Program Manager - Impact, Data, and Evaluation Academy (IDEA)
UNC Charlotte
Full-Time
Closes on Monday, August 17, 2026
Job Description
- Manage and serve as principal investigator/investigator on multiple concurrent projects that involve research expertise.
- Primarily, this SRA will serve as the principal investigator and leader of the Impact, Data, & Evaluation Academy (IDEA), ensuring the effectiveness of the community capacity-building initiative. In addition to the duties identified below, the position is responsible for the development and revision of curriculum and other tools and resources that help build our communities’ data and research literacy.
- Supervise and manage research teams
- Lead or assist in research proposal development.
- Conduct literature reviews.
- Develop metrics and measures.
- Collect secondary data as well as primary data for projects through surveys, interviews, and/or fieldwork.
- Perform statistical and qualitative data analysis.
- Observe and report trends in data/information.
- Lead and assist in project conceptualization & design (including budgets, timelines, and staff assignments), leading to the development of formal proposals for research funding.
- Coordinate with the institute’s administrative support team on all pre- and post- award requirements of assigned research.
- Monitor and maintain research compliance of assigned projects, including requirements of the UNC Charlotte Institutional Review Board and data security.
- Make presentations to faculty members, community partners, community forums, and speaker series about conducted research.
- Provide technical support and consult on additional research projects.
Engage with University & Community Partners:
- Lead and maintain meaningful relationships with existing and potential community partners (governmental agencies and non-profit organizations) and university faculty/partners, particularly connected to research expertise and the management of IDEA.
- Identify and develop new relationships with community partners as the institute refines its research agenda and strategic direction.
- Participate in university and community forums and other engagement activities around research expertise.
- Represent the Urban Institute in university and community initiatives and functions, and when needed, represent senior administrators of the Institute.
Build Team Research Capacity:
- Identify research opportunities and funding sources for Institute research projects. Prepare grants and other proposals to support research and programming at the UNC Charlotte Urban Institute.
- Lead or assist on one or more overarching operational components, such as project monitoring guidelines or updating project summary dashboards in Smartsheet based on UI reporting needs.
- Lead or assist in the development and continuous improvement of the research and evaluation framework that guides UI research.
- Lead or assist in maintaining the quality and rigor of all UI research and resulting products.
- Assist in the development and maintenance of materials, policies, and practices necessary to make Urban Institute data, research, and research services accessible to community partners.
- Participate in review and constructive feedback of colleagues’ research proposals, methodology, analysis, data visualizations, and final reports/presentations.
- Provide mentorship for RA I and RA II staff and/or assist junior staff members with building cross-campus mentorship connections.
- Proactively learn and update oneself and the team on local and regional policies that may impact the key research areas of the institute.
- Engage in continuous learning and professional development around research expertise, a variety of research methodologies, data visualization, supervision, effective communication, and project management.