Senior Program Evaluation Specialist - Office of Health Affairs

The Office of Health Affairs within the West Virginia University Health Sciences Center is seeking applications for a Senior Program Evaluation Specialist. The Senior Program Evaluator serves as a lead principal investigator for evaluation-based contracts and grants within the WVU Office of Health Affairs. Senior program Evaluators must have experience leading complex evaluation studies with multidisciplinary team members and have a demonstrated history of contribution to the evaluation field through publishing. A program evaluator should be familiar with current data-gathering techniques and technology, and have experience leading work in at least one area of federally sponsored program evaluation initiatives, such as by the Centers for Disease Control, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, or Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. The ideal candidate has a team-oriented attitude and has experience teaching or training others in the program evaluation.

West Virginia University’s Office of Health Affairs frequently engages in collaborative efforts with West Virginia’s Department of Health and Human Resources (DHHR) and other state agencies. Ideal candidates will have work experience that aligns with the mission of DHHR’s Bureau for Medical Services, Bureau for Children and Families, Bureau for Behavioral Health and Bureau for Public Health.  

In order to be successful in this position, the ideal candidate will: 

• Lead principal investigator for complex evaluation programs comprised of multidisciplinary program team members.
• Serve as a University representative and liaison to the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources for the planning and performance of projects, programs and activities involving health data analytics and program evaluation.  
• Work as part of a team to advance the partnership between the West Virginia University Health Sciences Center and the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources.
• Facilitate communication and efficient collaboration between research partners at the West Virginia University Health Sciences Center and the staff of the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources. 
• Design and develop primary data collection measures and program evaluation tools.
• Monitor and evaluate quality improvement initiatives through data collection and analysis.
• Conduct routine analysis on program process and outcome data.
• Identify program improvement initiatives by working closely with program staff.
• Provide relevant training to staff on different evaluation aspects.
• Draft written reports and presentations to Office of Health Affairs leadership and DHHR leadership related to evaluation processes and findings.
• Consult appropriate personnel as needed to facilitate ongoing process of program design, implementation and revision.
• Work with stakeholders to lead the development of comprehensive and evidence-based strategic evaluation plans that identifies and prioritizes evaluation activities including program logic models and both process and outcome measures.
• Work with stakeholders to implement evaluation plans for prioritized program areas.  
• Develop data collection protocol and instrumentation necessary to conduct in-depth evaluation studies.
• Conduct reviews of program-related documents, data files, published information and official reports.
• Build internal evaluation capacity with all full-time program employees.
• Manage data agreements and relationships with all necessary stakeholders and partners.
• Other duties as assigned. Act in other matters and capacities as delegated by the Assistant Vice President for Health Affairs and the Director of Evaluation Services.
• Supervise and mentor research associates.  

  Qualifications  

• Earned PhD in Public Health or related field.
• Three (3) years of experience in the following: 
  • Leading and directing teams as a principal investigator in programmatic improvement.
  • Demonstrated program evaluation experience required.
• Extensive knowledge of best practices in program evaluation.
• Ability to engage with, listen to, and learn form a broad range of evaluation stakeholders encouraging their meaningful participation.
• Ability to identify limitations of one’s evaluation expertise and devise methods for acquiring additional evaluation knowledge when necessary.
• Ability to educate program staff and partners about evaluation concepts and methods.
• Skilled in working with stakeholders to develop feasible recommendations based on data collected and interpreted.
• Ability to prepare and present evaluation results in a manner that increases the likelihood that they will be used and accepted by a diverse group of stakeholders.
• Ability to develop action plans and systems to facilitate and track implementation of evaluation findings and recommendations.
• Skilled in developing and implementing a communications and dissemination plan as requested or required.   

  Requirements 

• Curriculum Vitae
• Letter of Interest

  About WVU 

At West Virginia University, we leverage our talents and resources to create a better future for our state and the world. As West Virginia's land-grant university, WVU has three campuses that touch each corner of the state. The WVU System includes 518 buildings on 15,880 acres, Extension Service offices in all 55 counties, ten experimental farms and four forests. 
 
From the groundbreaking R1 research of our flagship campus in Morgantown to the career-oriented programs of WVU Potomac State in Keyser to the technology-intensive programs at WVU Tech in Beckley — the contributions of WVU employees directly impact the 1.8 million people of West Virginia every day, no matter their role or position. 

Service, curiosity, respect, accountability, and appreciation are the core values that unite Mountaineers, inspiring one another to work tirelessly and support others as they seek to reach new heights. After all, when you're a Mountaineer, impossible is just another mountain to climb.
 
To learn more about West Virginia University, visit go.wvu.edu. View current career opportunities at careers.wvu.edu.

West Virginia University is proud to be an Equal Opportunity employer and is the recipient of an NSF ADVANCE award for gender equity. The University values diversity among its faculty, staff, and students, and invites applications from all qualified applicants regardless of race, ethnicity, color, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, nationality, genetics, disability, or Veteran status.   

  Job Posting: Oct 5, 2021 Posting Classification: FE/AP Exemption Status: Exempt Benefits Eligible: Yes Schedule: Full-time