Research Manager

Responsibilities

• Lead, mentor, and manage a team of four to six Research staff. Foster an inclusive, welcoming, diverse, and creative work environment. Prioritize the professional development of the team.
• Design and implement a research agenda to guide data development and research to support the implementation of MetroCommon 2050 through collaboration with colleagues and external partners.
• Guide and support Research staff in data development and the design and implementation of accessible and inclusive policy-oriented qualitative and quantitative research, statistical modeling, and compelling data visualizations.
• Provide project management leadership and support, including project design and scoping, budgeting, and client relationships. Supervise and contribute to analysis, narrative and recommendation development, technical documentation, and communication of findings.
• Oversee the agency’s socioeconomic forecasting program, which models regional projected households, housing unit demand, labor force, and jobs in collaboration with several external partners.
• Oversee the ongoing development, improvement, and publication of MAPC’s novel data products, such as MassBuilds, Land Surface Temperature index, Massachusetts Community Types, and more. Establish priorities for new dataset development.
• Oversee the agency’s Regional Indicators program, which tracks the region’s progress toward achieving the goals of our regional plan, MetroCommon 2050, and provides insight into the policy interventions needed for the region to move closer to these goals.
• Oversee the management of data, data systems, and GIS administration, including the publication of spatial and tabular datasets via MAPC’s internal database and DataCommon website.
• Support the expansion of a qualitative and mixed-methods research practice at MAPC, in collaboration with colleagues from other departments.
• Working with the Data Services Director, ensure the sustained funding of the Research team through successful resource development, including grant funding and fee-for-service contracts. Contribute to department and agency budgeting processes.
• In collaboration with Data Services Director and other Data Services managers, foster a collaborative work environment within and outside the department.
• Foster relationships between MAPC and the research and data community in Greater Boston, across the US, and in other countries; identify best practices, emerging trends, new methods, and new approaches; find ways to apply those in MAPC’s work.

Skillset

• A Master’s Degree is required for this position, including coursework and concentration in regional and city planning, public policy, economics, social sciences, or a similar field, preferably with an emphasis on data analysis and mixed-methods research.
• Candidates for this position should have at least 5 years of progressively senior experience in applied multidisciplinary research and demonstrated experience managing a team and supervising the work of others in a supportive and engaging manner OR, any combination of education and experience that shall be substantially equivalent to the above education and experience.
• Commitment to advancing equity in projects and policies across race, ethnicity, income, gender, ability, and more; commitment to developing a region that is collaborative, sustainable, and climate resilient.
• Demonstrated ability to manage a team, work in a collaborative setting, supervise the work of others in a supportive and engaging manner, and foster professional growth of staff.
• Strong project management and organization skills; the ability to scope projects collaboratively with staff and non-technical partners and deliver projects within a budget and on schedule.
• Demonstrated proficiency with quantitative research methods and statistical modeling.
• Experience applying these methods in a regional planning and policy context preferred. Proficiency with GIS, R, Python, PostgresSQL, or other statistical and data management tools preferred.
• Demonstrated proficiency with qualitative research methods, including experience designing and implementing participatory action research and mixed-methods research with a focus on relationship and community building. Proficiency with qualitative research software tools such as NVivo and/or Dedoose preferred.
• A solid understanding of how to design, interpret, and present demographic, employment, and housing demand forecasts for technical and non-technical audiences; knowledge of regional land use forecasting models and scenario planning methods is preferred.
• Excellent verbal, writing, visual communication, and public speaking skills. Demonstration of nuance and political acumen.
• Demonstrated experience building and maintaining inter-organizational partnerships.
• Understanding of critical planning issues facing U.S. metropolitan areas and familiarity with best practices and policies related to them.