Company Name
Health Resources in Action
Company City
Boston
Company State
MA
Job Location
Greater Boston Area or Remote
Company Information
Health Resources in Action (HRiA) is a non-profit, public health consulting organization based in Boston, MA, with 260+ staff working throughout the country. HRiA’s mission is to help people live healthier lives and create healthy communities through prevention, health promotion, policy, and research. With an emphasis on community engagement and commitment to racial and health equity, HRiA has earned a national reputation as a leader in the fields of public health and social change. HRiA works with diverse clients who share its vision of healthier communities, including the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, state and local health departments, community-based organizations, hospitals, and private/corporate philanthropic entities.
Since its founding in 1957, HRiA has been at the forefront of public health, leading the way to promote healthier and more vibrant communities. Its work recognizes how structural racism and social and economic factors impact health outcomes. Its health equity framework centers on racial equity and guides the work with communities, partners, and clients as well as internal policies and processes. HRiA is also an affiliate member of the National Network of Public Health Institutes with over 40 affiliates located across the country.
TMF was HRiA’s founding name and represents a cornerstone of its history and ongoing evolution. The 10-person team is nationwide, and is a key department situated within HRiA’s grantmaking cluster. Its current clients are predominantly family foundations, bank trusts, and private individuals, and it’s positioned to expand this network with government contracts, hospitals, and other organizations conducting biomedical research. TMF often funds young and rising researchers, historically across Massachusetts, but more recently nationwide. Services for clients span the spectrum, from landscape reviews to Requests for Proposals, application reviews, due diligence, and grants administration. TMF currently serves 15 very diverse partners, the majority of which are long-standing relationships.
Job Description
HRiA seeks nominations and applications for a Chief Science Officer (CSO) for The Medical Foundation (TMF) to lead and collaborate with TMF’s grantmaking team; spearhead and maintain the organization’s innovative biomedical research award program services; enhance program impact; and further grow and diversify the organization’s client base.
Along with a Managing Director, the CSO will help lead TMF, a department within the broader Grantmaking Cluster at HRiA which facilitates biomedical sciences grantmaking services. TMF provides strategic advising on the design and administration of investments in biomedical sciences to a range of clients and partners. With a team of nine staff members situated across the country, TMF works with private individuals, bank trusts, and family foundations to provide biomedical and life sciences consulting services, program evaluation, and customized grant programs designed to accelerate medical discoveries. In 2022, TMF facilitated biomedical research grant programs that awarded over $27 million to outstanding investigators across the United States.
Job Qualifications
This role requires a sophisticated generalist understanding of the biomedical sciences and a strong commitment to client service and satisfaction. It also requires the ability to work and collaborate with a broad range of staff and stakeholders. The successful candidate will have many of the following qualifications:
• M.D. or Ph.D. in the life sciences with prior research experience and a solid understanding of the fields of basic, clinical, and translational research.
• At least 10 years of relevant work experience in senior leadership positions in health-related fields and/or research.
• Excellent verbal and written skills, including strong presentation skills and the ability to translate complex technical language for the public.
• Experience in developing, managing, and evaluating biomedical grant programs and grantmaking practices and/or philanthropy strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated success in developing, leading, and supervising complex projects and high performing teams.
• Knowledge of emerging trends, challenges, and best practices in biomedical research, knowledge of health equity, philanthropy, and public health.
• Demonstrated experience writing, reviewing, and editing grants, journal manuscripts, practice briefs, and/or conference abstracts and presentations.
• Experience working with and managing diverse clients and meeting or exceeding their expectations in quality and performance.
• Successful experience in donor cultivation, funder/client relations, and securing large grants/contracts from a diverse portfolio of funders.
• Ability to develop and manage budgets and timelines.
• Strength in Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook).
• Dedication to social justice and a passion for achieving health equity, and a commitment to advancing biomedical research through maximizing the impact of philanthropic support.
• A commitment to valuing diversity of thought, backgrounds, and perspectives.
• Creative thinking and willingness to consider and explore various pragmatic options for achieving an objective or understanding and resolving challenges as they come up.
• Strong entrepreneurial skills and the ability to work and think strategically and creatively to cultivate current relationships and to identify and pursue new opportunities to increase impact.
• Skills to manage, mentor, inspire, and supervise staff.
• Ability to work collaboratively with a wide range of people representing various backgrounds, levels of training, and career stages.
• Ability to work independently, manage multiple responsibilities, and meet deadlines.
This description is intended to indicate the kinds of work duties that will be required in this position. It is not intended to limit, or in any way modify, the ability of any supervisor to assign, direct, and contract work of staff under their supervision. The use of a particular illustration describing duties shall not be held to exclude other duties, not mentioned, that are of a similar level or difficulty.
How to Apply
HRiA is actively seeking to build a diverse and experienced staff. The organization encourages multiple perspectives and experiences, supports a multicultural environment, and strives to hire and retain a diverse work force that reflects the populations we work with and the communities where we work. Diversity is a core value of HRiA resulting in culturally competent services, materials, resources, and programs.
HRiA’s hiring and business practices are designed to appreciate the strengths offered through varied backgrounds. As public health practitioners with a social justice focus, HRiA is committed to better understanding and learning from the institutional structures that create disparities among us and our work. HRiA is actively seeking to build a diverse and experienced staff.
More information about Health Resources in Action may be found at: hria.org.
This search is being led by Tamar Datan and Eva Rosenberg of NPAG. Due to the pace of this search, candidates are strongly encouraged to apply as soon as possible. Candidates may submit their cover letter, outlining their interest and qualifications, along with their resume via NPAG’s website.
This is an exempt, full-time position with the opportunity to work remotely and from HRiA’s Boston office. The salary range for this position is $170,000 – $220,000 commensurate with skills and experience.
HRiA offers strong benefits to its employees, including competitive salaries, health and dental insurance, retirement plan, flexible time, summer hours, vacation starting at 4 weeks, 13 paid holidays, plus office closure time during the last week of December.
HRiA is an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer and is committed to providing access, equal opportunity, and reasonable accommodation for individuals with disabilities in employment, its services, programs, and activities. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran status, or genetic information.