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PRINCIPAL, NIEES RESEARCH
Job Title: PRINCIPAL, NIEES RESEARCH
Job Code: 3796
FLSA: E
Job Level: 98
Revised Date: 02/01/2025
Job Family: JF 05
Occupational Summary
NIEES has a senior leadership role to enhance and manage energy, environment and sustainability policy analysis and research within the Institute. This position will lead research teams with oversight management, strategic direction and financial guidance and can provide consultant expertise in specific area(s) of energy, environment and sustainability policy and research. The Principal role will be filled by a subject matter expert, and interact regularly with an array of internal and external project sponsors and collaborators including government agencies, academic centers, advocacy organizations, and with senior executive leadership at NIEES and across Duke.
Work Performed
Lead the strategic design, management, and direction of multiple program areas of research and policy analysis within the NIEES.
Provide oversight and direction of a portfolio of projects within this area that are managed either personally or by accountable staff.
Serve as a subject matter expert, and interact regularly with an array of external project sponsors and collaborators including government agencies, academic centers, advocacy organizations, foundations and energy, environment and sustainability organizations.
Collaborate and support executive leadership of the NIEES and manage implementation of research and policy objectives to contribute to successful execution of the Institute???s strategic and financial goals. The Research Principal has significant responsibility for cultivation of funding opportunities and oversight of program area and development personnel.
Serve as a strategic and management leader across the NIEES, looking beyond their specific domain/area of focus to foster the success of the NIEES as a whole.
Develop the NIEES strategic vision for research and policy analysis and fundraising in collaboration with the Director of the NIEES. And support development of staff and the capabilities necessary to execute the NIEES???s mission; and support the engagement and development of the community of researchers, faculty, and students.
Expectations for this position include (1) successfully leading the strategic development and execution of NIEES activities in the research domain; (2) identifying and guiding cross-cutting opportunities to increase the impact of and financial support for the NIEES???s research priorities; (3) developing and/or leading key components of NIEES priorities that are synergistic with but distinct from domain research objectives, e.g. educational, operational, or analytic initiatives; (4) engaging high-profile external audiences to increase the visibility and impact of the NIEES???s work and expertise; (5) leading opportunities for mentoring and professional development for staff and faculty; and (6) advancing the financial sustainability of the NIEES.
Serve as a senior-level resource for enhancing policy analysis and research in the areas of energy, environment and sustainability that span multiple policy research program areas within NIEES. The overarching goal of this cross- cutting role is to support the expansion of NIEES???s impact and development of evidence-based policy recommendations in local, state, national, and global settings.
Collaborate with and assist research teams and faculty in conducting policy research and policy analysis in the Research Principal???s focus area.
Develop relationships with collaborators at Duke, potential external partners, and funders to identify new opportunities for future growth. Connect faculty and research teams to relevant collaborators, partners, funders, and policy makers in their content areas.
Utilize rapid synthesis of new developments, including thematic policy briefs, and strategic guidance on new and current projects in existing content areas to support all program areas within NIEES as well as cross cutting, synergistic initiatives.
Identify and advise on strategic funding opportunities for NIEES portfolios based on new relationships and collaborations.
Collaborate with senior executive leadership and researchers across levels within NIEES to provide highly individualized senior consultant- level expertise and support in specific areas of research and policy expertise. Areas of input may include, but are not limited to, supporting research, writing, and analysis related to areas of content expertise; strategic planning; providing complex strategic guidance across a range of potentially relevant research and policy domains; writing white papers, peer-reviewed publications, policy memos, and other related research and policy deliverables.
Support engagement efforts and development of funding support to explore new programmatic areas for the NIEES, and to further expand Center activities and impact in collaboration with the Director of the NIEES. Serve as a recognized subject matter authority in specific area(s) of energy, environment and sustainability policy.
Provide guidance to research staff's work in conceptualizing projects and research questions, conducting research and analysis, and crafting accessible and well-written products to disseminate findings. Serve as an oversight, sounding board to leaders of subject matter expertise program areas.
Interact with and represent NIEES to a wide variety of internal and external individuals, including stakeholders in leadership positions across the NIEES community and the NIEES Board of Advisors, as requested.
Required Qualifications at this Level
Education/Training
Work requires analytical, communications, and organizational skills generally acquired through completion of a PhD, JD degree in a field to energy, natural resources, or the environment required.
Experience
For Research Principal, 10 years of progressive experience in policy/research/data analysis or other relevant position is required. Significant senior or executive-level experience in a leadership capacity preferred. Experience in strategic planning, fundraising, and managing interdisciplinary teams. Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to navigate a dynamic organizational environment effectively. OR AN EQUIVALENT COMBINATION OF RELEVANT EDUCATION AND/OR EXPERIENCE
Skills
The intent of this job description is to provide a representative and level of the types of duties and responsibilities that will be required of positions given this title and shall not be construed as a declaration of the total of the specific duties and responsibilities of any particular position. Employees may be directed to perform job-related tasks other than those specifically presented in this description.
Duke University is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to providing employment opportunity without regard to an individual's age, color, disability, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, (including pregnancy and pregnancy related conditions), sexual orientation, or military status.
Duke aspires to create a community built on collaboration, innovation, creativity, and belonging. Our collective success depends on the robust exchange of ideas-an exchange that is best when the rich diversity of our perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences flourishes. To achieve this exchange, it is essential that all members of the community feel secure and welcome, that the contributions of all individuals are respected, and that all voices are heard. All members of our community have a responsibility to uphold these values.
Essential Physical Job Functions
Certain jobs at Duke University and Duke University Health System may include essential job functions that require specific physical and/or mental abilities. Additional information and provision for requests for reasonable accommodation will be provided by each hiring department.
