Director, Research & Evaluation

POSITION: Director, Research & Evaluation (R&E)

REPORTS TO: Vice President of Research & Evaluation 

LOCATION: Remote (Near a campus)

TRAVEL: Periodic, approximately 10% to 15% of your time

POSITION OVERVIEW

Per Scholas seeks a Director of Research & Evaluation (R&E). In partnership with the Vice President of R&E, the Director will be responsible for designing, implementing, and managing research initiatives that support organizational goals related to adult education and workforce development. The Director will also work closely with key stakeholders to design and build practical, timely, rigorous evaluations and reporting processes to drive insights and recommendations for program improvements to support our mission.

This position is ideal for a detail-oriented professional who excels in managing multiple projects while meeting deadlines and maintaining high-quality reporting standards. The ideal candidate brings expertise in program evaluation, advanced statistical analysis, and social science research methodologies.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Research

• Conduct research to uncover evidence-based best practices in adult education and workforce development.
• Identify internal research opportunities that align with and further the organization’s mission.

Evaluation Strategies

• Design and implement evaluation plans to measure the effectiveness and impact of organizational programs and interventions.
• Work with stakeholders throughout the organization to ensure that evaluation processes are integrated into program design and delivery.
• Collaborate with external evaluators (e.g., MDRC, Economic Mobility) to ensure evaluation activities align with organizational metrics.

Data Collection & Management

• Build a deep understanding of what and how administrative data are collected and stored in Salesforce, ensuring accurate and meaningful data extraction used for effective data analysis.
• Design and implement valid and reliable data collection tools to gather insights on program effectiveness and participant experiences. These include surveys, questionnaires, and interview and focus group protocols.

 Data Analysis

• Design and implement advanced quantitative research methodologies to identify trends and evaluate program effectiveness and outcomes across different regions, modalities, and learner demographics.
• Conduct longitudinal analyses to track program impacts over time, measuring progress toward organizational goals.
• Analyze qualitative data to identify patterns, themes, and narratives that inform program improvements and strategic initiatives.

Reporting

• Develop clear and concise evaluation reports that document contextual factors, convey key insights in accessible and compelling narrative language, and provide immediate, short-term, and long-term actionable recommendations.
• Synthesize qualitative insights into compelling narratives that complement quantitative data, providing a holistic view of program outcomes and impact.

Special Projects

• Coordinate with the Development team to draft and develop final grant proposal evaluation plans.
• Engage in other analytical activities or special projects related to measurement and evaluation, as needed.

PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATIONS

The ideal candidate will have: 

• A Master’s Degree (Ph.D. preferred) or equivalent program evaluation experience in behavioral and social science, education, or other related disciplines.
• 3+ years of applied evaluation experience (experience in education, workforce development, or social or public policy preferred).
• A track record of completing rigorous program evaluations that inform decision-making 
• Extensive experience in advanced statistical analysis methods 
• Strong qualitative data analysis skills, including conducting Key Informant Interviews (KIIs) and focus groups.
• Experience communicating complex data analyses and interpretation to technical and non-technical audiences in a simple, meaningful, and compelling manner.
• Experience working in a collaborative, fast-paced environment in which leadership requests for quick-turn data analysis and interpretation are common.
• Intellectually curious and motivated by the opportunity to learn from and contribute to the fields of workforce development, equity, and economic mobility.
• Proficiency in SPSS, R, or STATA.
• Experience and knowledge of Salesforce and Tableau are strongly preferred.

LI# Remote 

For this role specifically, we are targeting a salary range between $85,000/year to $90,000/year, where the difference in salary is typically determined by several factors, including geography in which the selected candidate resides, and alignment with qualifications and experience.