Research Program Manager - NC Collaboratory

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; Chapel Hill (NC); On-site; USD 75,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Comprehensive benefits package

Discounts on campus events

Job summary

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is seeking a Research Program Manager to support the NC Collaboratory's social sciences portfolio. You will coordinate studies, develop plans, manage timelines and budgets, and serve as a liaison with administrators, contractors, and partners.

The role emphasizes grant management, stakeholder engagement, and clear, policy-relevant reporting. A Master’s degree and strong written communication are required.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in a related field is required.
• Experience creating professional written products (policy briefs, reports, summaries).
• Ability to manage multiple projects, meet deadlines, and work independently.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate project activities within defined scope, budget, schedule and deliverables.
• Assist Collaboratory Research Director in developing plans and reviewing proposals for new studies.
• Manage grant activities: scheduling, budgeting, reporting and stakeholder coordination.

Skills

Policy analysis

Project management

Written communication

Stakeholder engagement

Grant management

Education

Master’s degree in Public Policy/Related field

Bachelor’s degree + 3+ years experience in substitution

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

Please see Special Instructions for more details.

**ELIGIBILITY FOR SIGN-ON BONUS

**The selected candidate for this position may be eligible for a sign-on bonus. Qualified applicants must apply and be selected from the candidate pool of this posting and meet the State policy following requirements:
To be eligible for a Sign-on bonus, an individual must not have worked in a probationary, permanent, or time-limited appointment in the last 12 months as an employee in North Carolina state government, including but not limited to the judicial system, state executive branch agencies, and the university system in a position subject to the State Human Resources Act.

**A newly hired permanent full time or permanent part-time (more than 20 hours a week) employee are eligible for a sign-on bonus (this will be prorated for employees working more than 20 hours and less than 40 hours per week).

Appointment Type

Appointment Type EHRA Non-Faculty

Position Number

Position Number 20079380

Vacancy ID

Vacancy ID NF0010184

Full Time/Part Time

Full Time/Part Time Full-Time Permanent

FTE

FTE 1

Hours per week 40

Position Location

Position Location North Carolina, US

Hiring Range

Hiring Range Dependent on experience and qualifications

One of the best college towns and best places to live in the United States, Chapel Hill has diverse social, cultural, recreation and professional opportunities that span the campus and community.

University employees can choose from a wide range of professional training opportunities for career growth, skill development and lifelong learning and enjoy exclusive perks for numerous retail, restaurant and performing arts discounts, savings on local child care centers and special rates on select campus events. UNC -Chapel Hill offers full-time employees a comprehensive benefits package , paid leave, and a variety of health, life and retirement plans and additional programs that support a healthy work/life balance.

Primary Purpose of Organizational Unit

This department includes the North Carolina Policy Collaboratory at UNC -Chapel Hill. The Collaboratory disseminates the policy and research expertise of the University for practical use by state and local government. A collaboratory is a center without walls in which researchers can perform their research without regard to physical location, interacting with colleagues, accessing instrumentation, sharing data and computational resources and accessing information in digital libraries in a collaborative manner.

A SIGN -ON BONUS IS AVAILABLE FOR THE SUCCESSFUL APPLICANT OF THIS POSITION PAID IN 2 INSTALLMENTS WITHIN 12 MONTHS OF HIRE :
WITHIN 30 DAYS OF HIRE DATE & 12 MONTHS AFTER HIRE DATE .
This position supports the NC Collaboratory’s social science research portfolio by monitoring and coordinating project activities within a defined scope, budget, schedule, and deliverables. The Research Program Manager will support the Social Sciences team to develop plans, manage communication while serving as a point of contact for administrators, contractors, stakeholders, and external audiences.
The NC Collaboratory develops research initiatives that target a pressing policy issue or problem of practice faced by policymakers and practitioners at the State and local level in North Carolina, and awards funding to support mutually beneficial partnerships between academic research teams and partners in local governments, community organizations and State agencies. The Social Sciences team currently manages studies on a wide range of topics in the social sciences, including K-12 education, opioid remediation, foster care, mental health and criminal justice, economic development, and local government issues. All of these studies aim to generate practical research findings that could help advance policy and practice related to these issues. Due to the dynamic nature of Collaboratory’s research portfolio, future research project topics may expand to new areas within social sciences. The position will assist the Collaboratory Research Director in supporting, coordinating, and managing new, complex research programs involving extensive government and community engagement, as well as strong public interest.
The Research Program Manager will support the Social Sciences team by working with research teams to establish milestones, manage project scopes, and track performance to ensure milestones are met and documented. This position will aid in developing communication materials, organizing meetings to share insights and address issues, and implementing best practices for research-practice partnerships.
In collaboration with the Social Sciences team and leadership teams from partner entities, the Research Program Manager will help develop research plans and review proposals for new partnership-based studies. Other duties include grant management activities for these research studies, including scheduling and leading meetings, tracking activities and progress, identifying and troubleshooting problems, overseeing budgets, expenditures, timelines and deliverables. The Research Program Manager identifies and obtains resources such as meeting venues and supplies, developing reports, presentations and other communication materials to share progress and achievements to stakeholders.

Minimum Education and Experience Requirements

Relevant post-Baccalaureate degree required (or foreign degree equivalent); for candidates demonstrating comparable independent research productivity, will accept a relevant Bachelor’s degree (or foreign degree equivalent) and 3 or more years of relevant experience in substitution. May require terminal degree and licensure.

Required Qualifications, Competencies, and Experience

Master’s degree in the in a related field of study (e.g., MPP , MPA , MPH , JD, MA) is required.
Demonstrated ability to analyze complex information, synthesize research findings, and develop clear, evidence-informed recommendations for policymakers and other stakeholders.
Experience preparing professional written products, such as policy briefs, research reports, legislative or program analyses, evaluation reports, executive summaries, presentations, or other decision-support materials.
Strong written and oral communication skills, including the ability to translate technical or academic information for nontechnical audiences.
Ability to manage multiple projects, meet deadlines, organize competing priorities, and work independently and collaboratively.
Experience translating academic research findings into concise, accessible public communication, such as policy briefs.
Demonstrated attention to detail, sound judgment, intellectual curiosity, and commitment to accuracy, objectivity, and ethical research practices.

Preferred Qualifications, Competencies, and Experience

Experience conducting policy research, program evaluation, social science research, or applied quantitative and/or qualitative analysis.
Project, grant, or program management experience within a public institution (e.g., State agency) or community organization. Proven ability to support research-practice partnerships.
Experience with research design, data collection, data interpretation, and methods appropriate to social science or public policy research.
Experience working in or with a state/local government agency, legislative office, public university, nonprofit organization, research center, or other public-sector policy environment.
Experience analyzing North Carolina state policies, programs, budgets, administrative data, or legislative priorities. Knowledge of social policy issues relevant to North Carolina, especially K-12 education, health care and mental health, child welfare, or criminal justice.
Experience with program evaluation, implementation research, outcomes measurement, performance management, or evidence-based policymaking.
Experience conducting or interpreting qualitative research, including interviews, focus groups, document analysis, stakeholder engagement, or thematic analysis.
Experience managing or supporting grant-funded research or policy projects, including proposal development, budgeting, compliance monitoring, reporting, deliverable tracking, and coordination with funders and project partners.
The ideal candidate is enthusiastic, conscientious, a responsible steward of taxpayer-funded dollars, eager to work with multiple cross-sector teams, and has experience with navigating challenging conversations and mediating conflict between team members and partners from different sectors.

Special Physical/Mental Requirements

Campus Security Authority Responsibilities

Not Applicable.

Special Instructions

**ELIGIBILITY FOR SIGN -ON BONUS

**The selected candidate for this position may be eligible for a sign-on bonus. Qualified applicants must apply and be selected from the candidate pool of this posting and meet the State policy following requirements:
To be eligible for a Sign-on bonus, an individual must not have worked in a probationary, permanent, or time-limited appointment in the last 12 months as an employee in North Carolina state government, including but not limited to the judicial system, state executive branch agencies, and the university system in a position subject to the State Human Resources Act.

**A newly hired permanent full time or permanent part-time (more than 20 hours a week) employee are eligible for a sign-on bonus (this will be prorated for employees working more than 20 hours and less than 40 hours per week).

Office of Human Resources Contact Information

If you experience any problems accessing the system or have questions about the application process, please contact the Office of Human Resources at [phone] or send an email to [e-mail]
Please note: The Office of Human Resources will not be able to provide specific updates regarding position or application status.

Equal Opportunity Employer Statement

The University is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes all to apply without regard to age, color, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex, or sexual orientation. We encourage all qualified applicants to apply, including protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.

Required Documents

• Curriculum Vitae / Resume
• Cover Letter
• List of References

Optional Documents

Supplemental Questions

Required fields are indicated with an asterisk (*).

• * Please select the response below that describes your level of education that best or most closely satisfies the education requirements for this position.
  • Bachelor’s degree in required discipline(s) listed or related field
  • Bachelor's degree in any field/discipline
  • Master's degree or Doctorate degree in required discipline(s) listed or related field
  • Master's degree or Doctorate degree in any field/discipline
  • None of the above