Assistant Director, Research

Location: Flexible within the U.S. but requires access to a major U.S. airport for travel.

Position Type: Full-time

About Us

At Partners for Public Good (PPG), we believe that when government works, communities thrive. Launched in March 2025, we are a fast-growing nonprofit dedicated to helping state and local governments harness core operational functions – procurement, staffing, digital infrastructure, and budgeting – to drive public impact.

Our journey began in 2011 at the Harvard Kennedy School’s Government Performance Lab, where we set out to transform public procurement. Since then, we’ve worked with hundreds of governments across the country to make their procurement systems more efficient, fair, results-driven, and strategic. For example, in 2022, we launched the Procurement Excellence Network, putting our tools and strategies in the hands of over two thousand public servants.

Today, our team of doers, coaches, and advisors partner with governments to create lasting, impactful change. Our vision is simple: every resident has a government they can count on, every day.

Role & Organizational Impact

We're seeking an Assistant Director of Research to lead and grow our research function as a core pillar of our organization’s strategy and impact. Reporting to the Director of Strategy and Impact and working closely with program leads, the Assistant Director will set the vision, priorities, and standards for PPG’s research portfolio while managing and mentoring a growing team of applied researchers (two to start).

This role is responsible for driving PPG’s research to be implementation-informed, policy-relevant, and practically useful for governments. The Assistant Director will guide the development of research agendas that test and refine PPG’s theory of change, produce new datasets and insights about government operations, and generate thought leadership that positions PPG as a trusted expert in under-studied areas such as procurement, staffing, budgeting, and policy implementation.

Working closely with program leaders, strategic communications, and external research partners, the Assistant Director of Research will bridge academic rigor and operational reality—embedding research into program delivery to generate field insights, while also drawing on upstream academic work to inform PPG’s perspectives. Research outputs will translate into practical tools, guidance, narratives, and improved initiatives across procurement, staffing, technology, HR, and other back-office functions.

Responsibilities

Research Vision & Portfolio Strategy

• Define and steward the long-term vision for PPG’s research function, prioritizing alignment with organizational strategy and programmatic priorities.
• Lead research portfolio planning across procurement, staffing, budgeting, and related operational domains, prioritizing questions that are most useful to governments and funders.
• Set methodological standards and best practices for qualitative, quantitative, and mixed-methods research across the organization.
• Ground research efforts in real-world implementation challenges and generate actionable insights for policymakers, elected officials, and practitioners.
• Oversee the development of research agendas that test, refine, and validate PPG’s theory of change and interventions.
• Build and manage research partnerships with academic institutions, think tanks, mission-driven organizations, and governments—engaging leading academic and applied researchers as collaborators and advisors to ensure rigor and practical relevance.

Translation, Publication, Thought Leadership, & Influence

• Identify opportunities to shape and disseminate insights in ways that advance our field, including through publications, conferences, and other events.
• Partner with our communications team to translate research findings into high-impact knowledge products, including reports, blogs, toolkits, and presentations.
• Shape PPG’s external research narrative, positioning the organization as a leader in implementation-focused public sector research.
• Support staff and leadership in presenting research insights to funders, policymakers, and practitioner audiences through conferences, webinars, and briefings.

People Management

• Lead, mentor, and develop a high-performing research team, including one Project Leader and one Associate, fostering a culture of excellence and professional growth.
• Train report(s) in core PPG capabilities, including analytical thinking, project management, stakeholder management, and communications.
• Coordinate and collaborate with staff across our organization to drive strategic approaches to data collection and storytelling.

Organizational Leadership

• Collaborate closely with senior leadership to shape organizational strategy and integrate research into PPG’s broader work.
• Lead and support resource planning and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Positively shape organizational culture, promoting equity, transparency, and accountability across all PPG operations.

Who You Are

We’re looking for candidates who are:

• Strategic research leaders. You bring a clear point of view on how applied research can shape policy and practice, and you balance rigor with usability.
• Analytical and systems-oriented thinkers. You excel at making sense of complex operational systems and translating findings into insight and action.
• Experienced people managers. You are a supportive, coaching-oriented leader who helps teams do their best work and grow professionally.
• Strong communicators and translators. You can turn complex analyses into clear narratives that resonate with practitioners, funders, and policymakers.
• Collaborative and entrepreneurial. You thrive in a fast-paced, evolving environment and enjoy building new capabilities from the ground up.
• Mission-aligned. You are motivated by improving how government works so communities can thrive.

Qualifications

• Seven or more years of relevant experience in applied research, evaluation, policy analysis, or a related field, with a track record of producing public-facing outputs such as research reports, policy briefs, white papers, or practitioner resources.
• Demonstrated experience leading research portfolios or complex studies, ideally in public sector or government-adjacent contexts.
• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• At least two years of people management experience.
• Strong background in qualitative and/or quantitative research methods; familiarity with statistical analysis tools (e.g., R, STATA, SPSS).
• Experience working with or alongside government agencies, researchers, or policy organizations.
• Willingness and ability to travel occasionally (approximately 3–5 times per year).

Additional Information:

Deadline to Apply: PPG will review applications on a rolling basis. All applications received by the deadline of February 13, 2026 will be considered.

Compensation: The salary for this role is $135,000 plus benefits. We offer a comprehensive, people-first benefits package to support the well-being of our team and their families. We offer medical, dental, and vision insurance, with multiple plan options to fit individual needs as well as access to health and flexible savings accounts. Paid time off includes: 15 vacation days, 12 sick days, 3 personal days, 2 floating holidays, 12 paid holidays, and a winter recess. We also provide an employer match for retirement savings, paid parental leave, and access to backup care for caregiving needs. To support remote work, we offer work-from-home stipends or shared office space options.

Start date: The desired start date for this role is March or April 2026.

This position is grant-funded. Employment is contingent on continuation of funds and organizational needs, at PPG’s sole discretion.

Physical Demands: This position requires sitting, talking, listening, reading, and writing for up to 8 hours per day. Certain situations may require lifting items up to 20 pounds. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential job duties.

Commitment to Equal Employment Opportunity

Partners for Public Good is an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Partners for Public Good is committed to the inclusion of all qualified individuals in the hiring process, including but not limited to those with disabilities. If you require reasonable accommodation(s) to participate in the application or interview process, please contact info(at)partnersforpublicgood.org.