Senior Behavioral Scientist, Nudge Unit & Behavioral Insights

Overview

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What We Need

In May 2020, BCBSMA formed an internal nudge unit, led by its Performance Measurement and Improvement (PMI) division, and assisted by consultants and selected academics. Since its inception, the BCBSMA nudge unit has deployed over 100 behavioral insights-informed interventions, preferring randomized deployments to maximize evaluability. These interventions have included efforts to improve guideline-concordant screening uptake, medication use, laboratory testing, and provider billing patterns.

Intervention channels include unidirectional communications (letters, emails, text messages, faxes) and more complex choice architecture (BCBSMA’s member app, which has more than 1 million users).

Reporting to the Director, Nudge Unit, Behavioral Insights & Strategic Research, the Senior Behavioral Scientist will support the company’s efforts to apply behavioral insights (i.e., “nudges” and other behavioral insights techniques) to improve the decisions, experiences, and health of BCBSMA’s members, network providers, and employees. All nudge unit activities will further BCBSMA’s strategic pillars: quality, equity, affordability, and consumer experience.

The Senior Behavioral Scientist will, in collaboration with the Director as well as the SVP of Performance Measurement and Improvement, support the growth of BCBSMA’s nudge unit and application of behavioral insights. Specific duties will include providing cross-divisional leadership in a matrixed organization, mentoring more junior nudge unit staff, tracking and managing multiple projects and their evaluations, facilitating trainings in behavioral insights techniques, and working with BCBSMA’s behavioral insights consultants and academic collaborators.

• Lead all phases of nudge unit projects and their evaluations, helping to organize evaluation results and track projects to facilitate better nudge unit performance over time.
• Help to coordinate Nudge Unit activities across multiple business units, consultants, and vendors to apply behavioral insights toward BCBSMA’s strategic goals.
• Design and execute mixed methods research using a wide variety of methods (e.g. qualitative research, A/B testing, RCTs, pre-post evaluations) to provide deep consumer and behavioral insights.
• Communicate with external experts and collaborators on behavioral insights activities.
• Train and mentor other internal nudge unit staff on the application of behavioral insights.
• Create presentations for executive meetings, support and/or represent the Director in senior leadership meetings, as needed.

This document is not an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, skills, duties, requirements, or working conditions associated with the job. Employees may be required to perform other job-related duties.

• Demonstrated understanding of behavioral science principles and their application in healthcare.
• Familiarity with program evaluation methods, causal inference, A/B testing, and Agile project management desired.
• Proven track record of delivering highly complex initiatives in a dynamic environment.
• Ability to direct, persuade, influence, and lead to achieve desired results.
• Outstanding communication skills and demonstrated ability to develop and maintain effective working relationships at all levels.
• Ability to motivate, lead and manage cross functional teams, with track record of coaching high-performing teams.
• Solid background in project management and implementation of major initiatives.
• Flexibility to work within a changing environment.
• High degree of initiative; ability to work both independently and within a team.

• Minimum of 8 years of experience in consulting, applied research, healthcare, insurance, or related industry.
• Training and experience in practical applications and evaluation of behavioral insights strongly preferred.
• Bachelor’s Degree Required;
  Master’s or PhD Degree in Economics, Behavioral Science, Psychology, or related field strongly preferred.
• Direct experience leading and managing staff preferred.

This position is eligible for the following personas:…