Career Center 

SPECIAL OLYMPICS POSITION DESCRIPTION

Position Title: Manager, Dissemination & Implementation Science
Location: District of Columbia, Maryland, or Virginia
Department: Health
Reports to (supervisor): Sr. Director of Health and Disability Research
Hire Date: Immediately

Position Summary:

Special Olympics is excited to announce a search for innovative and collaborative leader who has the goal of making a significant difference for one of the world’s most marginalized populations - those with intellectual disabilities.

Special Olympics Inc. is an international non-governmental organization serving over 5 million people with intellectual disabilities across 200 countries. Best known for its engagement around sports, Special Olympics promotes a myriad of health services and activities and houses the largest global database of health screenings of people with intellectual disabilities. The Special Olympics Health strategy is directed towards promoting equity and reducing health disparities through four strategic activities:

1. Preventive care services, including early intervention for those under 8 years of age, fitness programs and public health promotion activities.
2. Assessment services, directed at preventive health screenings and early detection of the most common conditions for people with intellectual disabilities and developing person-centered care coordination and connections to reduce those conditions.
3. Training services, to engage the health care workforce using evidence-based learning activities that employ virtual and hands-on interactions to improve quality of care.
4. Promoting health systems reform through partnerships with providers and government organizations and promoting strong self-advocacy.

The Dissemination & Implementation Science Manager will execute the Special Olympics Research to Practice Roadmap by disseminating best practices to Special Olympics programs and partners. This position will facilitate implementation of evidence-based interventions for Special Olympics’ Health initiatives at local and regional levels, customizing the communications to reflect local culture and language needs.

Responsibilities:

This position is responsible for the growth of dissemination and implementation efforts within the Special Olympics Health Research and Evaluation Program. This position will develop comprehensive strategies to mobilize evaluation findings in a timely manner with measurable impact. Further, this position has an integral role in collaborating with the Health, Communications, and regional teams to improve adoption of best practices. This position reports to the Sr. Director of Health and Disability Research.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Develop and execute knowledge mobilization plans of Special Olympics Health activities to effectively deliver key messages to target audiences using effective strategies.
• Create research briefs, policy briefs, peer-reviewed and lay publications.
• Support Special Olympics Research & Evaluation and other Health staff in the authorship, writing, editing, and publishing of research and evaluation manuscripts in the peer-reviewed literature, policy briefs and case studies.
• Support annual operating plans for CDC and Golisano Foundation agreements as it relates to reporting and presentation requirements.
• Present Special Olympics research and evaluation findings in forums, conferences and other convenings.

Required Qualifications:

• Graduate degree with 1+ years of applicable work experience supporting research and evaluation projects in health education, science, policy, or related fields in a cross-cultural environment.
• Demonstrated knowledge of research and evaluation project design and methods.
• Experience collaborating with Research and Evaluation professionals (academic or non-academic) in research/evaluation project design and execution.
• Exceptional professional writing and editing skills and experience with publications.
• Demonstrated ability to translate technical or complex research/evaluation findings into simple and compelling conclusions for communication to a non-technical audience through written and visual forms.
• Ability to work in global, matrixed organizations with results dependent on collaboration across departmental and geographic lines and effective indirect reporting structures.
• Excellent oral communication skills in English, including a demonstrated ability to build and maintain networks, and communicate effectively with a culturally and professionally diverse range of stakeholders.
• Fluency with current workplace technology, including latest developments in remote collaborative technology.
• Strong administrative and organizational skills, including the ability to multi-task and manage multiple deadlines.
• Participate in meetings/activities as required to support operations of Special Olympics Health and the organization overall.
• Participate in activities that enhance professional development.
• Complete and maintain any additional specialty training/certifications as required by the assigned area.
• Participate in the development of goals for the department including research, quality and customer service initiatives.

Desired Qualifications:

Special Olympics provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.