VP of Science Initiatives

Job Title: Vice President, Science Initiatives

Location: Remote, United States, EST, preferred with occasional travel up to 20% time

About the Organization: As a research and action organization, Center for Policing Equity (CPE) produces analyses identifying and reducing the causes of racial disparities in public safety. Using data-driven approaches to social justice, we use science to create levers for social, cultural, and policy change.

We are research scientists, race and equity experts, data virtuosos, and community trainers. We use data to build a more fair and just system. We partner with law enforcement and communities. Our aim is to bridge the divide of communication, generational mistrust, and suffering. But most of all, we are the path that science can forge towards public safety, community trust, and racial equity.

Position Overview: 

The Center for Policing Equity (CPE) is seeking a Vice President (VP) of Science Initiatives to oversee high-priority research efforts related to racial justice and equitable public safety. The VP will combine their deep research and evaluation expertise and strong management skills to provide staff direction and support in executing a variety of short- and long-term projects. As the leader of CPE’s Science Initiatives division, the VP will lead an interdisciplinary team of social scientists, data scientists and analysts, and other professionals in executing quantitative and mixed-methods research initiatives; create feedback loops between CPE’s scientific and on-the-ground work; develop strategic research and data partnerships; and drive efforts to expand CPE’s science and data infrastructure. The VP will be responsible for aligning Science Initiatives workstreams with CPE’s Strategic Plan, facilitating cross-team collaboration, and leading CPE’s harm reduction and public safety redesign science portfolios. The VP will also supervise CPE’s Senior Directors of Data Science & Quantitative Methods (DSQM) and Research & Evaluation (R+E), who together manage teams of approximately 20 employees executing scientific work across the organization. This position requires a passion for discovering new quantitative insights, delivering high-quality research products, and working with internal and external stakeholders to translate scientific findings into accessible, actionable results. The VP will report to the Senior Vice President of Science.

Responsibilities:

• Lead an interdisciplinary (cross-functional) team of social scientists, data scientists and analysts, and other professionals in delivering high-quality research products related to reducing harm in existing public safety systems and redesigning public safety 
• Translate strategy into actionable goals for Science Initiatives team members
• Collaborate with CPE’s Policy & Community Engagement (PCE) and Justice Initiatives (JI) teams to triage time-sensitive research opportunities and translate scientific findings into actionable products for community, policymaker, and practitioner audiences
• Oversee and provide direction for the Science program’s public safety redesign science portfolio, which includes original research on non-police-led interventions and the social determinants of public safety
• Partner with CPE’s Development team, CEO, and SVP of Science on grant reporting related to our scientific & evaluation work and in co-developing new funding proposals
• Partner with CPE’s Communications team, CEO, and senior scientists in overseeing CPE’s self-published research reports, data briefs, and other data-driven products
• Develop protocols for efficient research production, quality assurance, and dissemination
• Drive collaborative efforts related to CPE’s science and data infrastructure and contribute to CPE-wide knowledge management efforts
• Manage existing strategic research and data partnerships and develop new external partnerships related to public safety redesign
• Collaborate with Science program colleagues focused on peer-reviewed academic work 

Job Requirements/Qualifications:

• PhD in a social science, applied data science, or related field preferred, or Master’s degree with exceptional research and management experience
• Experience leading diverse, interdisciplinary teams and complex research projects, including personnel management and budget oversight
• Minimum 5 years experience managing research teams
• Broad quantitative and/or mixed-methods research and evaluation experience
• Record of results in managing execution of high-quality quantitative and/or mixed-methods research and evaluation projects
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, and strong ability to resolve conflict with internal and external collaborators
• Strong commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion and demonstrated experience embedding DEI principles into policies, team structures, and management practices
• Ability to develop a strong, inclusive culture among a geographically dispersed team 
• Comfortable leading teams through changing circumstances, priorities, and goals
• A deep passion for social justice and belief in CPE’s mission

Application Submission Guidelines:

Position begins as soon as possible. Applications will be considered on a rolling basis. To apply, please submit the following materials.

• CV/resume
• Cover Letter
• Names and contact details for three references
• Published research writing samples (up to 2)

Compensation:

Range: $165-180k USD. The base salary for this position will vary based on place of residence and job-related criteria including relevant skills, qualifications and experience, among other factors.

Other eligible compensation or benefits include: In addition to the compensation range above, this role is eligible for:

• Employer-paid health benefits
• Generous time off policies; including paid parental leave
• Annual professional development allocation
• Cell phone reimbursement
• Home internet reimbursement
• Monthly work-from-home stipend
• A one-time stipend for home office set up
• A mental health app subscription

Equity is at the core of our organization. As such, we partner with compensation experts to ensure our employees are paid equitably.

EOE Statement: The Center for Policing Equity strives to build a diverse team that is inclusive of multiple perspectives and welcoming for people of all backgrounds. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status. CPE strongly supports second-chance hiring, which means we strongly encourage applications from people with experiences with the criminal legal system, including incarceration, conviction, charges, or arrest.