Program Officer 2, Evidence Synthesis, Emerging Interventions

A cover letter is required to apply for this position.

About Us

The Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) is an independent nonprofit organization authorized by Congress in 2010. Its mission is to fund research that will provide patients, their caregivers and clinicians with the evidence-based information needed to make better-informed healthcare decisions. PCORI is committed to continually seeking input from a broad range of stakeholders to guide its work.

Position Summary

The Program Officer is integral to the programmatic functions of PCORI’s Evidence Synthesis and Assessment (ESA) team, a growing program that supports systematic and transparent synthesis and assessment of health studies in order to increase access, rigor, and relevance of high quality and up-to-date research evidence to inform healthcare decision-making by patients, clinicians, researchers, payers, and others. The team strives to be innovative in approach to product development with the goal of producing work that is meaningful and timely for a wide range of stakeholders such as patients, caregivers, physicians, researchers, payers, and policy makers. Examples of recent work include PCORI’s scoping review on Viscoelastic Testing in Postpartum Obstetric Hemorrhage (Emerging Technologies and Therapeutics Reports: Viscoelastic Testing in Postpartum Obstetrics Hemorrhage | PCORI), advances in Health Care Horizon Scanning (PCORI Health Care Horizon Scanning System | PCORI), and use of tools to improve the accuracy and efficiency of evidence reviews.

The Program Officer for Emerging Interventions Assessment, within the Evidence Synthesis and Assessment team, serves as a project leader in a highly complex technical and specialized functional role by providing independent management, oversight, and monitoring of assigned projects under each of the two main Emerging Interventions Assessment portfolios (e.g. scoping reviews and other evidence synthesis reviews; and the HealthCare Horizon Scanning System) that advance PCORI’s national priorities (The PCORI Strategic Plan: National Priorities for Health | PCORI ).The primary responsibilities of the Program Officer include problem solving through broad operational and strong functional skills and working closely with unit’s Associate Director, supporting the Associate Director’s intellectual and organizational leadership to shape the Emerging Interventions Assessment program agenda, award and manage a diverse portfolio of contracts, and evaluate program activities to further the strategic direction of the Emerging Interventions Assessment program. Specifically, the Program Officer will develop statements of work for contracts, serve as a liaison across teams at PCORI, and select meritorious contractors for the project award. The Program Officer will then oversee the contractor’s work to ensure adherence to PCORI’s needs and requirements, as well as to ensure timely completion of quality products. In addition, the Program Officer will lead and execute activities to identify new topics for scoping reviews and other evidence synthesis products for the Emerging Interventions Assessment team. This includes engagement of stakeholders, particularly patients and payers, topic assessment through literature scanning and review, and development of statements of work on the topics. This position requires an understanding of clinical research study design and evidence synthesis or health technology assessment, along with additional key skills including contract management, careful attention to details, personal initiative, creativity, flexibility, ability to make rational decisions by identifying, defining, and analyzing alternative courses of action, and possess excellent relationship building skills.

Experience with health technology assessment products and methods is required; experience in other types of evidence synthesis is desired.

Job Duties and Responsibilities

• Assist the Associate Director of Emerging Interventions Assessment, and Unit, Division, and Department leadership in identifying and implementing strategic objectives for the Emerging Interventions Assessment Program.
• Manage projects from the portfolio of Evidence Synthesis and Assessment products including scoping reviews, systematic reviews, rapid products, and annual horizon scanning report under the Health Care Horizon Scanning System.
• Manage vendors by overseeing contractors’ work in developing ESA products, which includes developing requests for proposals, reviewing contract applications, monitoring attainment of contract milestones and overall project progress, and oversight and review of the contractors’ work to ensure quality and accuracy.
• Work with PCORI staff and our broad research community to determine priority topics for which evaluation of the current literature could 1) contribute to increased understanding of emerging health care interventions or 2) identify gaps in knowledge and inform PCORI’s funding initiatives.
• Use systematic and transparent approaches to gather background information and data sources to inform topic selection activities.
• Identify and manage program activities that advance Emerging Interventions Assessment team and PCORI’s national priorities, including leadership roles in engagement of various patient and payer organizations in the US, assessing new topic suggestions for fit with the program and potential impact, executing stakeholder webinars, and standardizing procedures within Emerging Interventions Assessment.
• Collaborates with staff from across PCORI in implementing program activities.

Organizational Responsibilities and Contributions:

• Represents PCORI publicly regarding program direction, program funding, and the proposal process and award results.
• Participates in conferences, seminars, and other professional development activities to maintain and enhance expertise and professional status.
• Leads, contributes to, and participates in internal groups and teams and cross-cutting initiatives. Carries out other responsibilities as assigned by PCORI management.
• Keeps unit and division leadership appraised of developments and occurrences in the field that are likely to affect program decision-making, strategies, and/or award decision-making.

Incumbent(s) in this position may be required to perform other duties and special assignments not specifically stated above.

Statements outlined in this section are designated as essential job functions in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.

Required Skills and Experience

Required Skills

• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Experience with health technology assessment, horizon scanning, systematic review, and other types of evidence synthesis such as scoping reviews and rapid evidence products
• Understanding of clinical care and health care systems.
• Ability to handle and manage multiple priorities effectively; must be adept at organizing time efficiently; high tolerance for ambiguity; ability to understand and work effectively with PCORI staff members.
• Able to synthesize material and focus quickly on the essence of an issue; to identify major opportunities in a specific area; to see the big picture.
• Strong oral presentation skills.
• Strong project and people management skills.
• Personally motivated to support PCORI’s mission and goals; to work independently and in teams to think imaginatively about opportunities; to create and respond to innovative approaches to addressing an issue; to inspire others to work towards achieving team goals.
• Outstanding interpersonal and teamwork skills; collegial, energetic, able to develop productive relationships with colleagues, awardees, consultants, external funders, and others who contribute to program development and management.
• Sound judgment and maturity, exemplified by consistent professionalism in dealing with individuals at all levels, both internally and externally.
• Ability to make decisions, justify recommendations, and is responsive and clear with external contractors.
• Ability to travel, as required, including for site visits and representing PCORI at external meetings.
• Proficient in the use of technology, such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Endnote.

Required Experience

• Doctoral degree and 2+ years of experience in a research discipline relevant to patient-centered outcomes research (e.g., clinical epidemiology, health services research, sociology, psychology, health policy, bio-statistics, economics) OR a Master’s degree in relevant field (e.g., MPH, MPA, MPP; or MBA) and 5+ years of experience OR a clinical degree (e.g. medicine, nursing, pharmacy).
• Proven experience in health technology assessment is required, experience in evidence synthesis is preferred.
• Demonstrated progressive experience working with patients and payers
• Record of published work in evidence synthesis or health technology assessment
• Experience with contracts management
• Work experience in a health care-related field

Compensation and Benefits

Salary Range: $145,000 - $160,000

The above range represents the salary range expected for the position; however, final offers are based on several factors such as the position’s responsibilities; the candidate’s experience, education, and skills; location; travel required; and current market conditions. Subject to the terms and conditions of the applicable plans then in effect, eligible employees may participate in PCORI-sponsored medical, dental, vision, and basic life insurance plans for the employee and the employee’s eligible dependents.

Conflict of Interest.

PCORI wants to ensure that prospective employees are aware of its conflict-of-interest policies so that employment deliberations take into consideration this aspect of PCORI employment. PCORI requires all PCORI employees to disclose upon commencement of their employment and on an annual basis all individual and close relatives financial, business, and personal association with the potential to bias or that have the appearance of biasing one’s decisions relating to PCORI. All disclosures made by employees are made publicly available on PCORI’s website. Disclosures must include all financial and business and personal associations with any health or healthcare-related organizations and include all associations with any other organizations that have the potential to bias or that have the appearance of biasing one’s decisions relating to PCORI, including but not limited to vendors or other third parties with whom PCORI has a contract or that PCORI has funded. For more information please visit PCORI-Conflict-of-Interest-Policies-Outside-Employment-Policy.pdf

PCORI conducts reference and background checks on all applicants.

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