science, international studies, history, and law. The Director will lead and manage the research department of approximately 200 research scientists and analysts and 100-150 adjunct staff in a matrixed organization across four major sites.

The director will: develop and execute the long-run strategic vision for the department and oversee all day-to-day operations; hire, retain, cultivate top research talent to shape RAND's research workforce; with the senior executive team, be responsible for execution of the annual corporate revenue goal; and achieve RAND's institutional priorities to increase impact, innovation, and agility. The director will also collaborate with all business divisions to hire, retain, and develop top research talent to support their workforce needs. Additionally, will develop the annual business plan and manage department budgets (e.g., management labor, acculturation and onboarding, staff development, strategic gap coverage).

This position is resourced at 65% time and is a 5-year renewable term; 35% of time is spent on research projects. Position includes matching AA support. Position reports to VP, Global Research Talent (GRT).

Responsibilities include:

• Provide strategic leadership to department-level outreach and recruiting

  • Represent department to externally facing audiences and organizations

  • Collaborate on the DEI and Campus and Conference Recruiting Program (CCRP) to support department-hiring needs

  • Collaborate on the Summer Associates program to develop a pipeline of talent from top departments

• Manage department-level applicant evaluation and hiring process and provide approval on offers

  • Approximately 1000 applications are received annually for each department

  • Hire approximately 35-50 new staff each year

• Represent research department in performance review and succession-planning processes

  • Provide formal and informal evaluation and substantive recommendations for performance review packages each year

  • Provide substantive inputs and recommendations for select staff in succession planning process

• Oversee people management for all department cases including coverage gaps, performance problems, policy non-compliance, and changes in status including separations and layoffs

• Manage and allocate resources to provide transitional support (e.g., onboarding and acculturation, strategic gap coverage) and support for developmental opportunities (e.g., staff development, leadership training)

• Promote efficiency and effectiveness of internal labor market by leveraging information, technology, and networks to broker matches between individuals and projects including leadership of Radical Welcome Teams to support onboarding and Project Matching program for new hires

  • Develop and manage department-wide staff development programs which may include speaker series, leveraging GRT programs, and development of specialized training to support department members and/or leverage department members' expertise to cross-train other staff

  • Facilitate the selection and training of rotating 3-year term associate directors across three major offices

  • Participate in and work closely with VP GRT to set agenda of bimonthly council meetings

  • Participate in Senior VP R&A monthly matrix management meetings

  • Engage in annual business planning process to provide key support and inputs to GRT, divisions, HR, and CFO's office to develop annual division-level workforce plans and to set hiring plan

  • Collaborate with all other RAND departments including R&A Operations, Business Divisions, Chief Diversity Officer, Development, OEA, HR, Finance, Workplace Services, Information Services, Pardee RAND, and RAND Europe to support their departmental agendas and to receive critical support to accomplish department and GRT agenda

  • Provide input and support to key corporate strategic initiatives especially those that relate to the key objectives of increasing agility, innovation, profile, and impact

• Spend 35% of time leading or contributing to research projects

Qualifications

• Senior researcher with demonstrated commitment to cultivating RAND's scientific community, culture and climate of inclusiveness, and intellectual capital of RAND; familiarity with research processes and practices

• A record of institutional contributions particularly in the areas of DEI, people management and leadership of strategic initiatives; experience developing and leading diverse teams

• Strong people management and interpersonal skills; and solid working relationships with senior leadership

• Flexibility to travel to RAND's major offices throughout the year

Education Requirements

Advanced degree in political science, history, international relations, public policy, law, or a related field. Master's Degree or equivalent required; PhD preferred.

Experience

• Senior researcher, minimum 8 years' experience, with demonstrated record of broad institutional contributions

• Prior management experience preferred

• At least 3 years' experience leading policy research at RAND is strongly preferred

Security Clearance

Eligibility for security clearance and DHS fitness is preferred, not required.

Location

This is a hybrid role (working onsite 2-3 days each week at a RAND office in Santa Monica, CA; Pittsburgh, PA; Arlington, VA or Boston, MA). Fully remote is not available for this role.

Salary Range

Senior Researcher: $152,700 - $262,500

Hiring ranges for Economists, Management Scientists and Physician Researchers are slightly higher than the ranges shown.

At RAND, the research director management role is a termed assignment that is performed by an experienced researcher, but the researcher role is not a termed position. The candidate selected for this role will be offered regular employment with RAND as a researcher.RAND considers a variety of factors when formulating an offer, including but not limited to, the specific role and associated responsibilities; a candidate's work experience, education/training, skills, expertise; and internal equity.Successful candidates will be offered employment as a Senior researcher in a specific title, as determined by the candidate's education and experience. The salary range includes base pay plus RAND's sabbatic pay (which provides compensation above base pay when vacation is taken). This position may also be eligible for additional compensation. RAND provides strong benefits including health insurance coverage, life and disability insurance, savings plan, paid time-off and more.

Application Review

Application review will begin on July 5, 2024.

Equal Opportunity Employer: race/color/religion/sex/sexual orientation/gender identity/national origin/disability/vet