Director of Research & Strategic Initiatives

Company Description

By working at Harvard University, you join a vibrant community that advances Harvard's world-changing mission in meaningful ways, inspires innovation and collaboration, and builds skills and expertise. We are dedicated to creating a diverse and welcoming environment where everyone can thrive.

Why join the Harvard Faculty of Arts and Sciences?

The Faculty of Arts and Sciences (FAS) is the historic heart of Harvard University. It is the home of Harvard’s undergraduate program (Harvard College, founded in 1636) as well as all of Harvard’s Ph.D. programs (the Harvard Kenneth C. Griffin Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, founded in 1872), Harvard Athletics and the Division of Continuing Education. The 40 academic departments and 30+ centers of the FAS support a community unparalleled in its academic excellence across the broadest range of liberal arts and sciences disciplines. Together, the FAS seeks to foster an environment of ambition, curiosity and shared commitment to knowledge and truth that elicits excellence from all members of our community and prepares the next generation of leaders through a transformative educational experience.

Job Description

Job Summary:

The Edmond & Lily Safra Center for Ethics (ELSCE) is hiring a Director of Research & Strategic Initiatives to provide strategic leadership and management to its intellectual agenda and related initiatives. Reporting to the Executive Director, and working in close consultation with the Faculty Director, the Director of Research & Strategic Initiatives provides leadership to the Center’s Research & Design Studio (R&DS), the Center’s hub for innovation at the intersection of scholarship and practice. The Studio current thematic focus is to explore and strengthen civil discourse in higher education and public life, by bringing together faculty, students, and civic leaders to study how we engage across difference. Through interdisciplinary research, hands-on experimentation, and campus-wide collaboration, the Studio aims to transform big questions into practical insights and effective tools that help make that engagement more meaningful and inclusive.

The Director of Research & Strategic Initiatives will work with the Faculty Director and ELSCE-affiliated Faculty to define research priorities and goals and oversee the execution of research projects. They will collaborate with the Executive Director on budgeting, hires, grant applications, fundraising opportunities, and compliance with university policies.

The Director will supervise R&DS staff and fellows, and work closely with residential scholars. The will interface with university stakeholders to align Center initiative work across the FAS and university more broadly.

Job-Specific Responsibilities:

Strategic Planning

• Lead strategic planning for the Research & Design Studio (R&DS), in partnership with the Faculty Director and Executive Director, ensuring alignment with Center, FAS, and university goals and resources.
• Design and launch new initiatives aligned with ELSCE priorities and emerging opportunities.
• Co-develop research and academic priorities for the Center with the Faculty Director.
• Identify and oversee high-impact events and communication strategies that showcase the Center’s research and intellectual agenda.
• Identify and pursue funding opportunities that advance the Center’s mission, serving as Principal Investigator when appropriate.

Institutional Partnerships

• Build and manage partnerships across FAS and Harvard’s professional schools to support cross-disciplinary research and programming on ethics.
• Represent ELSCE in high-level university forums and committees, as well as in meetings with senior leadership and administrators across schools.
• Serve as an external spokesperson at national and international meetings, conferences, and relevant industry or governmental convenings.
• Represent the Center in the broader higher education community, collaborating with peer institutions and experts on ethics and institutional practice.

Research Management

• Oversee complex research projects from design through implementation, ensuring methodological rigor and timely completion of milestones.
• Supervise and mentor staff, fellows, and students in research design, methods, and compliance with established protocols.
• Ensure adherence to all quality assurance, regulatory, and compliance requirements (e.g., IRB, data security, funding restrictions).
• Guide data collection, organization, analysis, and reporting using appropriate qualitative and quantitative tools.
• Lead or contribute to grant proposals, research reports, manuscripts, presentations, and other scholarly and public-facing outputs.
• Translate research findings into actionable insights, tools, and resources for practitioners and partners; support dissemination and adoption through reports, presentations, media, and stakeholder engagement.
• Develop and implement evaluation strategies to assess project impact and inform future Center activities and partnerships.

General Administration & Management

• Provide overall administrative leadership for R&DS, including organizational design, policy compliance, and personnel oversight.
• Supervise and coach core R&DS staff (e.g., Associate Director of Pedagogy, Chief Assessment Scientist, Program & Communications Coordinator), managing workload, setting expectations, and conducting performance reviews.
• Manage day-to-day operations and workflows, creating systems and processes that coordinate research, pedagogy, and community-of-practice activities and ensure timely delivery of key projects.
• Contribute to the design, cohort selection, and support of Center fellowship programs, ensuring alignment with strategic priorities and sustainability.
• Provide mentorship to residential fellows and support their research projects.
• Oversee R&DS seminars and related scholarly programming to foster an active intellectual community and cultivate external collaborators.
• Develop and manage the R&DS budget to align financial resources with strategic goals.

Qualifications

Basic Qualifications:

• Ph.D. in Ethics, Philosophy, Government, Psychology or related field
• 5+ years’ experience in research environment
• 2+ supervisory experience

Additional Qualifications and Skills:

Relevant experience inhigher education setting; student mentorship experience; teaching experience; grant writing experience; experience working on an interdisciplinary team; demonstrated success with the peer-reviewed publication process; excellent written and oral communication skills; ability to confidently present information to engage audiences, including at conferences as well as faculty, advisory board and donor meetings; demonstrate accountability, dependability and ethical behavior.

This position requires the ability to collaborate with colleagues and constituents of diverse cultural backgrounds and communication styles and to tailor and adapt content for targeted audiences, as well as collaboratively as part of a team.

Additional Information

• Standard Hours/Schedule: 35 hours per week
• Visa Sponsorship Information: Harvard University is unable to provide visa sponsorship for this position
• Pre-Employment Screening: Identity, Education
• Other Information:

  It is expected the Director will have a significant on-site presence (at least 3 days/week on-campus), building trust and collaboration through direct engagement with colleagues and various constituents.

  This is a 1-year term position and may be renewed based on Center’s strategy and funding availability.

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Work Format Details

This position has been determined by school or unit leaders that some of the duties and responsibilities can be effectively performed at a non-Harvard location. The work schedule and location will be set by the department at its discretion and based upon operational needs. When not working at a Harvard or Harvard-designated location, employees in hybrid positions must work in a Harvard registered state in compliance with the University’s Policy on Employment Outside of Massachusetts. Additional details will be discussed during the interview process. Certain visa types and funding sources may limit work location. Individuals must meet work location sponsorship requirements prior to employment.

Salary Grade and Ranges

This position is salary grade level 059. Please visit Harvard's Salary Ranges to view the corresponding salary range and related information.

Benefits

Harvard offers a comprehensive benefits package that is designed to support a healthy work-life balance and your physical, mental and financial wellbeing. Because here, you are what matters. Our benefits include, but are not limited to:

• Generous paid time off including parental leave
• Medical, dental, and vision health insurance coverage starting on day one
• Retirement plans with university contributions
• Wellbeing and mental health resources
• Support for families and caregivers
• Professional development opportunities including tuition assistance and reimbursement
• Commuter benefits, discounts and campus perks

Learn more about these and additional benefits on our Benefits & Wellbeing Page.

EEO/Non-Discrimination Commitment Statement

Harvard University is committed to equal opportunity and non-discrimination. We seek talent from all parts of society and the world, and we strive to ensure everyone at Harvard thrives. Our differences help our community advance Harvard's academic purposes.

Harvard has an equal employment opportunity policy that outlines our commitment to prohibiting discrimination on the basis of race, ethnicity, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status, religion, disability, or any other characteristic protected by law or identified in the university's non-discrimination policy. Harvard's equal employment opportunity policy and non-discrimination policy help all community members participate fully in work and campus life free from harassment and discrimination.