Job Posting: National Institutes of Health

The NIH Office of the Ombudsman is seeking an Associate Ombudsman for an initial, one-year contract appointment. The search will fill a position recently vacated by Tyler Smith. The position will join a highly respected team in the NIH Center for Cooperative Resolution and report to the Director, Kathleen Moore.

The position is not yet available on the NIH HR website. Here is the full posting:

October 2019

Associate Ombudsman Contract Opportunity with the National Institutes of Health

The NIH Office of the Ombudsman seeks an experienced individual to serve as an Associate Ombudsman beginning in October 2019. This individual will join our team in providing coaching, training, facilitation, mediated conflict resolution, and identification of systemic issues. We work in a collegial, creative and reflective environment that applies theory to practice, and is informed by different perspectives.

About Us: We facilitate the constructive resolution and prevention of highly complex scientific and workplace issues and conflicts. Areas of practice include authorship, performance, communication, equity of treatment, harassment, and other supervisory and peer relationship issues. We work with senior leadership, scientific and clinical researchers, administrative and support staff, fellows, and a wage and contract workforce, and serve approximately 23,000 individuals located primarily in the Bethesda, Maryland area.

Duration: We seek a full-time commitment of one year, with the opportunity for an extended commitment upon mutual agreement.

Location: Individuals will work with other ombudsmen at the NIH Office of the Ombudsman on the NIH campus in Bethesda, MD. Occasional local travel may be required.

Compensation: Compensation will be competitive and consistent with the compensation of NIH ombudsmen, based upon the candidate’s relevant education and experience.

Ombudsman Activities: We engage in initial inquiry, coaching, information and referral, facilitated conversations, and group-work design and facilitation, to create the conditions necessary for discussion, constructive disagreement and resolution of workplace disputes. We analyze systemic issues to provide feedback and explore recommendations with senior leadership for organizational improvement. We also design and lead workshops, seminars, and presentations. NIH ombudsmen participate in weekly case review meetings, periodic journal club meetings, conferences and related activities to support our professional development and practice.

Education and Experience: Candidates should have at least two years of experience working as an internal-facing organizational ombuds and possess a graduate degree in the social sciences, psychology, law, or conflict analysis and resolution.

Additional Information: Our practice is consistent with the standards of the International Ombudsman Association: independence, impartiality, confidentiality and informality. Individuals will be required to adhere to these IOA standards and maintain visitor confidentiality. Please see our website at https://www.ombudsman.nih.gov/ for more information.

Application and Questions: Please send your resume and a cover letter expressing your interest in this position to the Director of the NIH Center for Cooperative Resolution, Dr. Kathleen Moore, at ombudsman@nih.gov by Friday, September 27, 2019. We will review applications and ask select candidates to participate in an interview process and submit a writing sample.

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