The Associate Director of ADI will be instrumental in assisting the director in leading ADI's program and project management functions, providing strategic leadership, collaboration, and/or coordination across PCORI divisions for critical activities including funding opportunity development and release; funding opportunity outreach and communications; post-review funding approval processes; and development and implementation of PCORI funding policies and processes.

This position is primarily internally focused, supporting the ADI director and team and helping to foster active collaboration across all Program Operations units (Contract Management (CM), Merit Review (MR), Peer Review (PR), Award Process Management (APM)), Patient-Centered Research Programs Department divisions (PCRP), and all other divisions of PCORI. The Associate Director will also support the Director in evaluation and improvement of current processes to ensure best practices and high achievement regarding industry benchmarks. While the key focus is internal, some external liaising with nonprofit healthcare research funding partners on best practices and innovation in funding practices may be requested by the ADI Director.

This role requires thoughtful, effective management including mentorship and organization in support of the ADI activities and staff, assisting the Director in leveraging strengths across the team and fostering productive collaboration. Success depends on an ability to contribute to an environment of trust and respect, evaluate and refine current processes while incorporating effective change management, and enable practices that are understood and used by all. An ability to build strong relationships and collaborations to confidently and effectively interact, engage, and negotiate with PCORI leaders and staff is essential.

Duties and Responsibilities

Strategy & Leadership (in consultation with the ADI Director)
• Develop and leverage close collaborations across the programmatic divisions of the Patient-Centered Research Programs Department, including 1) Comparative Clinical Effectiveness Research (CER), 2) Engagement, Dissemination, & Implementation (EDI), and 3) Research Infrastructure & Innovation (RII) to effectively implement PCORI's programmatic goals with respect to PCORI's National Priorities for Health and Research Agenda.
• Contribute to ADI leadership and execution of coordination, collaboration, and development of all new funding opportunity initiatives, creating the environment to gather and exchange information from all key internal stakeholders (e.g., CER, EDI, RII, CM, MR, APM, Office of the General Counsel, etc.).
• Support ADI's collaboration with PCORI's Communications division to advance award outreach and communications strategies.
• Contribute to the refinement of current policies and processes, and put in place relevant best practices and/or innovative business procedures and efficiencies that are understood and used by all. Through external work with peers and their research communities, as requested by the ADI Director, ensure that PCORI is a leading voice and innovator in the nonprofit health research funding sector.
• Assist the Director in collaborating with PCORI's Planning & Evaluation division to identify methods to track unit, division, and department progress in achieving goals, interpret evaluation findings, proactively report on progress, and incorporate lessons from evaluation activities to adjust associated strategies, policies, and processes as needed.
• Contribute to leadership of intra-ADI and cross-functional interactions across all divisions of the PCRP as well as divisions within other PCORI departments (Communications, Planning & Reporting, DIGITAL (IT); Procurement Services; Office of the General Counsel, and others including but not limited to those listed above).
• Serve as a member of the Program Operations leadership team, overseen by the Chief Officer, Program Operations, to contribute to strategies and special projects that improve the division's work and successfully develop division staff.
• As requested, serve as a member or leader on cross-PCORI groups conducting special projects to advance organizational goals.

ADI Team Management
• As a people manager under the ADI Director, provide additional oversight and support the professional development of a highly effective team of staff and contractors of multiple levels and areas of responsibility to ensure the successful execution of the broad scope of award development and implementation strategies.
• Oversee and provide guidance for the effective and collaborative development, refinement, and execution of the PCORI annual funding cycle timeline.
• Support the ADI Director in ensuring consistency, efficiency, and efficacy in the development of funding opportunities for research and research-related projects. This includes a broad range of activities such as engagement in PCORI Research Project Agenda Topic Themes development; process refinement for internal Funding Opportunity Plan development and approvals; and process refinement for PCORI Funding Announcement development, approvals, and release. Provide keen attention such that all process requirements be value-added, balancing the needs of staff and applicants.
• On behalf of the ADI Director, maintain close collaboration with the APM unit to ensure that PCORI's existing or new technological functionalities (e.g., Award Management System set-ups) meet the requirements of upcoming funding announcements and the award funding lifecycle overall.
• In partnership with the ADI Director, provide leadership, guidance, and support for cross-division meetings and other modes of effective internal communication to advance collaborative award development and implementation to achieve programmatic goals.
• Enhance collaborative outreach and communications strategies with respect to PCORI funding opportunities through support of the ADI team's communications-related activities and active collaboration and partnership with PCORI's Communications division.
• Across all areas of ADI responsibilities, work with the ADI Director to develop and execute proactive, strategic efforts to improve DEI in PCORI funding processes.
• Partner with the ADI Director to oversee and support activities to develop, maintain, or refine workforce or other needs of the team.
• Interact effectively with all members of the ADI team (including staff, third-party workers, and interns), members of the PCORI senior staff and PCORI staff at all levels, and external stakeholders/sector leaders, as requested.
• Foster, support, and align with the Program Operations goal of proactively cultivating, through actions and attitudes, a culture of support, synergy, respect, trustworthiness, and accountability with all PCORI leaders and staff.

Award/Funding Policies
• Support the ADI Director in leading the identification, formulation, revision, implementation, and compliance monitoring of PCORI policies and procedures relating to the broad scope of award development and implementation activities.
• Develop or refine coordination and/or collaboration processes to ensure that policies are effectively informed by and communicated to all internal (and external, as appropriate) stakeholders.
• Support the ADI Director in collaboration and/or partnership as needed with the department of Strategy, Planning, & Outreach or other internal groups as stakeholders in PCORI policies and procedures.

Visibility in Sector
• As necessary and at the request of the ADI Director, represent PCORI at relevant sector events, including the research communities, and promote our unique patient-centered approach to merit review.

Incumbents in this position may be required to perform other duties and special assignments not specifically stated above.

Statements outlined in this section are designated as essential job functions in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.

Required Skills
• Mission-driven. You are externally focused and committed to providing the highest level of service while remaining aligned with the mission of the organization
• Strategic. You set priorities wisely and make tough resource allocation decisions, always finding a way to forward strategic initiatives while enriching relationships.
• Collaborative. You communicate and coordinate effectively at every level. You share information, work cooperatively, seek out relevant, inclusive information, decide on the appropriate steps, and achieve the desired results.
• Leader. You are a facilitator and team builder. You set an example of respectful, trustworthiness, support, and accountability. You have proven experience coaching, mentoring, and developing staff at all professional levels.
• Gravitas. You have a confident and engaging communication style. You can see the big picture, balance priorities, and remain confident and flexible in a high-visibility environment.
• Professionalism. Sound judgment and maturity, exemplified by consistent professionalism in working with individuals at all levels, both internally and externally.

Required Experience
• A minimum of 7 years of experience in research funding programmatic and/or operational leadership, management, and/or execution, ideally working with a variety of research funding models in a health research funding environment.
• Master's or equivalent degree in a relevant field, preferred.
• Demonstrated experience in effectively managing staff and leading teams in a collaborative environment.

Compensation and Benefits

Salary Range: $165,000 - $185,000

The above range represents the salary or hourly pay range expected for the position; however, final offers are based on several factors such as the position's responsibilities; the candidate's experience, education, and skills; location; travel required; and current market conditions.

Subject to the terms and conditions of the applicable plans then in effect, eligible employees may participate in PCORI-sponsored medical, dental, vision, and basic life insurance plans for the employee and the employee's eligible dependents.

Conflict of Interest

PCORI wants to ensure that prospective employees are aware of its conflict-of-interest policies so that employment deliberations take into consideration this aspect of PCORI employment. PCORI requires all PCORI employees to disclose upon commencement of their employment and on an annual basis all individual and close relatives financial, business, and personal association with the potential to bias or that have the appearance of biasing one's decisions relating to PCORI. All disclosures made by employees are made publicly available on PCORI's website. Disclosures must include all financial, business, and personal associations with any health or healthcare-related organizations. Disclosures should include all associations with any other organizations that have the potential to bias or that have the appearance of biasing one's decisions relating to PCORI, including but not limited to vendors or other third parties with whom PCORI has a contract or that PCORI has funded. For more information, please visit PCORI-Conflict-of-Interest-Policies-Outside-Employment-Policy.pdf

PCORI conducts reference and background checks on all applicants.

PCORI recommends all members of the PCORI workforce adhere to the CDC recommendations regarding staying up to date on COVID-19 vaccination.

PCORI's Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion:

PCORI is an equal opportunity employer committed to diversity both internal and external to the workplace. You can learn more about our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion here. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, veteran status, or any other basis protected by law.