Description

Position Title: Director of Research
Supervisor: Chief Program Officer
Status: Full-Time, Exempt
Location: Oklahoma City or Tulsa
Pay Range: $88,000–$98,000

OVERVIEW
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.

WHO WE ARE
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.

WHAT YOU’LL BE DOING
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.

KEYS TO SUCCESS
To be successful in this job, you will have strong written and verbal communication skills, be proficient in statistical software, MS Office Suite, and excel in the areas described below.

• Passionate Engager: You embrace and promote Hunger Free Oklahoma’s mission and values and can communicate to a broad audience how hunger impacts their work to get them excited about addressing it.
• Committed Learner: You are committed to curiosity and learning new skills and knowledge on a continual basis. You are self-motivated to expand your skills, knowledge, and abilities.
• Strategic and Innovative Thinker: You can reason and solve problems, manage partner expectations, and recognize strategic opportunities for systems change.
• Goal Oriented: You have a history of setting and accomplishing ambitious goals and moving barriers to achieve your desired outcomes. You meet your goals because you think ahead, plan, and work collaboratively.
• Collaborator: You understand the importance of working with internal and external partners to achieve a common goal. You are an active listener, have high emotional intelligence, and respect other collaborators’ diverse needs, experiences, and perspectives. You can find points of collaboration even when there are competing interests.
• Relationship Builder: You develop and maintain strong working relationships and can communicate and foster a sense of partnership with diverse partners and program participants of diverse races, ethnicities, incomes, and experiences. People who work with you comment on your quality and timely customer service and problem-solving approach.
• Community Advocate and Inclusive Problem Solver: You are a community advocate and inclusive problem solver, demonstrating a deep understanding of diverse community needs and perspectives, and amplifying underrepresented voices in decision-making. You're passionate about creating positive change and addressing community challenges in ways that work for everyone.
  

WHAT ELSE YOU SHOULD KNOW
Hunger Free Oklahoma is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion (creed), gender, age, national origin (ancestry), disability, marital status, sexual orientation, military tatus, or any other basis made unlawful by applicable federal, state, or local laws or regulations.

This position is full-time and based in Oklahoma City or Tulsa, Oklahoma. This position requires the ability to perform medium physical effort consisting of occasionally handling, lifting, or moving objects 20-30 pounds for handling resources and supplies, and to sit or stand to complete office-oriented work an average of 8 hours a day.

Benefits:

Hunger Free Oklahoma benefits include the following insurance: medical, dental, short-term disability, and life; 401K contribution (no match requirement); competitive paid time off; and eligible for annual cost of living and annual merit salary increases. Additional insurance is available at employee expense: vision, accident, and additional life. Hunger Free Oklahoma offers partial coverage of medical insurance premium for qualified dependents.

Hunger Free Oklahoma offers the benefit of a hybrid work schedule, allowing up to 3 days a week for remote work for much of the year. Participating in the hybrid schedule requires access to reliable internet and a dedicated workspace at home. Hunger Free Oklahoma provides the necessary equipment.

In order to be considered for this position, you must upload a resume and cover letter. Please include applicant name in the file name.

For more information about Hunger Free Oklahoma, and to apply, visit https://www.hungerfreeok.org/about/staff/join-the-team/

Requirements

WHO YOU ARE
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 institutional partnerships, and/or polling and evaluation vendors
• Experience publishing research or policy reports for public, nonprofit, or applied research audiences
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to translate complex research findings into clear, accessible reports and presentations for diverse audiences and collaborators
• Ability to independently manage quantitative and/or qualitative datasets and collaborate with staff who use data analysis and reporting tools
• A commitment to Hunger Free Oklahoma’s mission and the use of research to drive equitable systems change
• Experience using statistical software including Stata, SAS, SPSS, or similar or coding R or Python for statistical analysis preferred