THE SEARCH

Children and Screens: Institute of Digital Media and Child Development (Children and Screens), founded in 2013 to serve as the nation’s leading interdisciplinary convenor, scientific grantmaker, curator of objective scientific research, and public educator in the field of digital media and child development, seeks a passionate, entrepreneurial, and mission-driven leader with exceptional strategic and administrative skills to serve as the organization’s next Executive Director. As the Institute’s founder prepares to step back from her role, this will be an extraordinary opportunity to develop an organizing vision for Children and Screens’ next chapter, building on the strength and prestigious reputation of its existing work: the funding and dissemination of scientific research focused on the impact of digital media on child development and the translation of those findings into programs and policies that promote child wellness.

Reporting to a four-person Board of Trustees, the Executive Director will be charged with stewarding Children and Screens’ growth and impact, so that it remains highly respected across the field and is increasingly seen as the go-to source for information on the effects of digital media on childhood and adolescent development. The Executive Director must be a strong internal leader and team builder, and—just as importantly—should be an effective and inspiring external advocate for Children and Screens. This person will manage the day-to-day operations of the Institute and serve as the driving force behind its many influential programs. They will also serve as the Institute’s public face and chief spokesperson, and will be expected to dedicate significant time to both raising the organization’s profile and raising money to fund its work. Strong partnerships and networks will be key to these efforts: the Executive Director will need to build relationships with scientists across multiple disciplines, journalists, parents, educators, and policymakers to promote ideas and share insights derived directly from relevant research. 

The Executive Director will oversee a $1M budget, five full-time staff, and up to 40 undergraduate and graduate student interns across a number of internal departments, in addition to a variety of outside consultants. The organization also benefits from a 12-person National Scientific Advisory Board. Since 2017, Children and Screens has awarded interdisciplinary research seed grants ranging in size from $50,000-$100,000. 

The right leader for this critical moment in the Institute’s history will be wholly committed to the mission of Children and Screens and will bring the experience and gravitas necessary to lead an organization that serves so many different constituents. The ideal candidate will be fluent in scientific research and experienced in the operations of a successful nonprofit. This person should also be a visible authority on the subject of digital media and its impact on childhood development, and should be able to translate complex research findings into digestible and actionable messages that cut through a swath of opinions and biased articles to reach the broadest audience possible. Strong interpersonal skills and the flexibility to work across fields and levels of expertise are paramount to success in this role. Children and Screens is a fully remote organization, and this position does not require relocation.

Children and Screens has retained Isaacson, Miller, a national executive search firm, to assist with this important recruitment. Confidential applications, inquiries, and nominations should be directed to the search firm as indicated at the end of this document.

ABOUT CHILDREN AND SCREENS

Children and Screens is, at its core, an unbiased voice on the impact of digital media on child development. Founded in 2013 by Dr. Pamela Hurst-Della Pietra as a 501(c)(3), the Institute supports and advances objective, high-quality scientific research, identifies and nurtures talent, educates and informs the public, and provides policymakers with actionable information. The Institute serves as a vehicle to support and educate people on how digital media affects the lives of children and how interventions can prevent potential ill effects of prolonged exposure to digital interactions. The Institute operates 28 workgroups and has a 12-person National Scientific Advisory Board that includes leaders in psychology, pediatrics, sleep medicine, communication, and expertise in research, philanthropy, and journalism.

Children and Screens promotes objective, inclusive, integrative scientific research by scholars with diverse perspectives from all relevant disciplines. The Institute’s grants encourage interdisciplinary research that explores how media use influences children’s development and mental health. Grants from Children and Screens have led to the creation of the CAFE Consortium, a multi-disciplinary team of psychologists, pediatricians, and experts in communications and human development, as well as the Media Impact Screening Toolkit (MIST), also a collaborative, cross-disciplinary project—both groups are focused on developing assessments and tools to evaluate the effects of digital media and social media on infants, toddlers, and adolescents. Children and Screens has also worked with the National Institute of Drug Abuse, submitting questions and providing funding for the ABCD study, a long-term study of brain development and child health in the United States.

Children and Screens operates several interdisciplinary programs and convenings to advance knowledge about the effects of digital media. This includes hosting an international Digital Media and Developing Minds Congress, which brings together researchers biannually across multiple countries and fields to build collaborations and share recent findings. The Institute also hosts research retreats geared towards more specific topics, such as mental health, neuroscience, and virtual learning. More recently, in response to COVID and its implications on e-learning and other digital media use, the Institute initiated a webinar series, Ask the Experts, which brings together researchers, clinicians, parenting experts, and other leaders in the field to provide information and answer questions directly from parents on various topics. This series has been very well received, and the Institute intends to expand on this success going forward.

Dr. Pamela Hurst-Della Pietra founded Children and Screens as a resource for people to find unbiased scientific research on the impact of digital expansion into the lives of children. Drawing on her medical degree, nonprofit leadership experience, philanthropic resources, and longstanding interest in media and children, Dr. Hurst-Della Pietra has developed the Institute to become one of the field’s leading conveners, curators, and grantmakers. Children and Screens has seen tremendous growth under her leadership, and—as the Institute prepares to enter its second decade—it is incredibly well positioned to amplify its reach and influence. Dr. Hurst-Della Pietra will become Chair of the Children and Screens Board in early 2022, when she leaves her current role running the Institute, and will remain involved on special projects. 

ROLE OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

The Executive Director serves as the strategic and administrative leader of Children and Screens. Reporting to the Board of Trustees and working in close partnership with the Institute’s staff and Scientific Advisory Board, the Executive Director will oversee the recruitment and professional development of staff, postdoctoral researchers, and interns; they will manage the Institute’s day-to-day operations; they will cultivate and manage key strategic partnerships; and they will carefully steward the organization’s fiscal health, ensuring the strategic allocation of resources by aligning the Institute’s budget to its programmatic priorities. The many programs hosted by Children and Screens, including webinars, retreats, and congresses, are all under the purview of the Executive Director. The Executive Director is the public face of the Institute, interacting with press, speaking at public forums, and lobbying with government officials to provide accurate and unbiased information on the impact of media on children. The Executive Director will also serve as the chief fundraiser, working with both individual donors and private foundations, as well as applying for appropriate government grants. Children and Screens does not accept financial or in-kind donations from funders who have a stake in the outcome of its research or may endeavor to influence the Institute’s work or how it presents information to the public.

OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES

To ensure Children and Screens’ continued upward trajectory and build on its strong reputation, the next Executive Director must operationalize the organization’s ambitious agenda and engage with a wide array of stakeholders to advance the Institute’s mission and vision. This is an ideal opportunity for a proven leader to continue building a complex organization and to accelerate the Institute’s work during a critical time of growth and innovation. Specifically, the Executive Director will be expected to address the following key opportunities and challenges:

 Articulate and implement a comprehensive, forward-looking vision for Children and Screens’ future

The Institute’s Executive Director will be expected to outline a strategy for continued growth—one that capitalizes on the organization’s many strengths and remains true to its core commitments to promote unbiased research, provide education for the next generation of researchers, and disseminate information to both the general population and lawmakers. The Executive Director will define and lead programs and advocate for policies backed by evidence to improve the lives of people around the world.

Lead a nimble and efficient organization primed for growth and impact

Children And Screens’ prominence far outpaces its size. This is due to the dedication of staff and interns as well as the tremendous work and influence of its members. The Executive Director will assess the organizational structure and bring in additional staff as needed to supplement the talented employees driving the Institute forward. The Executive Director will provide clear, decisive leadership; ably delegate to their staff and effectively utilize the Scientific Advisory Board; and maintain a strong culture of communication and transparency. The Executive Director will also assess the Institute’s current slate of programmatic offerings and events (and refine as needed) to ensure maximum impact and returns.

Support innovative, collaborative, and multidisciplinary research

At the heart of Children and Screens is its dedication and core commitment to unbiased research. The Institute supports unbiased, collaborative research that answers the important questions around media use and childhood development, and has been centrally involved in seeding the creation of innovative tools to assess the impact of digital media on children and adolescents. The next Executive Director will unequivocally share this core commitment, striving to promote and support the best research through regularly awarding grant funding and by using the Institute’s platform to amplify meaningful studies. The Executive Director will also leverage the expertise of the Institute’s impressive community of members and advisors to stay at the cutting edge of research.

Secure funds to support future programs, grants, and other new initiatives

As a nonprofit, Children and Screens relies on external funding sources to maintain its operations, fund its grants program, set up meetings, and produce content to educate the greater public. The next Executive Director will serve as the lead in raising additional funds for Children and Screens, working to secure gifts and grants from individual donors, philanthropic organizations, and government agencies in order to grow the Institute’s budget and operating potential.

Serve as a persuasive and inspiring public face for the organization

Above all else, Children and Screens exists to educate the world about the impact of digital media on child development. The Executive Director will be the face of the organization, utilizing multiple channels of media to share key findings, advocate for research-backed policies, distill complex research into user-friendly advice, and generally contribute to the public discourse on relevant topics. The Executive Director must be comfortable discussing scientific findings and how they affect people’s day-to-day lives with broad and varied audiences, including top scientists, journalists, parents, educators, and advocates. Over the last eight years, Children and Screens has established itself as an important voice in this national dialogue. The next Executive Director has the exciting opportunity to build on this strong reputation, expanding the Institute’s influence and audience even more.

QUALIFICATIONS AND CHARACTERISTICS

The Executive Director must be a collaborative leader who will engender confidence across the Institute and its broader community of partners, members, and other key stakeholders. The successful candidate will bring many of the following professional qualifications, skills, experiences, and personal qualities:

• Exceptional organizational leadership skills with demonstrated success leading and managing a nonprofit organization through continued growth and development, taking the Institute to the next level; 
• Excellent interpersonal skills, with the ability to develop productive working relationships across a diverse spectrum of stakeholders;
• Excellent communication and presentation skills, with the ability to communicate persuasively, concisely, and unambiguously in speech and writing;
• A profound dedication to understanding and addressing questions regarding the impact of digital media on child development;
• The aptitude and enthusiasm to lead fundraising for Children and Screens, with a preference for someone with a successful track record in nonprofit fundraising;
• Facilitative and collaborative work style, with the ability to build bridges across divergent and competing interests;
• Experience working with academics and/or a proven track record successfully coordinating researchers and research programs is strongly preferred; 
• An advanced degree (MD, MD/PhD, MD/MPH, PhD, or JD) is strongly preferred.

TO APPLY

Inquiries, nominations, and applications should be directed in confidence to:

Katie Rockman and Nicholas Strand
Isaacson, Miller

www.imsearch.com/8043

Children and Screens: Institute of Digital Media and Child Development is an

equal opportunity employer and welcomes candidates from diverse backgrounds.

About the Position

Children and Screens: Institute of Digital Media and Child Development is seeking a Marketing and Communications Director with nonprofit experience who has demonstrated excellence in public-facing communications, written materials, and program marketing. Reporting to the Executive Director, the Marketing and Communications Director will plan and execute all marketing strategy, overseeing a wide variety of written and visual content, public presentations, a messaging campaign and all internal and external communications.

This is an ideal opportunity to work in an expanding nonprofit, and to accelerate the Institute’s work during a critical time of innovation.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

Strategic Direction

• Craft compelling narratives to grow stakeholder base to create greater influence   
• Develop public education campaigns for parents and policymakers
• Refine Institute messaging and materials to engage donors
• Develop Institute marketing and communications strategic plan to support overall strategic plan

Marketing

• Plan and execute marketing of Institute programs including webinars, workshops, research retreats, international congresses, annual galas, publications, policy efforts, and more
• Create content for newsletters,, website, direct mail, podcasts, videos, blogs, op-eds, donor-facing materials and other projects
• Actively promote the Institute, its mission, programs, and events to improve engagement with a variety of stakeholders
• Report on marketing activities and their results, maintaining visibility for key stakeholders

Social Media

• Collaborate with Director of Social Media to set Institute social media strategy and grow the organization's social media presence, following, and overall traffic
• Integrate social media efforts into multichannel Institute marketing campaigns

Website

• Lead upcoming website redesign 
• Work with Graphic Designer and Web Developer on the maintenance and expansion of the Institute's website
• Conceptualize and develop new written content for the website, such as blog posts, key findings summaries, tips columns, etc. 

Media Relations

• Work with agency to organize and promote press events, including our upcoming congress, research retreats, and webinars and oversee tracking of news coverage
• Work with President and/or Executive Director and public relations agency to develop content for press releases, press advisories, statements, op-eds, and letters to the media, and prepare staff for media interviews

REQUIREMENTS

• Superb writing and editing skills
• Strong creative and analytical skills
• 10 years marketing experience preferably in nonprofit organizations
• Well-versed in the latest trends in multi-platform, cross-channel communication
• Experience managing a website and social media content, newsletters, and other digital communications strategies
• Public speaking, including presentation design and management (from slide decks to panel moderation)
• Direct  marketing and public relations leadership to generate media coverage
• Fluent in Google Suite and and PowerPoint preferred

TO APPLY

Applicants must email the following to jobs@childrenandscreens.com:

1. A cover letter highlighting your educational experience and skills
2. A resume

Apply Here

Children and Screens: Institute of Digital Media and Child Development is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes candidates from diverse backgrounds.

Job Type: Full-Time

IMPORTANT: See the application procedure below.

Children and Screens: Institute of Digital Media and Child Development is a leading interdisciplinary research and education nonprofit in the field of digital media and child development. The Institute advances and supports interdisciplinary research, informs and educates the public, nurtures human capital in the field, and advocates for sound public policy for children and teens growing up in the digital age.

Children and Screens seeks a highly-intelligent, experienced, self-motivated, and organized individual to join our staff as a Postdoctoral Project Coordinator. This two-year position is a dynamic opportunity for a driven professional to support Children and Screens’ mission to promote rigorous, objective research and evidence-based national dialogue on the wide-ranging impacts of digital media on the development and well-being of children from infancy to young adulthood.

The Postdoctoral Project Coordinator is accountable for the execution of Institute projects of varying size and complexity involving interdisciplinary dialogue, research, and public information in support of the Institute’s mission. The scope of this work bridges the medical, neuroscience, social science, education, and academic communities. 

In addition to managing important projects, the Postdoctoral Project Coordinator oversees volunteer interdisciplinary working groups as well as Institute Interns to ensure that projects are managed efficiently and in accordance with objectives set by the Directors of Children and Screens.

Responsibilities Include:

• Coordinating projects of different sizes (small/medium/large) through all project phases. Examples of these projects include:
  • Organizing the Institute’s popular Ask the Experts webinar series and Tips for Parents columns   
  • Coordinating the 2023 Digital Media and Developing Minds Congress, and coinciding Tools and Methodologies Exposition, alongside interdisciplinary planning committees
  • Supporting the Principal Investigator for a large grant to assist in funding the 2023 Digital Media and Developing Minds Congress
  • Planning and organizing interdisciplinary research retreats as needed
  • Overseeing the Institute’s seed grants program
  • Assisting with the coordination of various digital media use survey projects 

• Collaborating with team members to ensure all pieces of the project adhere to the defined project objectives
• Interfacing with various project stakeholders (clinicians, researchers, public health experts, etc.) and project sponsors on work progress
• Researching scientific, medical, and educational literature relevant to Institute project materials and resources
• Developing public information materials communicating project objectives
• Ensuring that project meetings are scheduled, timely, and goal-oriented, with outputs documented, and keeping the projects moving on a day-to-day basis
• Maintaining and monitoring project schedules, materials, information, and resources
• Managing and mentoring interns and guiding intern activities and responsibilities

Requirements

The ideal candidate will possess the following qualifications:

• Ph.D. in Neuroscience, Education, Pediatrics, Psychology, Science Journalism, Public Health, Science Policy, or other related scientific fields required
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Strong ability to prioritize and multitask
• Highly organized with strong attention to detail 
• Ability to work with a team and independently
• Adaptive and desire to continuously learn new skills
• Proficiency with Google Suite, and Microsoft Office Mac OS

Application Procedure: 

Applications will be considered on a rolling basis until the position is filled. To be considered, applicants must be authorized to work in the United States. To apply, applicants must email the following to jobs@childrenandscreens.com.

• A cover letter highlighting your educational experience and skills, along with an explanation of how this position will contribute to your professional goals;
• A resume, transcript, and contact information for two academic or professional references. Unofficial transcripts and letters of recommendation rather than references are acceptable.

Children and Screens: Institute of Digital Media and Child Development is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes candidates from diverse backgrounds.