Associate Director, Health Economics Research

• RESUMES WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED WITHOUT A COVER LETTER*

For more than 25 years, the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids has played a leading role in the global fight against tobacco use. The Campaign provides funding, advocacy, legal, communications, and research support to civil society organizations to help them design and execute strategic advocacy campaigns to pass evidence-based policies to reduce tobacco use. The Campaign has worked with local partners in more than 60 low- and middle-income countries to pass strong tobacco control laws that will help prevent more than 35 million premature deaths.

Our Global Tobacco Research Team works with our colleagues and local advocacy partners to use the best available evidence and ongoing research in support of these campaigns. We are looking for a seasoned and experienced health economist with experience in policy advocacy to lead our efforts to provide our partners with the best economic research in support of their policy change efforts, especially on tobacco tax campaigns. The ideal candidate will be knowledgeable and conversant in economic modeling and tax design but also able to use this research in advocacy campaigns. This entails making sure we have the latest evidence on the benefits of tobacco taxes, as well as on the costs of tobacco use (e.g., health care, impacts on poverty, etc.), and working with the CTFK Team and partners to package and use this information as effectively as possible for advocacy success. It also includes working with global and local partners to design and estimate the impacts of tobacco tax proposals for tax campaigns and providing technical assistance to governments in designing and implementing tobacco taxes. There may also be opportunities to work with our colleagues in our Global Health Advocacy Incubator – who work on other public health issues such as food policy.

The ideal candidate will be knowledgeable and conversant in health economics, modeling, tax design, etc. but also experienced and capable of working with our communications and advocacy teams and local partners to translate and use the research for effective advocacy. They will also be passionate about working collaboratively with colleagues and partners to advocate for life-saving policy change.

With headquarters located in Washington, D.C. and with satellite offices and team members in the U.S. and around the world, the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids and its Global Health Advocacy Incubator work to strengthen public policies on a range of public health issues in dozens of countries around the globe. The organization has a singular focus: to make the world a safer, healthier place for everyone. Candidates are encouraged to review our websites at www.tobaccofreekids.org and www.advocacyincubator.org.

What You’ll Accomplish:

• Serve as an in-house expert providing tobacco tax technical support to all CTFK country teams planning and implementing advocacy campaigns on tobacco taxes and other economic issues.
• Coordinate with global and local technical partners to develop tobacco tax proposals and models to estimate their impact and facilitate collaboration across technical and civil society partners to advocate for these tobacco tax proposals.
• Engage and work collaboratively with CTFK colleagues (Advocacy, Communications, etc.) and global and local partners to design and execute effective advocacy campaigns and track progress of those campaigns.
• Participate in regular calls/meetings with CTFK staff and global and local partners to track the progress of policy change campaigns to identify research needs and react accordingly.
• Work with other members of the Research and broader team, ensure that CTFK develops and maintains a robust set of advocacy materials (e.g., fact sheets, infographics, case studies) demonstrating the need for, evidence supporting, and success of tobacco taxes in reducing tobacco use and its impact on health and health care costs.
• Develop and use research to counter opposition efforts including misleading arguments around revenue, illicit trade, etc.
• Provide training and technical assistance on tobacco taxes and other economic issues to local civil society, governments, and other stakeholders, helping strengthen the capacity of local partners to conduct and /or use research in their advocacy.
• Respond to requests for assistance (including rapid response) from CTFK team and global and local partners.
• Think creatively and proactively about conducting and using research to advance our policy objectives.
• Provide regular maintenance of publicly available dataset describing countries’ tobacco excise tax rates and policies.
• Guide and mentor Research Team staff as they assist in these efforts.

Skills You’ll Bring To The Role:

• Master's or Doctorate in Health Economics or related field and 6-10 years of experience conducting economic research and using for advocacy.
• In-depth knowledge and experience in conducting and consuming health economics research and working with others to use it for effective advocacy. Experience working on in-country advocacy campaigns and/or on tobacco issues is extremely desirable.
• Demonstrated experience and ability to assess relevance and translate public health and/or tobacco control and economics research for consumption by the public, advocates, and policy- makers through website content, fact sheets, talking points, briefs, or non-refereed publications. Experience on in-country campaigns.
• Skill and experience working with individuals and organizations to facilitate coordination and collaboration among partners.
• Familiarity with tax structures and finance entities around the world. Proficiency in econometric and other research methods, including design and analysis and interpretation.
• Combining technical expertise with real world application to practical effect.
• Working in a “locally led; locally driven” mindset with local (in-country) partners to support them in leading and succeeding in their campaigns and strengthening capacity for future campaigns.
• Enjoying work in a fast-paced, multi-tasking, collaborative environment with a focus on the bottom line of helping achieve policy gains to improve health and save lives.
• Thrives in a fast-paced, ever-changing environment. Able to juggle priorities and nimbly change direction if necessary.
• Demonstrated dedication to ensuring equity organizationally and programmatically for people of diverse races, gender, economic status, etc. and addressing health disparities in our programmatic work.
• Excellent English writing skills to convey technical information in understandable language for advocates, policy makers, media, etc. Other language skills a plus.
• Ability and desire to travel overseas as necessary.

WHY JOIN THE CAMPAIGN FOR TOBACCO FREE KIDS?

• A comprehensive medical, dental, and vision plan for employees and dependents.
• Paid parental leave benefits in addition to the federal and local leave provisions.
• 403b plan participation (with 9% company contribution)
• 10 paid company holidays, 15 vacation days, 10 sick days, 5 personal days (on an accrual basis each calendar year); and an anniversary day to celebrate annual milestones
• A hybrid work schedule (3 days in office; 2 days remote)