The Center for Public Policy (CPP) in the L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs invites applications for a Project Director, for an Evaluation of the Virginia Violent Crime Initiative . The Project Director will work closely with the Office of the Attorney General and other member agencies of the Virginia Violent Crime Task force to evaluate the impact of several violent crime reduction strategies in cities around the Commonwealth.

The Project Director will oversee the research team and spearhead the design of several strands of implementation and evaluation research to include quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods evaluations. Subsequently, the Director will oversee the execution of established research designs to include hands-on data collection and analysis. Upon completion of the implementation and evaluation data collection efforts, the Project Director will coordinate the presentation of findings to the Office of the Attorney General, localities, and others. The Director will schedule and oversee the design, evaluation, and presentation of findings for each of the six localities involved in the Violent Crime in Virginia project.

Throughout the duration of the project, the Project Director will provide coordination between policy and programmatic initiatives set by the Virginia Violent Crime Task Force and research conducted by the CPP. This coordination will involve the strategic management of daily, short-term, and long-term research evaluation objectives. The Project Director will be required to interface with state and local government agencies to ensure project goals and timelines are appropriately defined and subsequently met. The Project Director will be responsible for status updates between key stakeholders to communicate key accomplishments, next steps, issues, or risks (with appropriate recommendations for mitigation). The Project Director will also manage related meetings, data needed for project updates and reports, relevant policy changes, and/or other resources that impact the successful execution of the project. At project inception and at multiple points during the implementation, the Project Director will meet with, brief, and field requests made by Violent Crime Task Force members and localities. Upon completion of various project milestones, the Project Director will compile and share results in report format to the task force and localities. Additionally, the Project Director will oversee deployment of team resources for project support and provide briefings and updates to project stakeholders. In addition, the Project Director will oversee the project budget and any reporting requirements regarding funding allocations.

This is a restricted position, with renewal beyond the first year reliant upon the availability of funding.

The Wilder School's mission is to:

• Engage, teach and inspire students and leaders to understand and solve challenges in our world.
• Advance research that informs public policy and decision-making to improve our communities.
• Collaborate with communities through innovative partnerships to enhance the quality of life.

The Wilder School's vision is to be the premier resource for public policy expertise and social equity in public safety, governance, and economic and community development. The 2022 U.S. News and World Report rankings confirm the Wilder School among the top 15% of graduate schools of public affairs at No. 38 and tied for No.1 in Virginia. The School is also ranked No. 19 in Social Policy, No. 28 in Urban Policy, and No. 34 in Public Management and Leadership. The Wilder School has over 1,500 students and more than 11,000 alumni, with an established environment where diverse perspectives thrive and where a common interest in public service and the betterment of society unites these perspectives together. Our academic excellence attracts the highest quality faculty, staff, and students, and our graduates are leaders in their professions.

Our location in Richmond, the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, combined with our proximity to Washington, DC, provides numerous opportunities for engaged scholarship, teaching and community engagement activities. A creative, interdisciplinary School with both academic programs and training/research centers in the social sciences and professional arenas, we reflect the diversity of the communities we serve, providing students and faculty with the knowledge, skills, opportunities, and experience necessary for success.

For additional information about the Wilder School, please visit our website at https://wilder.vcu.edu/ .

Core Responsibilities

1. Development and Oversight of Research Evaluation Design

The Project Director will spearhead the design of several strands of implementation and evaluation research to include quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods evaluations. The Project Director will oversee the execution of established research designs to include hands-on data collection and analysis.

2. Manage and oversee the Evaluation of the Virginia Violent Crime Initiative Research Team

The Project Director will manage the graduate research assistants that work on this project and coordinate the efforts, activities and reporting requirements for all research faculty working on the project as well as work with the Wilder School Research Administration team to manage all fiscal reporting requirements associated with the project.

3. Stakeholder Liaison

The Project Director will meet regularly with the members of the Virginia Office of the Attorney General, participating localities, policy makers and other stakeholders regarding the project expectations, challenges and outcomes.

4. Presentations

The Project Director will coordinate the presentation of findings to the Office of the Attorney General, localities, and others. The Director will schedule and oversee the design, evaluation, and presentation of findings for each of the six localities involved in the Violent Crime in Virginia project.

5.Other duties as assigned.

Minimum Hiring Standards:

• Master's degree in Statistics, Business Analytics, Operational Research, or a related quantitative or computational sciences field, or an equivalent combination of education, training, and professional experience.
• Five (5)+ years of experience in data science, statistical methods, predictive modeling, and forecasting.
• Local or state government experience, preferably with experience coordinating projects between federal, state, local, and community partners.
• Experience designing research projects, collecting and analyzing official and primary data, and presentation of findings.
• Demonstrated experience working in and fostering a diverse faculty, staff, and student environment, or commitment to do so as a staff member at VCU.

Preferred Hiring Standards:

• PhD in Public Policy or related field, or an equivalent combination of education, training, and professional experience.
• 8-10 years local or state government experience, preferably with experience coordinating projects between federal, state, local, and community partners.
  
• 5 or more years’ experience designing research projects, collecting and analyzing official and primary data, and presentation of findings.

Typical Physical and Cognitive Requirements:

Physical Demands and Responsibilities:

-Light lifting ( -Pushing/pulling

• Standing
• Sitting
• Emotional Demands (Essential):
• Fast pace/Average pace
• Multiple stimuli
• Frequent change
• Intense customer interaction

Mental/Sensory Demands (Essential):

• Memory
• Reading
• Reasoning
• Hearing
• Logic
• Analyzing
• Verbal communication
• Written Communication

Application Submission/Other Information:

All applications should include a cover letter and a detailed resume with the names and contact information of three professional references.

Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled.

“Virginia Commonwealth University is an equal opportunity, affirmative action university providing access to education and employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, political affiliation, veteran status, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, or disability”.