Senior Policy Analyst - Psychiatry - Child Division - NCCTS Team

School of Medicine

Established in 1930, Duke University School of Medicine is the youngest of the nation's top medical schools. Ranked sixth among medical schools in the nation, the School takes pride in being an inclusive community of outstanding learners, investigators, clinicians, and staff where interdisciplinary collaboration is embraced and great ideas accelerate translation of fundamental scientific discoveries to improve human health locally and around the globe. Composed of more than 2,600 faculty physicians and researchers, nearly 2,000 students, and more than 6,200 staff, the Duke University School of Medicine along with the Duke University School of Nursing, and Duke University Health System comprise Duke Health, a world-class academic medical center. The Health System encompasses Duke University Hospital, Duke Regional Hospital, Duke Raleigh Hospital, Duke Health Integrated Practice, Duke Primary Care, Duke Home Care and Hospice, Duke Health and Wellness, and multiple affiliations.

ROLE SUMMARY

The Senior Policy Analyst/NCCTS Senior Policy Manager manages the day-to-day execution of the policy initiatives for the UCLA-Duke National Center for Child Traumatic Stress (NCCTS). As a member of the Center leaders, the NCCTS Senior Policy Manager plays a crucial role in the Center, demonstrating leadership and collaboration with other team members.

The Policy Program activities include policy response coordination, policy and research product and resource development, supporting partnerships with interested parties, and education and awareness to support policy capacity building among NCTSN members and Affiliates. The Senior Policy Manager works closely with leadership and the UCLA and Duke Government Relations (GR) Offices to support policy activities for the NCCTS and NCTSN.

This position reports directly to and is supervised by the NCCTS Deputy Director.

ORGANIZATION OVERVIEW

National Center for Child Traumatic Stress (NCCTS)

Co-located at UCLA and Duke University, the NCCTS serves as the coordinating center for the National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN). The NCCTS leads, coordinates, and facilitates national collaborations and initiatives across child-serving systems and multiple topical domains, producing trauma-related resources, reports, and information for providers, treatment developers, families, caregivers, youth, and other stakeholders. The NCCTS does not provide direct clinical services.

Currently, the UCLA-Duke NCCTS manages over 65 staff members and 10 NCTSN-serving Programs/Teams. This position is based at Duke University in Durham, NC, with a hybrid work arrangement (remote and on-site).

National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN)

The NCTSN is a unique federally-funded initiative dedicated to improving the quality, effectiveness, and availability of care for children and families exposed to traumatic experiences. These include physical and sexual abuse; domestic, school, and community violence; natural disasters; terrorism; and life-threatening injuries or illnesses, and other forms of personal trauma. The NCTSN supports evidence-based and trauma-informed treatments and comprises a collaboration of 192 academic, clinical, and community service centers across the U.S. and its territories.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

POLICY MANAGEMENT (50%)

NCCTS Senior Policy Manager oversees the Policy Program for the NCCTS in support of NCTSN, in collaboration with the Leadership Strategy Team (LST) and other NCCTS managers to ensure efficiency and alignment across both UCLA and Duke, utilizing a “One Center Model” approach to management.

Responsibilities include:

Policy Response Coordination:

• Lead the development of a standard process to coordinate with Duke Health and UCLA Health Government Relations to respond to policymaker inquiries.
• Collaborate with NCCTS Staff and the GR teams to organize materials, information, and resources for timely response to policymaker inquiries.
• Monitor and analyze developments in relevant legislation, regulations, and policy developments that impact child trauma. Share across teams any pertinent information and analysis of impacts to the trauma and child mental health system or policy landscape to inform Center and Network projects and activities.
• Conduct regular meetings with NCCTS staff to gather information on program activities, research findings, and emerging policy issues.
• Assist the GR team in building relationships with policymakers and stakeholders at the federal and state levels.
• Support principal investigators and senior researchers in developing draft presentations, speaking points, and policy briefs.
• Develop and maintain communication channels with policymakers to disseminate educational information about the NCTSN's work and resources.

 Policy Research and Resource Development:

• Collaborate with the NCCTS Data and Evaluation Program and the NCCTS Director of Communications to draft and produce high-quality policy-relevant communications, such as fact sheets, policy briefs, one pagers, summaries, infographics, reports, and peer-reviewed journal articles, that align with the organization's goals. Collaborate with these staff to standardize certain materials for response to policymaker inquiries, even as some information will have to be collected ad hoc.
• Help identify and evaluate data and information that are essential for policymakers and assist in developing content for policy briefs and position statements to meet Center objectives. Evaluate and select appropriate sources of data to achieve project objectives. Conduct research and analysis (including literature reviews). Synthesize and translate complex information from a wide range of inputs into clear, accessible written material for a range of audiences. Prepare high-quality oral and/or written reports and analyses to present findings, establish progress, analyze trends, and provide recommendations and/or conclusions.
• Work with NCCTS staff to collect and analyze data on program impact, training outcomes, and service delivery to aid policymaker education on child trauma.
• Contribute significant subject matter expertise in specialized areas related to child mental health and trauma, through analysis, drafting, and editing skills. Utilize and further develop specialized insights and familiarity with relevant federal and state governmental agencies; the trauma mental health care system, industry, nonprofit, or other groups; and/or family/consumer advocacy groups. Projects may include large or smaller projects in collaboration with the PI and other team members.

 Policy Education and Support for the NCCTS and NCTSN:

• Provide policy education and support for NCCTS staff to ensure they are well-equipped to communicate the mission of the NCTSN and what constitutes appropriate policy work in compliance with federal restrictions on lobbying for grant recipients.
• Educate NCTSN members about the policy work of the NCTSN and what is appropriate and in compliance with federal restrictions on lobbying for grant recipients.
• Develop and conduct training events and other convenings (e.g., workshops, conference panels, Network events). Collaborate with NCCTS Product Development & Communications, Technology, and Data & Evaluation teams to manage event execution and evaluation (e.g., participant outreach, panel prep calls, event materials, marketing, analysis, reporting).
• Collaborate with GR offices to provide child trauma policy-relevant updates to NCCTS staff and NCTSN members as needed.

STRATEGIC PLANNING, LEADERSHIP, AND FACILITATION (15%)

The NCCTS Senior Policy Manager provides leadership, mentorship, and guidance for direct and indirect reports and NCTSN and NCCTS policy-related activities.

Responsibilities include:

• Supervise, coach, and mentor 1 FTE Project Coordinator in management of team activities and deliverables as well as in development of content expertise
• Lead, guide and advise on strategy and management for the policy program
  • Develop strategic planning with leadership, for all policy-related activities.
  • Lead, advise, and serve as the key point of contact on policy-related activities that impact the NCTSN and NCCTS.
  • Assess, mitigate risks, and strategize with leadership and other project teams to plan, lead, and facilitate major policy initiatives, events, or activities that impact the NCCTS and NCTSN.
• Participate in and co-lead the NCTSN Advisory Board with the NCCTS Advisory Board Leadership Team to guide the work with other national partners.
• Participate in other NCTSN committees and task forces pertaining to NCCTS policy work, as appropriate.

PROGRAM MANAGEMENT AND DEVELOPMENT (30%)

The NCCTS Senior Policy Manager plans, leads, and facilitates policy projects and provides programmatic support for the NCCTS in coordination with the Co-Directors (PIs).

Responsibilities include:

• Partner with the Co-Directors, leadership team, and financial staff to administer activities and ensure project activities are conducted within budget parameters.
• Manage the efforts of other program team members in drafting research and policy deliverables. Activities may include substantive writing, analysis, and synthesis to achieve project and Center goals.
• Oversee day-to-day management of policy projects in collaboration with the Co-Director/PI and leadership team.
• Coordinate and oversee internal project team activities to ensure activities and deliverables are completed in accordance with project plan and grant and university requirements and policies.
• Track and manage progress to achieve project milestones, deliverables, and timeline goals through collaboration with colleagues, subcontractors/vendors, and external stakeholders. Coordinate internal and external communication as needed for team projects.
• Travel, as needed, to attend meetings (e.g., Committees, Board, Network) or provide oversight for policy-related initiatives.

OTHER RELATED DUTIES (5%)

Additional duties as assigned, to support the overall mission and success of the NCCTS.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

Education

• Typically requires a Bachelor’s degree required in a related field (e.g., public policy, political science, social work, psychology, public health, law). Master’s or Ph.D. preferred.

Experience

The successful candidate has:

• Minimum of four years of progressive experience in policy/research/data analysis, government relations, or advocacy in the mental health or child welfare sector at the international, federal, regional, and/or state level.

OR AN EQUIVALENT COMBINATION OF RELEVANT EDUCATION AND/OR EXPERIENCE.

• A strong foundation in child trauma and mental health issues, as well as familiarity with related policies and legislation.
• Proven ability to communicate complex information in a clear and concise manner to policymakers and diverse stakeholders.
• Experience in data collection, analysis, interpretation, and presentation with a focus on policy relevance.
• Excellent interpersonal and relationship-building skills to collaborate effectively with NCCTS staff, GR team, and external partners.
• Ability to work independently, manage multiple tasks, and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong organizational and problem-solving skills.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Ph.D. preferred

REMOTE WORK ARRANGEMENT

This position requires on-site presence at various locations throughout the week and offers a hybrid work schedule, allowing for remote work with periodic on-site work.

The intent of this job description is to provide a representative and level of the types of duties and responsibilities that will be required of positions given this title and shall not be construed as a declaration of the total of the specific duties and responsibilities of any particular position. Employees may be directed to perform job-related tasks other than those specifically presented in this description

Duke University is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to providing employment opportunity without regard to an individual's age, color, disability, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, (including pregnancy and pregnancy related conditions), sexual orientation, or military status.

Duke aspires to create a community built on collaboration, innovation, creativity, and belonging. Our collective success depends on the robust exchange of ideas-an exchange that is best when the rich diversity of our perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences flourishes. To achieve this exchange, it is essential that all members of the community feel secure and welcome, that the contributions of all individuals are respected, and that all voices are heard. All members of our community have a responsibility to uphold these values.

Minimum Qualifications

Duke University is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer committed to providing employment opportunities without regard to an individual's age, color, disability, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or veteran status.

We aspire to create a community built on collaboration, innovation, creativity, and belonging. Our collective success depends on the robust exchange of ideas—an exchange that thrives when the rich diversity of our perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences flourishes. To foster this environment, it is essential that all members of our community feel secure and welcome, that the contributions of all individuals are respected, and that all voices are heard. Every member of our community shares the responsibility to uphold these values.

Total Compensation

Your total compensation goes beyond your paycheck. Duke offers comprehensive and competitive medical and dental care programs, generous retirement benefits, and a wide array of family-friendly and cultural programs for eligible team members. Learn more at: https://hr.duke.edu/benefits

Essential Physical Job Functions

Certain positions at Duke University and Duke University Health System may include essential job functions that require specific physical and/or mental abilities. Additional information and provisions for reasonable accommodation will be provided by the hiring department.

Duke is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to providing employment opportunity without regard to an individual's age, color, disability, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex (including pregnancy and pregnancy related conditions), sexual orientation or military status.

Duke aspires to create a community built on collaboration, innovation, creativity, and belonging. Our collective success depends onthe robust exchange of ideas—an exchange that is best when the rich diversity of our perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences flourishes. To achieve this exchange, it is essential that all members of the community feel secure and welcome, that the contributions of all individuals are respected, and that all voices are heard. All members of our community have a responsibility to uphold these values.

Essential Physical Job Functions: Certain jobs at Duke University and Duke University Health System may include essential job functions that require specific physical and/or mental abilities. Additional information and provision for requests for reasonable accommodation will be provided by each hiring department.