Emplois Policy Translation Specialist - IHME - University of Washington

Location: Seattle, WA
Full-time position
Closing Date: open until filled
Job #10053
 
The Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) is an independent research center at the University of Washington focused on expanding the quantitative evidence base for health. IHME aims to provide policymakers, donors, and researchers with the highest-quality quantitative data to make decisions that achieve better health. IHME’s research spans multiple disciplines and policy-relevant areas including resource tracking, cost-effectiveness, forecasting, the burden of disease, geospatial analysis, health systems solutions, and impact evaluations. It has established international scientific credibility for developing innovative multidisciplinary methods and producing cutting-edge results. IHME aims to be nimble and entrepreneurial in its work, taking on daunting analytic challenges in order to provide critical information that can help answer big-picture questions at the most local levels possible such as:
  • What is the state of the world’s health?
  • What impact are different programs, initiatives, and policies having on improving health?
  • What investments and decisions can we make today that will improve health most in the future?

IHME accomplishes these aims by working with a wide range of collaborators across the world. Currently, we are engaged with over 1,500 collaborators from more than 115 countries and have undertaken on-the-ground data collection in over 20 countries. Through groundbreaking scientific findings, innovative data visualizations, and policy reports and outreach we have disseminated results around the world and engaged myriad audiences.

IHME has an exciting opportunity for a Policy Translation Specialist. The Policy Translation Specialist will translate key messages and results from complex analysis into documents, publications, and presentations in ways that policymakers, donors, and other nontechnical audiences will find useful for decision-making. The person must be a skilled writer and be able to quickly understand and articulate key findings, results, and policy implications of research areas.

The Policy Translation Specialist will work closely with members of the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) expert network to increase opportunities for deeper engagement with IHME and other GBD collaborators. Working with the Policy Translation Manager, he or she will manage activities that foster networking between GBD collaborators, allow them to learn from one another, and help them promote the use of GBD among decision-makers.

The Specialist will be capable of executing at a high level on requests for Executive Team and faculty members (written content, briefings, etc.) The person will be able to create written content for the institute director, faculty members, and others that demonstrates content mastery and ability to capture the voice of the director and faculty members. This position is contingent on project needs and funding.

Responsibilities:

Content generation and project management 

  • Develop and write materials such as policy reports, briefings, web content, infographics, and presentations that summarize the key aspects of research findings from complex projects and present the information in a way that is concise, comprehensible, and of value in decision-making to policymakers and other nontechnical audiences.
  • Work directly with research teams to fully understand substantive content and contextual considerations in order to produce accurate and effective written materials for non-technical audiences and accomplish dissemination and uptake objectives.
  • Innovate ways to best represent data and results for non-technical audiences so they can readily understand and use the information presented.
  • Produce materials highlighting the Institute objectives and research foci to be used as tools for engaging collaborators, policymakers, donors, and the public.
  • Assist with multiple aspects of materials production, including helping publications management staff with logistical coordination, liaising with vendors as needed, and both implementing and coordinating fact-checking internally.
  • Interpret and apply stipulations and requirements from donors and other collaborators when developing written materials such as donor reports. Ensure that content is accurate and conforms to reporting requirements.
  • Work with Advancement colleagues and the Policy Translation Manager to develop materials to help make the case for investment in IHME.
  • Coordinate with Strategy Team members on proposal writing and the proposal submission process.

Knowledge Command 

  • Develop an astute command of the findings and key messages from complex, innovative, and cutting-edge multidisciplinary analyses that make up IHME’s overall research portfolio.
  • Develop a thorough understanding of target audiences’ interests, information needs, content knowledge, and motivations to develop content that resonates with them.
  • Be knowledgeable about current research projects and publication pipelines in order to anticipate and plan for material needs and quickly become immersed in new research findings to produce necessary content.

Other Responsibilities

  • Develop targeted dissemination plans for key findings and orchestrate the dissemination effort for select publications.
  • Contribute to funding proposals. Help to devise plans that are responsive to proposal opportunity requirements and meet organizational needs. Write, edit, and critique proposals as needed.
  • Act as a resource for policymakers and other nontechnical audience members when they contact IHME with questions about particular research streams.
  • Give presentations and create presentation materials and policy briefings that describe the implications of research results for decision-makers.
  • Represent the Global Engagement Team at relevant conferences and meetings.
  • Support other Global Engagement Team functions as needed.

Minimum qualifications:

Master’s degree in a policy-related field, preferably with an emphasis on global health, or equivalent degree plus experience.

Three years of professional experience, preferably in a health- or metrics-related field.

  • Demonstrated command of complex multidisciplinary topics in health metrics and evaluation.
  • Ability to quickly understand and synthesize relevant materials for a range of both broad and targeted audiences.
  • Strong written, oral, and Web-based communication skills.
  • Demonstrated ability to communicate clearly and professionally with internal and external stakeholders.
  • Ability to successfully manage several projects at once, set priorities, and meet multiple changing deadlines.
  • Highly organized with strong attention to detail and follow-through.
  • Previous experience working in developing countries, with an emphasis on stakeholder engagement, is desired.

Conditions of employment: 

Evening and weekend work may be required.