Associate Director, Mental Health, Science & Health Philanthropy

About The Milken Institute

The Milken Institute is a globally minded, publicly supported, non-partisan, and nonprofit think tank headquartered in Santa Monica, with offices in Washington, DC, New York, London, Abu Dhabi, and Singapore. For the past three decades, the Milken Institute has served as a catalyst for practical, scalable solutions to global challenges by connecting human, financial, and educational resources to those who need them. Guided by a conviction that the best ideas, under-resourced, cannot succeed, we conduct research and analysis and convene top experts, innovators, and influencers from different backgrounds and competing viewpoints. We leverage this expertise and insight to construct programs and policy initiatives. These activities are designed to help people build meaningful lives, in which they can experience health and well-being, pursue effective education and gainful employment, and access the resources required to create ever-expanding opportunities for themselves and their broader communities.

The Milken Institute’s events and programmatic activities, involve the exchange of ideas with leaders from around the world. The Institute hosts more than 200 events each year, with our annual flagship event, Global Conference, bringing together 4,500+ participants from around the world, featuring more than 900+ speakers throughout 200+ sessions over the course of the event.

About The Position

The Milken Institute Philanthropy Pillar is looking for a talented scientific or biomedical research professional to lead the development of new scientific initiatives for the Science Philanthropy Accelerator for Research and Collaboration (SPARC) team. We are looking for an energetic, detail-oriented professional with excellent communication, organization, and research skills to join our team.

About MI Philanthropy And SPARC

MI Philanthropy advises individuals, corporations, and foundations on the most strategic ways to ensure their philanthropic investments make an equitable, transformative impact, and offers tools and recommendations for making philanthropy more effective. In addition to in-depth research, we design and build programs including, funding initiatives, research collaboratives, large-scale innovation programs, and high-level events.

Within MI Philanthropy, our SPARC portfolio facilitates investment in areas ranging from oncology, neurodegeneration, mental health disorders, rare diseases, and others. We are looking for a mental health expert in the biomedical research ecosystem who will move core initiatives forward in medical research philanthropy in collaboration with Milken teams and partner organizations.

Responsibilities

• Lead due diligence efforts for various mental health-related projects in our portfolio Analyze “state of the science” and “state of the system” for various health projects, which can include conducting a landscape review of the latest scientific research, experimental therapies, industry pipelines, key research players, drug development models, key nonprofit and advocacy stakeholders, etc.;
• Develop funding strategies for scientific initiatives that incorporate unique philanthropic goals, the scientific ecosystem, and philanthropic funding vehicles;
• Manage scientific advisory boards for new and existing initiatives, including coordinating meetings, preparing materials, note-taking, conducting specific analysis as requested, etc.;
• Develop executive-level literature to communicate findings for philanthropists, researchers, advisors, etc.
• Represent the Milken Institute within the broader scientific and health communities throughout the due diligence process and at various industry-specific events; and
• Contribute to communications efforts to build awareness of key funding opportunities, philanthropy resources, and overall opportunities for MI Philanthropy to engage with other key players within the philanthropic and nonprofit communities.
  
  

Requirements

• Ph.D. in a field of mental health research and systems with an additional 3+ years of professional experience; scientific program management (within nonprofit or government organizations) and/or management consulting experience recommended.
• Demonstrated effective knowledge of project management or formal certification. Experience with all aspects of project management in a scientific or health-related field.
• Engaging and compelling writer with experience communicating scientific concepts for both technical and lay audiences;
• High intellectual capacity that can be and has been applied to learning new areas of science, technology, and related fields;
• Experience in navigating scientific literature, scientific conferences, and other biomedical research resources;
• Familiarity with scientific grant evaluation and peer review processes;
• Familiarity with funding mechanisms and nonprofit structures; and
• Personal attitude that includes being outgoing, entrepreneurial, action-oriented, flexible, with a willingness to adapt to changing situations and having a good sense of humor.
  
  

Working Conditions & Travel Requirements

This position will work in a professional office environment. This person will also be required to travel occasionally to other offices and/or venues to assist with events as needed, requiring occasional work outside of traditional hours. International along with domestic travel is possible. Additionally, this position requires interacting virtually on a regular basis with Milken Institute staff based in other locations in the United States and around the world.

Note

We are interested in qualified candidates who are eligible to work in the United States. Please note, we are not sponsoring visas at this time, being authorized to work in the U.S. is a precondition of employment.

This position will work a hybrid schedule consisting of three (3) days per week reporting in-person to your respective office location (Tuesday – Thursday), with the remaining two (2) days working remotely. Please understand, this schedule is subject to change in the Institute’s sole discretion.

The statements herein are intended to describe the overall nature and level of work being performed by employees and are not to be construed as an exhaustive list of responsibilities, duties, and skills required of personnel so classified. Furthermore, they do not establish a contract for employment and are subject to change at the discretion of the employer.

Please submit resume and cover letter illustrating how your experience and skills will contribute to the department and any unique qualities you bring to the position. If applying via Indeed, please upload your resume and any supporting documentation as one attachment. Any application that does not include both a resume and cover letter will be rejected. If you are unable to complete this application due to a disability, contact our Human Resources department to ask for an accommodation or an alternative application process.

Our Culture

The Milken Institute is proud to provide equal employment opportunities to all employees and qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national or ethnic origin, age, disability or status as a veteran.

Every person at the Milken Institute is treated with respect, supported with resources and training, and exposed to a broad range of experiences. We foster a space for growth with opportunities to share knowledge and passion with both clients and colleagues. We are committed to building a diverse workforce and creating an inclusive environment where everyone can thrive. Our leadership is actively involved in our commitment to diversity and inclusion, and fostering a culture that creates opportunities for everyone.

Benefits

• Health Care Plan (Medical, Dental & Vision)
• Retirement Plan - 403b (5%)
• Life Insurance (Basic, Voluntary & AD&D)
• Paid Time Off (Vacation, Sick & Public Holidays)
• Family Leave (Maternity & Paternity)
• Short-Term & Long-Term Disability
• Flexible Spending Account (FSAs)
• Training & Development:
• LinkedIn Learning – over 15,000 self-guided classes offered
• Mentor Program
• Wellness Resources:
• Employee Assistance Program
• CALM app membership