The Director of the Survey Center provides strategic, administrative, and operational leadership for one of the region's premier academic survey research organizations. Reporting to the Dean of the College of Liberal Arts (COLA), the Director oversees all aspects of the Center's research portfolio, staff management, financial sustainability, methodological rigor, and public engagement. The Survey Center conducts mail, telephone, web panel, internet, email, and self-administered surveys for university researchers, public agencies, nonprofit organizations, private businesses, and media partners.
Duties/Responsibilities
Leadership & Staff Management (40%)
- Directly supervise and manage status professional staff, ensuring high standards of methodological quality, project execution, and client service.
- Provide indirect supervision for adjunct (part-time) employees, including interviewers, research assistants, project support staff, and student workers.
- Lead Survey Center team to ensure accountability for deliverables while providing mentorship and direction to reach their full potential.
- Establish and maintain Survey Center policies, standard operating procedures, ad quality-control protocols for all survey modes.
- Lead long-term strategic planning for staffing, technology, and research capacity.
- Foster a collaborative, inclusive, and high-performance workplace culture aligned with UNH values.
- Represent the Survey Center and UNH in national and regional professional organizations related to survey research, public opinion, and social science methodology.
Financial Management, Grants, and Contracts (30%)
- Secure, negotiate, and manage grants and contracts that sustain the Center's annual operating budget.
- Develop multi-year financial plans, monitor expenditures, and ensure compliance with university, state, and federal regulations.
- Build and maintain relationships with academic researchers, government agencies, nonprofits, and private-sector clients to expand the Center's funding base.
- Oversee pricing models, project budgeting, and cost-recovery strategies to ensure financial stability and growth.
States of Opinion Project Leadership (10%)
- Direct the States of Opinion Project, a probability-based survey panel covering all New England states.
- Oversee sampling design, recruitment, weighting, questionnaire development, and data quality assurance.
- Produce high-visibility analyses that inform public understanding of regional attitudes and trends.
Research Publications and Reporting (10%)
- Serve as the primary author and editor for all Survey Center reports, methodological summaries, data releases, and client deliverables.
- Ensure that all publications meet professional standards for clarity, accuracy, and methodological transparency.
- Maintain strict confidentiality and data-security protocols for all client and respondent information in accord with IRB requirements.
- Maintain awareness of emerging trends in survey methodology, data collection technologies, and public opinion research.
Public Affairs and Media Relations (5%)
- Coordinate Survey Center staff to respond to regional and national media, providing expert commentary on survey findings, methodology, and public opinion trends.
- Develop communication strategies that enhance the Center's visibility, credibility, and impact.
- Coordinate press releases, interviews, and public presentations to ensure accurate representation of research results.
- Contribute to the advancement of the field through conference participation, committee service, and professional collaboration.
University, State, and Local Government Support (5%)
- Advise UNH administration on survey research needs, institutional studies, and strategic initiatives.
- Provide methodological guidance and research support to state agencies, local governments, and community organizations.
- Collaborate with faculty and students to support teaching, experiential learning, and research opportunities.
Requirements
Minimum Acceptable Education & Experience:
- Ph.D. in relevant social science field (Political Science, Sociology, Psychology).
- Minimum of 10 years of progressively responsible experience in research and program leadership.
- 10 years of experience developing high-performance teams.
- 10 years of experience securing externally funded grants.
- Media engagement experience as a recognized expert or spokesperson.
- Extensive experience with university expectations and constraints.
Knowledge, Skills & Abilities:
- Ability to manage a small business within a University structure.
- Strong organizational skills with demonstrated capacity to manage multiple projects simultaneously and successfully with strong attention to detail.
- Effective in managing timelines. with capability to define short- and long-term goals and execute operational and strategic objectives.
- Financial acumen with experience managing budgets and grant funded programs to ensure grant compliance.
- Ability to manage staff that often works remotely.
- Ensure clear expectations, accountability, and contribution to a supportive environment that promotes collaboration and organizational success.
- Self-directed, positive attitude, integrity, and sound judgment.
- Excellent written communication to include editing and proofreading skills.
- Communicate effectively with a variety of audiences orally to include engaging public and media audiences.
- Commitment to quality and data-driven content with a broad understanding of quantitative and qualitative methods.
Other Requirements:
- Some travel may be required.
- May require flexible hours, including evenings and weekends for events.
Preferred Qualifications:
- 10+ years experience managing an academic survey research center.
- Recognized expertise in the field of survey research.
Applicant Instructions:
Applicants should be prepared to upload the following documents when applying online within the My Experience: Resume/CV section of the application: (Maximum of 5 Documents - additional documents can be added to the Application Questions section of the application)
Applications that are missing any of the required items may not move forward for consideration. Additional uploaded documents not requested in the position announcement will not be reviewed.
Please be advised that this position is supported by external sponsor funding. As such, continued employment in this role is contingent upon the availability of those external funds. If, for any reason, the sponsor funding is reduced or discontinued, employment may be subject to modification or termination in accordance with applicable policies and procedures.
The University of New Hampshire is an R1 Carnegie classification research institution providing comprehensive, high-quality undergraduate and graduate programs of distinction. UNH is located in Durham on a 188-acre campus, 60 miles north of Boston and 8 miles from the Atlantic coast and is convenient to New Hampshire's lakes and mountains. There is a student enrollment of 13,000 students, with a full-time faculty of over 600, offering 90 undergraduate and more than 70 graduate programs. The University actively promotes a dynamic learning environment in which qualified individuals of differing perspectives, life experiences, and cultural backgrounds pursue academic goals with mutual respect and shared inquiry.
EEO Statement
The University System of New Hampshire is an Equal Opportunity/Equal Access employer. The University System is committed to creating an environment that values and supports diversity and inclusiveness across our campus communities and encourages applications from qualified individuals who will help us achieve this mission. The University System prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, genetic information, veteran status, or marital status.
Compensation Pay Range:
$88,310.00 - $170,860.00
The pay range for this position is listed above. Actual offer will be based on skills, qualifications, experience, and internal equity, in addition to relevant business considerations. More information on benefits can be found here: USNH Employee Benefits | Human Resources
Location:
Durham