Senior Director of Research and Quality Management

About Pure Earth:

Pure Earth is a leading international not-for-profit organization dedicated to solving pollution problems that affect public health (www.pureearth.org). The organization focuses on reducing exposures to toxic chemical pollutants resulting from industrial, commercial, or informal/artisanal activities, and preventing exposure to toxic lead and mercury among vulnerable communities around the globe. Pure Earth identifies and cleans up severely polluted places, advises governments and development agencies on related issues, and conducts groundbreaking research on pollution and its devastating impacts on public health and economic development. We implement evidence-based interventions that leverage the best available science and technology to achieve measurable improvements to public health.

Position Summary:

As the Senior Director of Research and Quality Management, you will play a crucial role in ensuring high standards of quality across Pure Earth’s fieldwork, research, and publications. Your expertise will help ensure that field programs are informed by high-quality data and the best technical practices. You will provide analytical support to Pure Earth’s leadership to help prioritize issues, strategies, and locations for fieldwork, and will lead the design of state-of-the-art interventions, research, knowledge management systems, and quality assurance capabilities. The Sr. Director will also oversee the development of technical publications and resources, and may represent Pure Earth with donors, governments, and other stakeholders, as appropriate.

Reporting to the VP, Programs, the Sr. Director will closely collaborate with the rest of Pure Earth’s Technical Unit members within the Programs Department, working alongside the Technical Director, Technical Advisors, and Program Directors, among others.

Key Responsibilities:

Crosscutting / Transversal

• Ensure that programs and research activities are designed based on Pure Earth’s mission and strategy, with the objective of understanding and mitigating exposure to lead and mercury in affected populations.
• Contribute to the development of a technical assistance model which drives program quality, builds technical capacity of staff and partners, and achieves our deliverables.
  • Contribute to providing consistent high-quality technical assistance to Pure Earth country offices and programs, integrating quality management throughout.
• Lead the establishment of technical standards, technical procedures/protocols, and transversal models for programming based on the best available research, pertinent regulations, and prevailing standards and guidelines, and incorporate these standards and models throughout Pure Earth’s work.
• Directly participate in Pure Earth’s efforts to build the evidence base for our work and to find innovative cross-sector solutions that reduce lead and mercury exposures and their consequences in human health.
• When needed, represent Pure Earth with international agencies and partners dealing globally with the lead and mercury issues.

Research & Knowledge Management

• • Lead the design and implementation of Pure Earth’s field-related research projects, developing research proposals, objectives, methodologies, and standards.
  • Contribute to project proposals to secure funding for new initiatives.
  • Identify potential research topics and review proposals, providing feedback and guidance on research design.
  • Analyze data collected through field programs and author peer-reviewed manuscripts and other publications
  • Oversee and coordinate research activities to align with the organization’s strategic goals, facilitate collaboration with external entities.
  • Conduct desktop research on environmental and public health issues to inform prioritization and strategic decisions.
  • Manage effective data collection, analysis, documentation, and use across all programs.
  • Ensure timely delivery of research outputs, including papers, reports, and articles highlighting lessons, outcomes, and cost-effectiveness of fieldwork.
  • Maintain and enhance relationships with external research, academic, and scientific partners, coordinating in-country visits as necessary.
  • Design and implement training and capacity-building activities on research and scientific topics for internal and external audiences.

Quality Assurance

• • Establish technical standards and procedures that are grounded in the best available practices, data, and technologies.
  • Measure program quality and incorporate cost-effectiveness considerations into decision-making.
  • Disseminate project outcomes and learnings to foster a culture of curiosity and debate.
  • Advocate for policy and behavior change regarding lead and mercury issues, leveraging insights from programs.
  • Develop training resources and assessment tools to improve organizational capacity for data utilization.
  • Promote collaboration and communication between headquarters and field teams.
  • Engage in Pure Earth’s monitoring and evaluation practices, ensuring comprehensive integration of data collection and technical assistance.
  • Implement accountability mechanisms for excellence in Quality Management.
  • Manage performance within the Research and Quality Management team, providing actionable feedback and supporting professional development.

Qualifications & Experience:

• MPhil or MSc degree in a relevant technical field (Ph.D. strongly preferred) such as environmental health, environmental engineering, chemistry, medicine, or related disciplines.
• A minimum of 7+ years of experience designing, managing, and overseeing environmental or public health interventions or research programs, preferably in low- and middle-income countries.
• Exceptional analytical skills and research experience, including with critiquing papers, statistics, and research design
• A strong portfolio of technical and/or academic publications on related issues.
• A track record of driving evidence-based decisions.
• Experience engaging effectively with donors, governments, international agencies, and research institutions.
• Proven ability to lead diverse, multicultural teams in multiple locations.
• Collaborative and inclusive leadership style that fosters strong relationships across different cultures and backgrounds.
• Willingness to travel internationally and to work flexible hours across time zones.
• Experience working in an international non-profit organization in low and middle-income countries is a plus.
• Must be fluent in English. Multilingual capabilities are a plus.

Note: Pure Earth may be flexible in these qualifications for candidates who exhibit exceptional skills/experience in most, but not all areas of qualification.

Location: Hybrid, in-person 2 days a week at our office in New York.

Why Join Us?

At Pure Earth, you will have the opportunity to make a profound impact on global health. We offer a collaborative work environment, opportunities for professional growth, and the chance to lead innovative research initiatives that protect the most vulnerable populations.

Work Environment

Pure Earth’s core strength is its team of nearly 100 passionate, skilled professionals working through nine offices across the globe. This team includes a diversity of professional expertise that spans the fields of medicine, engineering, toxicology, public health, behavioral and social sciences, communications, administration, and a host of other relevant disciplines.

Most US-based team members work flexible schedules through a hybrid of in-office and remote working days.

Pure Earth offers:

• A chance to have a large positive impact on the world, and improve millions of lives
• Pure Earth is proud to offer a competitive benefits package to its employees. We observe 14 paid holidays. Vacation starts at 15 days (3 weeks) per year for new full-time employees. Employees accrue 12 sick days each year and may accrue and use up to 4 personal days per year. Pure Earth also offers medical, vision and dental, transit, 401k matching and other benefits to its employees. Pure Earth cost-shares medical health care insurance premium with the employee. Partners and dependents are also able to join the medical insurance program, at the employees cost.
• Salary range: 140.000-150.000 USD/year.

How to Apply:

If you meet our qualifications and are passionate about environmental health and ready to drive meaningful change, we encourage you to apply. Please submit your resume and a cover letter as a single (combined) PDF document outlining your relevant experience and enthusiasm for the role. Please also provide links or copies to research articles, reports and/or policy briefs that are authored by the applicant.

Application Deadline: January 31, 2025

Estimated Start Date: April 1, 2025 (or sooner)

Equal Opportunity Employment

Pure Earth is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate and embrace diversity, and we are dedicated to fostering an inclusive environment for all employees. Our evaluation of candidates and employees is always based on merit, qualifications, and performance. It is the policy of Pure Earth to provide equal opportunity for all qualified persons and not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race, color, religion, sex, gender or gender identity, age, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation or any other protected status.

Pure Earth is an E-Verify employer. Pure Earth is unable to sponsor visas for this role.