Research Project Manager

The Global Food Institute ( GFI), the Institute for Racial, Ethnic, and Socioeconomic Equity (EI), and the Center for Community Resilience ( CCR) at the George Washington University seek to improve the health of Wards 7 and 8 in the District of Columbia through a new initiative driven by community engagement to develop innovative community solutions. The new initiative will enable cross-sector partners to align policy, program, and practice related to equitable food access. With an explicit focus on equity and prevention, we have successfully led systems and policy change efforts focused on addressing long-standing economic, social, and health disparities by partnering with communities, integrating service delivery, and building political will for change.

We have a new opportunity for the GFI to make a transformative impact on food and nutrition insecurity in Wards 7 and 8, two communities in the District of Columbia where limited access to healthy, affordable food is deeply linked to broader health disparities. In these neighborhoods, the barriers to food access are complex and rooted in systemic inequities, making it essential to develop solutions that resonate directly with the lived experiences of residents. Despite structural and systemic adversity, community members have many assets to draw upon, including strong family and community networks, access to high-quality, community-based services, relatively high rates of health insurance coverage, and growing investment interest by public and private institutions. By centering the voices of those most affected, GFI working in partnership with CCR and EI, will work hand-in-hand with community members to gather their insights, perspectives, and priorities, ensuring that our strategies reflect real community experience in the food system rather than top-down assumptions.

Our project aims to reveal key leverage points within the Ward 7 and 8 local food system(s), identifying opportunities for funders to coordinate and amplify their impact, particularly with respect to health equity. Our approach will include focus groups, social network analysis, and group model building. Our efforts will be guided by the experience and wisdom of a community advisory board.

We anticipate that the community insights derived from this process will not only inform local efforts but also contribute valuable data and perspectives to broader conversations on health equity. The project's findings will help shape policy recommendations, inform services, and guide funders toward areas where they can make the most significant impact, from supporting community-led food programs to advocating for systemic policy changes that improve food access and nutrition for all.

The project will include a multi-year evaluation of a philanthropic grantmaking initiative that supports innovative systems-changing strategies as well as existing approaches that improve health, economic, and social outcomes for residents in Ward 7, Ward 8, and beyond.

We seek a Research Project Manager to help oversee a process that will identify strategies to mitigate the disparities and inequities related to food access experienced by residents in Wards 7 and 8 in the District of Columbia. We anticipate at least two years of funding for this program.

Overall Program Management

This is an in-person position at GW's Foggy Bottom campus in Washington, D.C., with flexibility remote-work opportunities at the Executive Director's discretion. Performs other related duties as assigned. The omission of specific duties does not preclude the supervisor from assigning duties that are logically related to the position.

Qualified candidates will hold a BA/BS in a related discipline plus 5 years of relevant professional experience. Degree must be conferred by the start date of the position.

- Employer will not sponsor for employment Visa status

- This position is a grant-funded position. Continuation of the position is contingent on grant funding.

The university is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer that does not unlawfully discriminate in any of its programs or activities on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or on any other basis prohibited by applicable law.