Associate Research Analyst

VPD Government Solutions is a rapidly growing, employee-centric professional services company providing Strategic Communications & Stakeholder Engagement, Acquisition and Grants Management, PMO, IT PMO, and Data Analysis & Governance Support to our Federal Clients. Our employees proudly serve as trusted advisors and innovative problem solvers for our clients. We are seeking an Associate Research Analyst to join our diverse and talented team. 

The Associate Research Analyst will provide support for the management of research and evaluation contracts and grants at the Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation (OPRE) in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Administration for Children and Families (ACF). OPRE oversees contracts and grants to study ACF’s social services programs and the low-income and at-risk children and families they serve. Areas of focus include Head Start, child care, welfare, employment and self-sufficiency, child abuse and neglect, responsible fatherhood and healthy marriage, home visiting, and youth services. OPRE includes approximately one hundred federal and contracted staff, primarily research and evaluation specialists. OPRE oversees a portfolio of approximately $200 million in grants and contracts. 

Information on ACF is available at https://acf.hhs.gov 

Information on OPRE is available at: https://acf.hhs.gov/opre 

Position Overview: 

In this position, the Associate Research Analyst will support OPRE’s Division of Child and Family Development (DCFD) by managing research activities and assisting with cross-divisional and cross-agency work. This Division includes work in the areas of early care and education, including: child care, Head Start, human trafficking, child abuse and neglect, two generation programs and whole family approaches, and coordination of services. The Associate Research Analyst will provide research, dissemination, and operational support to a set of project teams and other committees in OPRE.  

• Develop knowledge of select contracts and grants in order to assist federal staff with project management activities (e.g., tracking deliverables and action items, monitoring budgets, taking notes in meetings, tracking and shepherding documents for signature, scheduling meetings, records management, etc.)
• Prepare dissemination materials for research projects including briefs, project summaries, newsletters, data visualizations, oral presentations, webinars, and other materials, ensuring the team is responsive to the needs and preferences of key audiences
• Conduct reviews of contract and grant deliverables to ensure plain language is used, products are developed with appropriate audience in mind, and basic contract requirements are met  
• Prepare briefing materials as needed for leadership or for external stakeholders
• Provide support for contract and grant reviews, identifying reviewers, monitoring progress, and synthesizing recommendations
• Participate in the development of statements of work, government cost estimates, and funding opportunity announcements
• Coordinate efforts among grantees, contractors, other researchers in the field, and federal staff to promote sharing of findings, methodologies, and reusable tools 
• Monitor new and emerging research relevant to ACF programs and assist federal staff in coordinating the integration of existing research into current projects and future planning.
• Conduct literature, website, and document reviews as needed  
• Perform other duties as assigned 

• Bachelor’s degree is required in Child Development, Family Studies, Psychology, Public Policy, Public Health, Sociology, Social Work, Human Development, Economics, or related fields  
• 1 year of highly relevant professional experience in activities related to policy assessments and analysis, program assessments, evaluation design studies and data collection, performance measurements, technical assistance, or data analysis  
• Experience with and/or demonstrated interest in programs that serve children and families; for example, prior program, policy, data analysis, and/or government operations work related to ACF populations is preferred.
• Knowledge of basic research methods and tools, such as familiarity with different types of research, statistical tools, and/or data visualization tools
• Strong organizational, written, and oral communication skills
• Ability to be detail-oriented and self-motivated and to prioritize and balance a diverse workload
• Excellent time management skills, including handling multiple projects simultaneously and on tight timeframes
• Ability to work independently, be flexible, and work as part of a team
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint), Microsoft Teams, Outlook, and Zoom  
• U.S. Citizenship required