Program Officer, Workforce Development (Healthcare Research)

Department: Workforce Development, PCOR Infrastructure and Innovation

Reports to: Associate Director, Workforce Development

A cover letter is required for application to this position.

About Us

The Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) is an independent nonprofit organization authorized by Congress in 2010. Its mission is to fund research that will provide patients, their caregivers and clinicians with the evidence-based information needed to make better-informed healthcare decisions. PCORI is committed to continually seeking input from a broad range of stakeholders to guide its work.

The PCOR Infrastructure and Innovation division leads PCORI's efforts to develop, fund, and cultivate partnerships to advance a diverse, equitable, inclusive, sustainable, and effective infrastructure for conducting patient-centered comparative clinical effectiveness research (CER), and accelerate progress towards an integrated learning health system, by (1) developing, managing, and promoting research, health data, and technology infrastructure for patient-centered CER; (2) expanding workforce capacity to lead or partner in patient-centered CER; and (3) developing, and promoting rigorous patient-centered CER and engagement methods, standards, and best practices.

• Assists Associate Director, Chief Research Infrastructure Officer, and Program leadership in identifying and implementing strategic objectives for Workforce Development initiatives.
• In collaboration with the Associate Director and Chief Research Infrastructure Officer, identifies and manages strategic relationships and implementation of program funding activities.
• Collaborates with staff from other PCORI divisions including CER programs, Engagement, Communications, Program Operations, Procurement, and Contracts Management in implementing program activities.
• Works independently in managing Workforce Development contracts and awards.

• Identifies and manages the design and implementation of activities to inform program-specific PCORI funding announcements (e.g., convening workgroup and advisory panel meetings, working with external organizations including government organizations)
• Develops, with input from PCORI staff and stakeholders, program-specific PCORI funding announcements.
• Actively engages in PCORI's processes for reviewing and awarding applications received through the PCORI funding announcement and review processes.
• Advises awardees on the execution of their contracts.
• Engages in active portfolio management by monitoring awardees' attainment of contract milestones and overall project progress, potentially conducting site visits, and implementing learning networks or conferences to facilitate shared learning opportunities for relevant stakeholders.
• Collaborates with contract management and other relevant staff to assess status of projects.
• Evaluates the program's portfolio to ensure balance and to identify need for modification of strategic funding directions and opportunities.
• Advises potential applicants regarding their applications and the application process.

• Represents PCORI publicly regarding program direction, program funding, and the application process and award results.
• Participates in conferences, seminars, and other professional development activities to maintain and enhance expertise and professional status.
• Leads, contributes to, and participates in internal groups and teams and cross-cutting initiatives. Carries out other responsibilities as assigned by PCORI management.
• Keeps PCOR Infrastructure and Innovation and Program teams appraised of developments and occurrences in the field that are likely to affect program decision-making, strategies, and/or award decision-making.
• In line with PCORI's commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion, demonstrate respect for individual differences and perspectives; ensure others feel heard, valued, leveraged, and welcome, and; recognize inequities or potential inequities within a system and implement approaches and processes to overcome these inequities and disparate outcomes.

• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to handle and manage multiple priorities independently and effectively; must be adept at organizing time efficiently; high tolerance for ambiguity; ability to understand and work effectively with PCORI staff members.
• Able to synthesize material and focus quickly on the essence of an issue, to identify major opportunities in a specific area, and to see the big picture.
• Strong oral presentation skills.
• Strong project and people management skills.
• Personally motivated to support PCORI's mission and goals; to work independently and in teams to think imaginatively about opportunities; to create and respond to innovative approaches to addressing an issue; to inspire others to work towards achieving team goals.
• Outstanding interpersonal and teamwork skills; collegial, energetic, able to develop productive relationships with colleagues, awardees, consultants, external funders, and others who contribute to program development and management.
• Sound judgment and maturity, exemplified by consistent professionalism in dealing with individuals at all levels, both internally and externally.
• Ability to make decisions, justify recommendations, and is responsive and clear with funding announcement applicants.
• Ability to travel, as required, including for site visits and representing PCORI at external meetings
• Proactively cultivate, through actions and attitudes, a culture of support, synergy, respect, trustworthiness, and accountability with all PCORI internal and external stakeholders.
• Proficient in the use of technology.
• Ability to link organizational goals to individual department mission and activities.
• Ability to envision innovative solutions.

• Doctoral degree plus minimum of two (2) years of experience in a discipline relevant to patient-centered CER (e.g., health services research, community-based participatory research, health policy, biostatistics, health economics, bioinformatics, data science, or health education) OR a Master's degree in relevant field (e.g., MPH, MPA, MPP, or MBA) plus minimum of seven (7) years of experience.
  
  • Demonstrated experience in health research and workforce development or training. Examples include clinical research, data science/bioinformatics, health systems research, stakeholder engagement in networked systems, and/or other disciplines relevant to patient-centered research and/or or CER
• Experience plus proven leadership in a research funding agency/organization; and/or extensive experience and proven leadership in health research program and staff management.