Senior Research Associate - Overdose Fatality Review & Harm Reduction

America's substance use crisis is a public safety and public health emergency that threatens the well-being of individuals who use and misuse drugs as well as their families, communities, and, ultimately, the nation. The Institute for Intergovernmental Research (IIR) is a Florida-based, nonprofit corporation specializing in criminal justice (law enforcement focus), homeland security, and public health/behavioral health issues. IIR serves as a training and technical assistance provider for the U.S. Bureau of Justice Assistance's Comprehensive Opioid, Stimulant, and Substance Use Program (COSSUP) program.
COSSUP assists jurisdictions across the nation battling the persistence or reemergence of stimulants and other substances while emphasizing the force-multiplying power of partnership and collaboration across the public health, behavioral health, and public safety sectors. The goals of COSSUP are to promote public safety and support access to treatment and recovery services in the criminal justice system, strengthen the collection and sharing of data across systems to understand and address the impact of illicit substance use and misuse, align and maximize resources across systems and leverage diverse program funding, and prevent illicit substance use and misuse. One strategy the COSSUP supports in the implementation of Overdose Fatality Reviews or OFRs ( ).
FLSA Status: Exempt
Position Description
The Senior Research Associate for Justice and Public Health Initiatives possesses extensive knowledge and experience in developing communication plans and delivering communication products for the Justice and Public Health Initiatives (JPHI) Overdose Fatality Review (OFR) program. This position provides primary support to all areas of program communication and requires significant knowledge and awareness of current communication strategies and trends and the needs and perspectives of key stakeholders, including the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the law enforcement and public health fields. This position will serve as the primary point of contact for the OFR program and IIR's Information Technology (IT) and Quality Control and Content Management (QCCM) teams to ensure that programmatic products, websites, and applications consistently articulate the program's mission, messages, voice, and brand and to create the best possible product for the end user that meets the needs and expectations of the client.
Responsibilities

• Conduct advanced communication-related research, issue identification, analysis, and resolution and may provide a briefing on results
• Serve as lead coordinator for program communication
• Develop and implement communication plans; author and edit templates, resources, website content, presentations, and guidance documents
• Develop, coordinate, and review documents and outreach products
• Coordinate and facilitate on-site technical assistance and training events
• Facilitate group discussions and conduct training and informational presentations
• Work with key stakeholders, including government agencies, to plan and coordinate criminal justice services to the field
• Effectively communicate orally and in writing with agency executives, senior officials, coworkers, and others
• Collaborate and/or coordinate with subject-matter experts, OFR professionals, and/or multimedia personnel to gather information (interviews, testimonials, and demonstrations) with the goal of producing focused content within the prescribed style
• Review program content for uniformity of message, clarity, logo usage, and proper disclaimer usage
• Recommend to whom, where, and when program content and promotional materials should be disseminated
• Coordinate efforts among the OFR, IT, and QCCM teams to maintain and update as needed all publications, resources, and the programmatic website
• Develop project plans and serve as lead to oversee task teams or short- and long-term specialized projects

• Other duties, as assigned

Knowledge and Skills

• Bachelor's degree in a related field required (professional law enforcement training and/or certifications may substitute for a bachelor's degree)
• Master's degree or doctoral degree in criminal justice or related field preferred
• Minimum eight years of directly related experience or a combination of education and professional experience
• Understanding of stigmatizing language, social determinants of health, public health, and the criminal justice system
• Commitment to public health and public safety principles to improve community health and safety, with an emphasis on the field of substance use and drug overdose prevention and mental health promotion
• Ability to analyze complex issues from various stakeholder perspectives at both the macro and micro levels and develop strategies to ensure successful outcomes
• Strong interpersonal skills and business acumen to interact with many different departments and decision-makers within and outside the organization, including subject-matter experts, public health professionals, and law enforcement officers
• Detail-oriented
• Strong analytical and customer-support skills
• Strong facilitation and interpersonal skills
• Strong personal and professional values
• Strong organizational, problem-solving, and decision-making skills
• Ability to effectively manage multiple projects and tasks
• Ability to clearly, professionally, and effectively convey information and concepts orally and in writing
• Ability to work independently and in a team-oriented environment
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite and the Internet

Physical Demands and Work Environment
Most work is performed in a highly productive and fast-paced virtual office environment. Some assignments may require frequent travel.
This job description is intended to provide guidelines for job expectations and the employee's ability to perform the position described. It is not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all functions, responsibilities, skills, and abilities. Additional functions and requirements may be assigned by managers, as appropriate. This document does not represent a contract of employment, and IIR reserves the right to change this job description and/or assign tasks for the employee to perform, as appropriate.
Candidates who have accepted an offer will be required to submit to a background investigation, including criminal history, credit history, employment history, educational history, and personal and professional references.