Director of Research

Position Details

Position Title:

Director of Research
Supervisor:
Chief Program Officer
Status:
Full-Time, Exempt

Location:

Oklahoma City or Tulsa
Pay Range: $88,000–$98,000

Hunger Free Oklahoma is seeking a full‑time Director of Research to lead the organization’s research, evaluation, and data dissemination efforts in support of its mission to end hunger in Oklahoma. This role is responsible for setting research priorities, managing complex research projects, and ensuring high‑quality, actionable data informs policy, systems change, and organizational decision‑making.

The ideal candidate is a strategic thinker with deep research expertise who can manage multiple projects simultaneously while translating complex findings into clear, accessible insights for diverse audiences. Reporting to the Chief Program Officer, this position works closely with internal teams and external partners to strengthen Hunger Free Oklahoma’s research agenda and expand the reach and impact of its published work.

Hunger Free Oklahoma is a statewide nonprofit established to leverage the power of collaboration to solve hunger in Oklahoma by improving systems, policies, and practices, facilitating public/private partnerships, and providing backbone support to existing organizations addressing hunger.

Hunger Free Oklahoma’s primary focus is to collaboratively work with community‑based organizations, government agencies, and other stakeholders who directly serve individuals. We provide support through technical assistance, convening, research, and policy guidance to nonprofit, government, and other stakeholders statewide.

The Director of Research will serve as the organization’s research lead, reporting to the Chief Program Officer and working collaboratively across teams to design, manage, and publish research that advances Hunger Free Oklahoma’s strategic goals. The core of your work will include:

• Research Strategy and Planning: Work with HFO teams to identify research and evaluation priorities, develop research schedules, define methodologies, and align research activities with organizational objectives and long‑term strategies.
• Program and Project Management: Develop and oversee a robust research and reporting program, managing multiple projects simultaneously from concept through publication. Oversee the full research lifecycle, including managing external research contracts, ensuring IRB submission and compliance, and managing data collection related to organizational research priorities.
• Communication and Reporting: Lead the production and publication of research reports that present key findings in clear, approachable formats for broad audiences. Present research findings to internal and external stakeholders and collaborate with communications staff to maximize reach and impact.
• Stakeholder
  
  Collaboration:
  
  Serve as a research consultant and collaborator to HFO staff, supporting internal evaluation and research initiatives. Build and maintain partnerships with external organizations, universities, and research entities to produce high‑quality research on hunger and related issues in Oklahoma.
• Data Analysis and Accessibility: Partner with consulting statisticians and experts to collect and analyze key data sets. Partner with the Continuous Improvement team to ensure datasets and findings are accessible and usable by staff and partners to inform decision‑making and systems change efforts.
• Food Insecurity Awareness: Stay current on emerging research, trends, and data related to food insecurity and nutrition programs, increasing organizational awareness of key findings and implications for policy and practice.

To qualify for this job, you will have:

• A Master’s degree with 9+ years of experience; or a PhD with 3+ years of experience in a relevant field
• Masters or PhD in Public Health, Policy Analysis, Economics, Epidemiology, Statistics, Public Administration, or other relevant field preferred
• Demonstrated experience developing research strategies, defining methodologies, and managing multi‑project research portfolios
• Experience managing external research contracts, academic or…