Project Director

About Brown:

Brown University is a leading research university distinct for its student-centered learning and deep sense of purpose. Our students, faculty and staff are driven by the idea that their work will have an impact in the world.

Brown University offers a flexible work/life balance; summer hours, winter break and a comprehensive Benefits package including time off, annual paid holidays; benefits offerings including health, dental, vision, tuition assistance, retirement, wellness, employee discounts and more.  To learn about Brown University’s benefits, visit the University Human Resources web page for further information.

About the Annenberg Institute:

The Annenberg Institute is Brown University’s education research institute. Our vibrant community includes Brown University faculty, postdoctoral research associates, staff, students, and multiple partners in Rhode Island and across the US. We partner with education leaders and global scholars to connect people, evidence, and practices to build toward a more effective and equitable education system that enables all students to thrive academically and in other ways. Our knowledge initiatives catalyze conversations across the research landscape, synthesizing what we know and mobilizing practitioners, policymakers, and researchers toward collaborative impact.

About the Opportunity:

The Project Director works with the Annenberg EdExchange team under the direction of the EdResearch for Action Director to manage the operations and execution of the EdResearch for Action project. The Project Director independently establishes workplans, timelines, and staffing for each phase of EdResearch’s production cycle and coordinates the end-to-end production of research briefs, companion resources, and practitioner tools. Central to the role is the ability to review and synthesize academic research, assessing the strength and limitations of evidence across multiple studies and drawing meaningful conclusions to inform brief content and framing. The Project Director works with researchers as a thought partner—shaping arguments, sharpening framing, and surfacing practitioner-relevant implications—and translates complex research into clear strategic insights and actionable recommendations for non-research audiences, using precise language, strong visuals, and organizing frameworks. The position also coordinates the design and production of companion resources and practitioner-facing tools, such as implementation guides, decision-making tools, and data templates, that translate research findings into concrete strategies for policy and practice. This position plans, directs, coordinates, and leads activities across multiple concurrent workstreams, supervises and trains project staff, manages the EdResearch Advisory Board, and manages communications, external engagement, and impact strategy. The Project Director collaborates with the team to manage budgets and ensure timely reporting to funders.

Responsibilities:

Responsibilities include oversight of the management of EdResearch production, staff, stakeholder relationships, quality management, and communications and financial reporting.

Qualifications:

●        Master’s in education, public policy, or a related social science field, or equivalent combination of education and experience, and 2-3 years of supervisory/project management and prior research or research-adjacent experience.

●        Experience managing large-scale projects with multiple workstreams

●        Meaningful experience working in, or alongside, PK–12 education organizations, for example, as a teacher, school leader, researcher, or member of a school support organization, grounding your work in the realities of schools and systems.

Competencies:

●        Demonstrated experience planning, directing, and coordinating complex, multi-stakeholder projects: independently establishing workplans and timelines, coordinating contributors across organizations, and ensuring deliverables meet quality standards on schedule.

●        Ability to read and interpret the findings and methods of research papers at a level sufficient to coordinate with researchers, assess evidence quality, and ensure publication content is accurate and well-framed.

●        Ability to translate complex information and ideas into clear strategic insights and actionable recommendations, communicated with clarity, simplicity, and strong writing for diverse school and system audiences.

●        Strong communication skills, written and verbal, applied in human-centered ways that build understanding, trust, and momentum.

●        Strong project planning and time-management skills, including experience supervising and developing staff, managing budgets, and conducting performance evaluations, with the ability to work independently and effectively in a remote environment.

●        Excellent judgment and ability to work independently with minimal supervision. Highly collaborative and flexible, able to work in a fast-paced environment, and proactive in decision-making.

Preferred

●        Experience editing or co-writing policy briefs, research summaries, or other practitioner-facing publications.

●        Experience developing practitioner-facing tools or communications materials.

●        Experience designing visuals, slides, or other formats that help make complex ideas legible to non-research audiences.

Additional Information:

Please include a resume as one attached .pdf document and cover letter, transcript, and letters of recommendation or names of references (3) as another single .pdf document (for a total of two attachments).

Background and education check required.

Please reach out to annenberg@brown.edu with any questions.

The designated Position Work Location for each position determines the approved modality of work. Positions are classified based on the operational and business needs of the department and may be designated as on-site, hybrid, or remote.

Employees with a designated position work location as remote must reside and perform their work in a state where Brown University is registered to do business. Brown University is a registered employer in the following states: Rhode Island, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, New Hampshire, New Jersey, North Carolina, Washington, D.C.

Please note that to be considered for a staff position at Brown University, you must submit a separate application for each position you wish to be considered for. Applications are reviewed only for the specific position to which they are submitted and are not automatically considered for future openings.  

This position is not eligible for visa sponsorship.

If you have any questions you may contact employment@brown.edu.

Brown University provides equal opportunity and prohibits discrimination, harassment and retaliation based upon a person’s race, color, religion, sex, age, national or ethnic origin, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, or any other characteristic protected under applicable law, in the administration of its policies, programs, and activities. The University recognizes and rewards individuals on the basis of qualifications and performance. The University maintains certain affirmative action programs in compliance with applicable law.