Director, Population, Environmental Risks, and the Climate Crisis Initiative (PERCC) & Senior Associate

Job Description

TITLE: Director, Population, Environmental Risks, and the Climate Crisis Initiative (PERCC) & Senior Associate

REPORTING TO: Vice President, Social and Behavioral Science Research

LOCATION: Flexible, and / or any of the locations where the Population Council has an office: Bangladesh, Egypt, Ethiopia Ghana, Guatemala, India, Kenya, Mexico, New York City, Nigeria, Pakistan, Senegal, South Africa, Washington D.C., and Zambia.

ASSIGNMENT LENGTH: Indefinite

POSITION SUMMARY: The Population Council’s Strategic Plan and global research agenda aim to improve health and development outcomes by asking and answering strategic research questions to tackle pressing social, economic, health, education, and climate issues worldwide. To pursue justice in the face of climate and environmental changes, the Council launched the Population, Environmental Risks and the Climate Crisis (PERCC) initiative in 2018. PERCC is at the forefront of driving progress and crafting solutions at the intersections of climate, health, gender, and equity. Through rigorous research, evaluation, and learning efforts, PERCC collaborates with both public and private sector partners to ask and answer critical questions about how to best deliver climate action to the communities that need it most across three main priority areas: (1) health, (2) adolescents and youth, and (3) urbanization.

Building on PERCC’s scientific successes and policy impacts, the Population Council is seeking a dynamic and experienced scientist to step into the new role of PERCC Director. The Director’s primary role is to expand the PERCC team, enhance research capacity, and implement impactful research programs that address the challenges posed by climate change. The Director must bring expertise in climate change research and its intersections with health, population dynamics, gender, and livelihoods. The PERCC Director will work closely with the Director of Climate Sciences, based in New Delhi at Population Council Consulting Pvt. Ltd., to build partnerships, mobilize resources, and create and drive innovative cross-sectoral research, strategic initiatives, and develop solutions and insights at the intersections of climate, health, gender, and equity. As PERCC Director, they will lead and build out the PERCC initiative, oversee and lead a diverse portfolio of research and evaluation projects, foster collaborations and learning with both Council research staff and external partners, disseminate findings and evidence-based practices to inform global responses to climate change, including both through peer-reviewed publications and engaging with policymakers and donors to influence global policies and investments.

Beyond research leadership, the PERCC Director will manage the operation of the initiative, play a pivotal role in mentoring and supporting staff, shaping the overall research strategy of the initiative, and taking the lead in new proposal development and contributing in a significant way to fundraising with governments, foundations, and private donors. Collaborative efforts will extend across other Council global innovation hubs, such as the Center for Biomedical Research, the Girl, Innovation, Research and Learning (GIRL) Center, the Gender, Education, Justice and Equity (GEJE) initiative, the Humanitiarian Task Force (HTF), as well as with the Council’s 14 international offices (IOs) and affiliate organizations (AOs).

This position offers a unique opportunity for a scientist to take on a leadership role to drive meaningful climate adaption, mitigation, and resilience research that addresses one of the most pressing issues of our time, while contributing to the Population Council’s overarching mission to generate ideas, produce evidence, and design solutions to improve the lives of underserved populations around the world.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

The Council’s global PERCC team is looking to grow, strengthen capacity and implement more research and programs in this space, synthesizing what works, identifying where gaps remain, disseminating and amplifying notable findings and solutions across public and private partners, donors, implementers and media stakeholders.

1. Research Portfolio Expansion and Management

• Develop and Expand PERCC Research Portfolio: Take the helm of numerous research projects autonomously by overseeing climate-related research projects. Identify, design, and initiate research and evaluation projects focused on the impacts of climate change on population health, population dynamics, gender, adolescent health and well-being, education, and livelihoods. Direct all aspects of the research life cycle from planning to dissemination of findings, ensuring alignment with PERCC’s objectives and global research priorities.
• Publication and Dissemination: Lead the preparation of research articles and publications. Actively participate in conferences and events to share findings and contribute to academic and policy discussions.

2. External Engagement and Partnerships

• Represent PERCC Globally: Attend meetings, conferences, and other professional activities to represent PERCC and establish partnerships with organizations, institutions, and stakeholders worldwide.
• Proposal Development: Initiate and develop proposals for funding related to climate change research and social science, collaborating with internal and external partners to address critical research gaps and emerging issues.
• Partnership Building: Foster partnerships and collaborations for climate and social science research globally, attending events and proactively engaging with potential partners and donors to expand PERCC’s reach and impact.

3. Leadership and Collaboration

• Mentorship and Knowledge Sharing: Provide mentorship and support to colleagues within the PERCC initiative and the Council at large, facilitating knowledge sharing through presentations, workshops, and brown bag sessions.
• Collaborative Program Development: Collaborate with internal and external stakeholders across the Council to develop and manage innovative programs and research initiatives. Integrate technological advancements where applicable.
• Resource Mobilization and Fundraising: Lead efforts to mobilize resources and secure funding for PERCC’s research activities. Identify potential donors, cultivate relationships, and lead proposal development and submission.
• Equitable Partnerships and Global Engagement: Establish equitable partnerships with colleagues and organizations in low-and-middle-income countries to amplify diverse perspectives in research and program development. Facilitate upskilling and collaboration to address climate-related challenges effectively.

QUALIFICATIONS

We understand that there are many paths to acquiring expertise and experience and strong candidates may not have every qualification listed here. We encourage applications from individuals with diverse and/or nontraditional backgrounds who bring passion, skills, and experience in many or most of these areas.

1. PhD in Climate or Environmental Social Sciences: Expertise in climate change research, focusing on the relationship between population and environment, climate change and health, and climate change and development, is essential.
2. 10+ Years of Experience in Climate Change Research: Demonstrated success as a principal investigator of climate-related research and evaluation projects, with a track record of publications related to climate adaption, mitigation, and resilience, is required.
3. Leadership Experience: Minimum of 3 years in progressively building research networks/initiatives and managing teams.

EXPERIENCE

1. Research and Evaluation: Proven experience in conducting rigorous research and evaluations on topics related to climate adaptation, mitigation, and resilience in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).
2. Resource Mobilization: A track record of raising funds and securing research grants, particularly for climate-related research, from various sources including government agencies, foundations, and private donors. Experience with government scientific agencies preferred, including NIH and ERC.
3. External Relations: Proficiency in maintaining strong relationships with a diverse range of partners including policy makers, researchers, advocates, donors, practitioners.

SKILLS

1. Donor Cultivation and Grant Writing: Ability attracting investment for new and emerging research ideas and initiatives through donor cultivation or winning grants.
2. Interdisciplinary Collaboration: Strong ability to work across scientific disciplines and translate findings into actionable programmatic and policy recommendations.
3. Communication: Excellent written and oral communication skills in English, with the ability to write compelling proposals and publications.
4. Leadership and Teamwork: Excellent organizational, planning, and mentorship skills, with a commitment to team development and upskilling.
5. Analytical Skills: Proficiency in statistical packages such as R, STATA, and Python. Knowledge in geospatial software like ArcGIS/R or QGIS is preferred but not required.

OTHER

1. Flexibility and Adaptability: Ability to work under pressure, meet deadlines, and remain positive while engaging with stakeholders.
2. Travel: Willingness to undertake domestic and international travel.
3. Demonstrated experience with NIH grants or USAID projects is advantageous.

SALARY AND BENEFITS:

If position is based outside of the United States, the salary range and benefits will be in accordance with the local pay scale and benefits structure in the relevant Council international office. Our international offices provide competitive benefits packages including health insurance available immediately upon hire, generous annual and sick leave, and paid parental leave.

For U.S.-based positions, the salary range is between $132,000-$173,000 annually, depending on knowledge, skills and experience. Excellent benefits package includes:

• Medical, dental, vision and life insurance available immediately upon hire;
• 403(b) retirement plan with employer contribution equal to 12% of annual salary (up to a maximum salary of $200,000) after one year of employment;
• 24 annual and 12 sick days per year (accrued semi-monthly) *
• Approximately 10 paid holidays;
• 13 weeks of paid parental leave;
• Educational assistance*
• College tuition support for dependents**

We strive to provide an environment of professional growth and development.

*Pro-rated for part-time staff who work a minimum of 20 hours per week.

**Employees must work full-time to be eligible for this benefit

Application Deadline: May 30, 2024

When applying through the web portal please attach your CV and Cover Letter in Word or PDF format.

The Population Council is an international, nonprofit, nongovernmental institution that seeks to improve the well-being and reproductive health of current and future generations around the world and to help achieve a humane, equitable, and sustainable balance between people and resources. The Council conducts biomedical, social science, and public health research and helps build research capacities in developing countries. Established in 1952, the Council is governed by an international board of trustees. Its New York headquarters supports a global network of country offices. We are seeking an individual to fill the position described. If you know of a qualified candidate or are interested in this position, please apply at: http://www.popcouncil.org/employment/index.asp.

The Population Council provides equal opportunity; it does not discriminate against any person with regard to age, color, creed, national origin, disability, political belief, veteran status, religion, marital status, gender, gender identity, or sexual orientation. Decisions on employment are based on an individual’s qualifications as related to the position for which they are being considered. The Council especially encourages applications from members of underrepresented groups including but not limited to Black people and people of African descent, Indigenous people, people of color, women, LGBTQ+ individuals, including people who identify as transgender, non-binary, or gender expansive, people with disabilities, first-generation college graduates, and those from communities with the most to gain from expanded access to sexual and reproductive health services and information. The Population Council is international in the composition of its board of trustees and its staff, as well as in the nature and deployment of its activities.