Program Manager, Rappaport Dean's Research Initiative

Program Manager, Rappaport Dean's Research Initiative

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The John

F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University is one of 12 graduate and professional schools at the university. Harvard Kennedy School's mission is to improve public policy and leadership so people can live in societies that are more safe, free, just, and sustainably prosperous. By combining cutting-edge research, the teaching of outstanding students, and direct interaction with practitioners, we have an impact on solving public problems that no other institution can match.

When you work at Harvard Kennedy School, you make a difference.

The Rappaport Institute for Greater Boston has connected Harvard's scholars and students with public service, helping strengthen governance, improve policy, and develop public sector leaders across Greater Boston and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Through fellowships, research partnerships, policy convenings, and civic engagement initiatives, the Institute brings together researchers, policymakers, practitioners, and students to address important public challenges in the Commonwealth.

The Rappaport Dean's Research Initiative (RDRI) is a new effort designed to deepen the Institute's research and policy impact. The Initiative supports faculty-led research partnerships focused on major challenges facing Massachusetts and Greater Boston, including housing, homelessness, education, healthcare, economic opportunity, and government effectiveness. By connecting faculty with government agencies, nonprofit organizations, philanthropic partners, and community stakeholders, the Initiative seeks to ensure that research informs policy and practice and that policymakers can benefit from the latest evidence and analysis.

The RDRI is led by Professor Jeffrey Liebman, Director of the Rappaport Institute, and Kathryn Carlson, Executive Director, with close engagement from Harvard Kennedy School Dean Jeremy Weinstein. The Program Manager will work closely with Institute leadership and play a central role in advancing the Initiative's work. Working with faculty, public officials, practitioners, and external partners, the Program Manager will help develop and manage applied research projects, cultivate strategic partnerships, support fundraising and external engagement efforts, and coordinate convenings designed to identify promising opportunities for collaboration and impact.

The Program Manager will also help build and maintain relationships with faculty across Harvard and with leaders in government, philanthropy, and the nonprofit sector, helping to develop a pipeline of future research partnerships and projects.

The Program Manager's initial portfolio will include supporting a multi-faceted homelessness prevention initiative in Massachusetts and the City of Boston, working closely with Professors Jeffrey Liebman and Elizabeth Linos, as well as planning and managing convenings, faculty engagement, and stakeholder outreach related to other emerging research priorities of the Rappaport Dean's Research Initiative.

The ideal candidate will be comfortable working across research, policy, and practice; skilled at managing complex projects and relationships; and motivated by the opportunity to connect academic research with real-world public problem solving.

The Program Manager will provide strategic and project leadership for the Rappaport Dean's Research Initiative, advancing applied research projects from concept development through implementation while fostering partnerships among researchers, policymakers, practitioners, and funders.

Job-Specific Responsibilities:

• Research Initiative Leadership
• Lead development and implementation of applied research projects within the Rappaport Dean's Research Initiative.
• Work closely with faculty leaders to identify research opportunities with the potential for significant policy impact.
• Develo…