Senior Advisor

This position is in the Office of the Assistant Director, Directorate for Social, Behavioral and Economic Sciences (SBE), National Science Foundation (NSF). The Senior Advisor serves as a member of the SBE leadership team and assists the Assistant Director in a) the formulation of the Directorate's scientific goals, objectives and priorities, b) the integration of scientific and technical priorities into effective policies, strategies, and programs, and c) the implementation of program planning, implementation and evaluation procedures for the SBE Directorate, which includes four major components. The Division of Behavioral and Cognitive Sciences, the Division of Social and Economic Sciences, and the SBE Office of Multidisciplinary Activities support disciplinary and multidisciplinary research and education activities. The National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics is the nation's principal producer of policy-relevant, policy-neutral statistical information on the U.S. science and engineering enterprise. The Senior Advisor participates with the Assistant Director in the coordination and overall management of Directorate activities with the directorate's senior managers and a staff of approximately 144. 

Many of the directorate's activities have significant interagency dimensions in terms of scientific policy and programmatic development and operations. The incumbent, who takes a lead role in high-level interagency efforts, serves as a Senior Advisor for SBE by preparing analyses that will provide a basis for major decisions in priority setting, directorate and program planning and internal management, and for translating scientific decisions into effective budgetary and operational activities. Knowledgeable in the trends of research in the full range of the directorate's fields, is cognizant of current and proposed initiatives impacting the SBE directorate and provides advice on the implications of such on the Directorate's future programs and budgets. 

II. MAJOR DUTIES 

• Works with the Assistant Director and other senior SBE officials to facilitate the directorate's planning for and coordination of activities related to the social, behavioral and economic sciences. This includes the development of mission statements and goals, strategic plans, long-range plans, budgets and operating plans. 
• Develops analyses, advice and recommendations on policy issues facing SBE, with major attention to their scientific aspects. 
• Plays a central part in planning to assure that program implementations effectively reflect policy decisions relative to social, behavioral and economic sciences research and education. 
• Analyzes and integrates scientific input and policy guidance from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP), Congress, the National Academy of Sciences, professional societies, the National Science Board, NSF policy groups, the SBE Advisory Committee, other agencies and organizations into the directorate's plans, and works with appropriate staff to formulate and assess major budget and program initiatives. 
• Provides critical analyses for use by the Assistant Director in presentations, hearings and congressional testimony, and ensures that materials properly reflect the directorate's scientific priorities.
• Coordinates and monitors activities that assess the overall effectiveness of the directorate's research portfolios and ensures performance measures are examined annually and reconfigured for maximum effectiveness. 
• Establishes procedures and processes to monitor organizational goals and objectives. Upon request of the Assistant Director, functions as the Acting Deputy Assistant Director for SBE in the absence of the latter. 
• Serves, as assigned, as the organizational representative on senior level policy and planning bodies, both technical and managerial, such as NSF-wide task groups, private and public bodies both foreign and domestic, and working committees. 
• Furthers equal employment opportunity through fair treatment of women, minority group members and individuals with disabilities, brings sensitivity to the issues involving these groups in terms of staff assistance and advice rendered, and participates in the development of SBE procedures to acquire and develop a well-qualified workforce. 
• Assesses the risk, cost, and work required to achieve goals for new projects and initiatives and facilitates completion. 
• Responsible for relaying information between executive team members and other staff members. Attends board meetings and provides an overall picture of productivity to executives and stakeholders and transmits information to the various department heads. 
• Substantial research and strong evidence of scholarship and leadership in the social, behavioral, and economic sciences or a closely related field as evidenced in publications and other professional contributions. 
• Ability to support the senior leadership of SBE in recommending and implementing new or modified policies and plans in scientific, fiscal, and administrative matters to improve the activities of management. 
• Demonstrated ability to conceptualize effectively and communicate with others regarding complex issues and ideas in a clear and concise manner. 
• Experience in interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary research areas, preferably including participation in a team research environment. 
• Experience in interagency interaction and outreach to the scientific community.