Core Curriculum Program Analyst

The Office of Policy, Planning, and Resources for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs’ Research and Evaluation Unit (R/PPR/REU) is looking to add two Core Curriculum Program Analysts to their unit.

Job Description:

• Work with the Organizational Learning Team to assess the needs of public diplomacy practitioners and the effectiveness of public diplomacy and public affairs programs.
• With minimal direction, manages and executes projects related to developing a PD “Core Curriculum” designed to build field capacity on strategic planning, understanding policy, situation analysis, audience research and analysis, monitoring and evaluation.
• Conducts research to determine and prioritize learning and training needs in Washington and in the field.
• Works as needed with the Monitoring and Evaluation team on the design and research of PD audience research and monitoring and evaluation related to the candidate’s areas of expertise and work.
• Provides consultation to public diplomacy practitioners on how to design, manage, and use research, data, and evaluations to inform and improve programs that advance foreign policy objectives.
• Curates existing research from both USG and non-USG sources. Regularly presents evaluation results to public diplomacy practitioners, academics, and other interested parties through both formal and informal presentations.
• Contributes to the development of training modules and courses for public diplomacy practitioners on core competencies related to the public diplomacy strategic framework.
• Conducts training for public diplomacy practitioners as part of a team.

Requirements:

• A Bachelor’s Degree is required; a Master’s Degree or higher is preferred. Education should reflect training in qualitative or quantitative research methods.
• Experience in designing and conducting training and education opportunities for adult learners and practitioners.
• Experience collecting qualitative or quantitative data in foreign countries, including selecting, training or supervising local research teams; overseeing translation of instruments, protocols, and other research materials; and administering instruments in English (or other language, as necessary);
• Experience in translating and training on research findings, theoretical concepts, and external sources for practical application by field practitioners.
• Experience managing complex projects involving multiple stakeholders, with milestones occurring over one to two years;
• Experience with traditional qualitative research methods, including but not limited to: focus group facilitation, content analysis, textual analysis, and network analysis, as well as familiarity with non-traditional techniques such as participatory evaluation, process mapping, and visual data analysis;
• Experience conducting research on one or more of the following topics: development, education, media effects, nation branding, strategic communication, interpersonal communication, organizational communication, networks, trust, public opinion, women’s empowerment, or youth;
• Experience conducting formative research into audience needs and country context to guide the development of public diplomacy programs/campaigns and monitoring and evaluation of those programs/campaigns.
• Ability to approach problems analytically and holistically, considering the individual problem and the impact on the larger system;
• Ability to work on complex projects within a multidisciplinary team;
• Ability to work flexibly and efficiently in a rapidly changing environment, exercising a balance between research rigor and client needs;
• Demonstrated curiosity in continued learning and growth on the job;
• Openness to critique and feedback (including from other disciplines), curiosity to learn from a spectrum of perspectives, and experience or strong interest in collaborating closely with others; and
• Ability to focus on and understand the needs of internal and external clients.