Director Research & Evaluation

Patient Advocate Foundation Inc; Washington (District of Columbia); Remote; USD 79,000 - 85,000; Full time

Job summary

Patient Advocate Foundation Inc. seeks a Director of Research & Evaluation to lead mixed methods research initiatives, integrating qualitative and quantitative approaches to generate actionable insights across health services topics.

You will collaborate with organizational leadership and stakeholders to oversee studies using primary and secondary data, focusing on topics like financial toxicity, medical debt, and access to care.

Qualifications

• Master’s or PhD in Public Health, Public Policy, Social Sciences, Health Policy, Economics, Psychology, Social Work, or related field.
• Minimum 5 years of experience in qualitative, quantitative, or mixed methods research in healthcare/public health.
• 3+ years of experience managing research staff and cross-functional projects.
• Experience using qualitative and quantitative analysis software such as STATA, R, NVivo, SAS, or similar tools.

Responsibilities

• Provide supervision, mentorship, and professional development support to research, evaluation, and dissemination staff.
• Lead the design, implementation, and management of qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods research initiatives.
• Oversee all phases of research projects including study design, data collection, analysis, and dissemination of findings.
• Develop research proposals, grant applications, and partnership opportunities with nonprofits, academic, healthcare, and industry stakeholders.
• Lead development of research deliverables including peer-reviewed publications, white papers, policy briefs, presentations, and abstracts.
• Partner with the Chief Science Officer to advance publication and dissemination efforts.
• Build and maintain collaborative academic partnerships supporting research innovation and health equity.
• Present findings at conferences, workshops, and stakeholder meetings.
• Support development of Patient Insight Institute research agenda and integrate patient voice.
• Contribute to strategic planning, fundraising, and business development through grants and partnerships.
• Develop and maintain project management systems, workflows, and documentation for research activities.

Skills

Qualitative analysis

Quantitative analysis

Mixed methods

Project management

Stakeholder engagement

Education

Master’s or PhD in Public Health/Policy/Social Sciences/Health Economics or related field

Tools

STATA

R

NVivo

SAS

Job description

Florida, US

Salary Range: $79,000.00 To $85,000.00 Annually

Director, Research & Evaluation

Patient Advocate Foundation (PAF), a national non-profit, headquartered in Hampton, VA, has been solving insurance and healthcare problems since 1996. Our mission is to provide case management services and financial aid to Americans with chronic, life threatening and debilitating illnesses. To read more about us, please visit our website at www.patientadvocate.org .

The Opportunity

PAF is currently seeking a Director, Research & Evaluation to join our team. This role leads the design, execution, and management of mixed methods research initiatives, integrating both qualitative and quantitative methodologies to generate actionable insights across a broad range of health services topics. Working collaboratively with organizational leadership and cross-functional stakeholders, the Director will oversee research projects utilizing primary and secondary data sources in areas including financial toxicity, medical debt, transportation barriers, insurance navigation, access to care, patient perceptions of costs, benefits and value, patient-reported outcomes, treatment adherence, health literacy, and quality of life.

This position is eligible for remote work, and we are considering candidates primarily within the Eastern Time Zone, which includes Virginia, North Carolina, Maryland, Georgia, Washington, D.C., and Florida.

The Ideal Candidate will:

Provide supervision, mentorship, and professional development support to research, evaluation and dissemination staff, including research managers, coordinators, and interns

• Lead the design, implementation, and management of qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods research initiatives aligned with organizational priorities
• Oversee all phases of research projects, including study design, data collection, analysis, interpretation, and dissemination of findings
• Develop research proposals, grant applications, and partnership opportunities with nonprofit, academic, healthcare, and industry stakeholders
• Lead the development of research deliverables including peer-reviewed publications, white papers, policy briefs, presentations, abstracts, and public-facing materials
• Partner with the Chief Science Officer to advance strategic publication and dissemination efforts that elevate organizational research and patient insights
• Build and maintain collaborative academic partnerships to support research innovation, evidence generation, and health equity initiatives
• Present research findings at conferences, workshops, panels, and stakeholder meetings
• Support the development of the Patient Insight Congress research agenda and initiatives integrating patient voice into research activities
• Contribute to strategic planning, fundraising, and business development efforts, including grants and research partnerships
• Develop and maintain project management systems, workflows, timelines, and documentation to support Patient Insight Institute research activities

Education and/or Experience:

• Master’s degree or PhD in Public Health, Public Policy, Social Sciences, Health Policy, Economics, Psychology, Social Work, or a related field
• Minimum of 5 years of experience conducting qualitative, quantitative, or mixed methods research in healthcare, public health, or related settings (PhD may substitute for 3 years of experience)
• 3+ years of experience managing research staff and cross-functional projects
• Experience using qualitative and quantitative analysis software such as STATA, R, NVivo, SAS, or similar tools

Our Core Values: Passion for Patients, Kindness, Equity, Accountability, Respect & Excellence