Title: Senior Participant Engagement and Recruitment Specialist

Department: Clinical and Translational Science Institute (CTSI)
Position Type: Full-Time
Location: Minneapolis, MN

Position Overview
The Clinical and Translational Science Institute (CTSI) seeks a dynamic Senior Participant Engagement and Recruitment Specialists to contribute to the development and implementation of strategies, training, and processes aimed at enhancing participant engagement and reducing barriers to participation, particularly among populations underrepresented in research. 

The Senior Participant Engagement and Recruitment Specialist is an integral member of a cross-functional recruitment team within the Clinical Translational Research Services (CTRS) core of the CTSI. This role will provide mentorship to other participant engagement and recruitment specialists and liaison with key collaborators to help ensure alignment within CTSI. They will lead key initiatives and contribute in meaningful ways to create and implement sustainable initiatives with a focus on impact and measurability. Each specialist is assigned specific programs and projects, while also engaging in cross-training to provide backup support and gain broader experience across the team. These two positions will place an additional emphasis on enhancing our cultural humility approach and competency in our programs while collaborating with the CTSIâ™s Community Engagement to Advance Research and Community Health (CEARCH) core and our community partners.

Our team is dedicated to advancing research that reflects and respects the diverse voices of the communities we serve. We are committed to fostering a culture of inclusivity in our work. We are looking for individuals who are passionate about fostering a culture of continuous improvement and who are committed to making a meaningful impact through inclusive practices.

Key Responsibilities

Study Team Support: Recruitment planning, consultations, feasibility assessment for University of Minnesota researchers, and Community Health Authentic Talks (CHAT) Sessions (25%)

• Collaborate with study teams through consultations (led by either the CTRS Recruitment Center or co-lead with CEARCH staff) to create customized participant recruitment and engagement strategies aimed to enhance visibility among a broader audience, ultimately leading to a diverse representation of individuals enrolled in research opportunities.
• Provide objective, critical review of recruitment plans with feedback, recommendations and suggested language, and resources.
• Perform study feasibility reviews from a participant-centered approach and actively participate in the Clinical Research Support Centerâ™s (CRSC) Feasibility Review process. 
• Collaborate with CEARCH on consultations and CHAT sessions with a focus on bridging both research and community partnerships. 
• Conduct parallel reviews in partnership with the CRSC Research Prep Group.

Communication (20%)

• Create recruitment, retention, and dissemination templates and materials (e.g.,website, flyers, and digital ads). 
• Develop content for StudyFinder kiosks and promotional materials.
• Enhance and maintain key Recruitment Center resources and web content (e.g. Recruitment Best Practices guide and Recruitment and Retention Guide).
• Regularly check the CTSI Recruitment email and respond to inquiries in a timely manner. 
• Manage social media platforms to promote research studies while highlighting opportunities through a cultural lens and community voice to engage diverse audiences.  
• Stay informed about social media trends, platform updates, and best practices to enhance content strategies.

Research Awareness and Community Engagement (15%)

• Serve as Liaison to CEARCH.
• Develop novel approaches, leveraging CEARCH resources, to solicit and infuse community voice into the work of the Recruitment Center. 
• Establish and build strong relationships with community partners, in partnership with CEARCH. 
• Help plan and attend community events (e.g., UROC Community Day, State Fair, UMN Summer Institute, and training and outreach events).
• Help measure and assess research participant experience and opinions.

Training and Education (15%):

• Develop seminars and workshops, in collaboration with CEARCH and TWD, for study teams on best practices for engaging diverse populations with a cultural humility approach. 
• Develop content and teach the Participant Engagement segment of the Foundations for Research Professionals training program. 
• Educate researchers on participant recruitment best practices.

Tools (10%):

• Understand StudyFinder and ResearchMatch and work with study teams and the community on how to best engage with and utilize the tools. 
• Contribute to StudyFinder enhancements.

Analytics and tracking (10%)

• Utilize programs such as Tableau and Matamo to track and report on tools and initiatives. 
• Enter study support, event, training and tool metrics and utilize systems such as: Google Suite, REDCap, CTR Portal, etc. 
• Track social media performance using analytics tools, assess engagement, reach, and audience demographics.
• Support the preparation of reports summarizing key metrics and insights, and make recommendations for improvement.
• Outcomes, data collection, and analysis.

Contribute to the broader CTSI and the national Clinical and Translational Science Award network (5%)

• Engage in opportunities to get involved across CTSI (e.g. Annual Symposium and Poster Session).
• Assist investigators who are interested in using the CTSA Networkâ™s Recruitment Innovation Center (RIC) by making the appropriate resource connections.
• Active participation in special interest groups and community of practice forums at the CTSA level.

All required qualifications must be documented on application materials.

Required Qualifications

• BA/BS with at least 5 years of experience or advanced degree and 3 years of experience, or a combination of related education and wok experience to equal nine years, included health-related work.
• Skilled in use of cloud-based productivity suites such as: Google Workspace and Microsoft 365 applications.
• Experience engaging community members or community groups.
• Strong communication and organization skills.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working with a variety of health-related community organizations and/or healthcare provider organizations.
• Experience working with diverse populations.
• Experience conducting training or educational workshops.
• Strong understanding of cultural dynamics and community engagement.
• Experience creating resources, tools, and guidance documents for audiences with a diverse knowledge of research.
• Skilled in graphic design, web design, and use of marketing and editing tools (e.g.., Canva, InDesign, Photoshop, Drupal).
• Experience in social media management, preferably within a community-focused or research environment.
• Fluent in Spanish, Somali, Hmong or another language prevalent among community members in the Twin Cities.

About University of Minnesota Twin Cities

The University of Minnesota, founded in the belief that all people are enriched by understanding, is dedicated to the advancement of learning and the search for truth; to the sharing of this knowledge through education for a diverse community; and to the application of this knowledge to benefit the people of the state, the nation, and the world.

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