Associate Director of Research & Evaluation

OVERVIEW Reporting to the Senior Director of Research & Evaluation, the Associate Director of Research & Evaluation will serve as an important part of Year Up's National Research & Evaluation Team and will support all team efforts related to systems change and scalable programmatic solutions. They will help implement strategy, program evaluations, and research to demonstrate impact and support efforts related to (1) employer and training provider systems, and (2) Year Up's direct service programs. They will be responsible for analyzing data and providing technical assistance on large-scale research projects, data collection and analysis efforts, and other local and national research opportunities. Ideal candidates are committed to applying utilization-focused, culturally responsive evaluation practices to inform business decisions that drive high-quality, innovative, strategic growth. To succeed in this role, the Associate Director of Research & Evaluation will need to be comfortable working across teams focused on a variety of related but distinct projects. They will thrive in a fast-paced, collaborative environment that requires extreme attention to detail and the ability to translate and communicate complicated research, program, and systems change efforts in clear, concise ways. They have experience measuring the impact of large-scale change and are also gifted at providing technical support-in both online and in-person formats-to promote the collection and maintenance of high-quality data and the effective use of research results with teams across the country. The ideal candidate is analytic, comfortable working in ambiguity, and is open to using all types of research methods because our team believes there are many ways of knowing. They have strong project management and presentation skills, can tailor communication to diverse audiences to foster change and set direction, and can independently drive execution of projects on tight timelines. Keeping with Year Up's values, the Associate Director of Research & Evaluation will also have the opportunity to interact with students as a coach, affiliate, mentor, group facilitator, and advocate, helping to build and sustain a positive educational environment. KEY RESPONSIBILITIES Thought Leadership Support Year Up's organization-wide research and evaluation strategy to measure and improve program and efforts to change employer and training provider systems In partnership with the Senior Director of Research & Evaluation, serve as a research and evaluation expert paired with a specific teams, regularly communicate progress, facilitate research and evaluation-related discussions, and consult with all other departments that seek to use data to make business decisions Coauthor and edit research reports, blog articles, and white papers to support Year Up's evolving research agenda Serve as an evangelist and champion for a broad array of evaluation methods within Year Up (including more novel and emergent strategies related to measuring large-scale systems change), introducing and reinforcing evaluation concepts across the organization Data Collection and Use Support the creation and training of tools for data collection and analysis Generate high-value insights from qualitative and quantitative data, including progress against KPIs, opportunities for improvement, and "bright spots" in the data Train other key staff in data analysis and evaluation methods to ensure best practices are incorporated into existing systems Provide technical assistance and oversight of learning plans for new program pilots and partnerships-leveraging both existing data sources and creating new instruments, as needed-to advance Year Up's learning agendas Research Manage internal research projects associated with scaling by both conducting internal studies and coaching leaders across the organization through their own projects; includes generation of key hypotheses, study design and implementation, quantitative/qualitative data collection, analyses, and reporting Alongside all other members of the Research & Evaluation team, identify gaps and redundancies in Year Up's research agenda and data practices, and design, lead, and prioritize projects and processes to address unmet needs Site Team/Learning Community Member Serve as a coach/affiliate/mentor/tutor for a small number of current students Join and sometimes facilitate weekly group sessions with students Participate in staff meetings and trainings QUALIFICATIONS 5+ years of work experience in social science research or related field required; experience providing technical assistance to and assisting in the evaluation or delivery of human services programs preferred Expertise in both quantitative and qualitative research required, including familiarity with impact evaluation studies (e.g., randomized controlled trials) and improvement science methodologies (e.g., rapid-cycle, formative evaluations), managing and analyzing large data sets, conducting descriptive statistical analyses, writing technical reports for internal and external audiences, and leveraging methods like process tracing and most significant change to infer causality in ambiguous situations Experience working with teams at the earliest stages of their evaluation journeys; demonstrated ability to empower and build trust, understanding, and capacity among stakeholders in a variety of non-technical roles across the business Proficiency with Microsoft Office and advanced Excel techniques (e.g., formulas, macros, pivot tables) required; some experience with statistical software (e.g., Stata, R, SAS, SPSS) and SQL preferred; experience with Qualtrics, and business intelligence visualization tools (e.g., PowerBI, Tableau) preferred Strong communicator; able to communicate results (orally and in writing) in a clear, effective manner for various audiences (internal/external, technical/non-technical) and experience empowering non-evaluators to conduct evaluation activities Experience managing large or complex projects with excellent project management skills Smart, strategic thinker with effective, diplomatic, and proactive leadership skills Demonstrated experience working effectively within large, multi-site organizations with local and national stakeholders preferred A passion for working with young adults, an unshakable belief in their potential and a strong commitment to the mission of Year Up Understanding of the Opportunity Divide and its drivers Commitment to diversity and inclusion Willingness to travel domestically Salary Range- $75,000 - $90,000 COMPENSATION & BENEFITS: Year Up has established salary ranges for each of our sites, which allows us to pay employees competitively, equitably and consistently in different geographic markets. For roles in which the location is listed as flexible, the range displayed reflects the minimum and maximum target for new hire salaries for the position across all US locations. Salary offers take into account a candidate's skills, experience, and location. Your recruiter can share more about the specific salary range for your location during the hiring process. Benefits: Comprehensive healthcare options and dental coverage; 401(k) match for eligible participants. Vacation: Earn three weeks paid vacation in first year of employment; four weeks after initial year. Professional Development: Funds available to support staff in achieving career objectives ($2,500 per year) This is an exempt role (paid on a salaried basis). ORGANIZATION DESCRIPTION: Year Up is a national 501(c)3 workforce development organization committed to ensuring equitable access to economic opportunity, education, and justice for all young adults-no matter their background, income, or zip code. Employers face a growing need for talent while millions of talented young adults lack access to meaningful careers. These inequities only further perpetuate the opportunity gap that exists in our country-a gap that Year Up is determined and positioned to close through three interconnected strategies: providing targeted skills training and connections to livable-wage employment for students and alumni; empowering others to serve and support young adults, and changing systems that perpetuate the opportunity gap. Year Up's intensive training program utilizes a high expectations, high support model where students learn in-demand technical and professional skills and apply them during a corporate internship. Year Up has directly served more than 40,000 young adults since its founding in 2000. Year Up's nationwide presence includes Arizona, Austin, Bay Area, Charlotte, Chicago, Dallas/Fort Worth, Greater Atlanta, Greater Boston, Greater Philadelphia, Jacksonville, Los Angeles, the National Capital Region, New York City/Jersey City, Pittsburgh, Puget Sound, Rhode Island, South Florida, Tampa Bay, and Wilmington. Voted one of the Best Nonprofits to Work For in the country by The NonProfit Times, Year Up is a rewarding and impactful place to work. Our staff is passionate, supportive, mission-driven, and committed to positive change and continuous learning. We set high standards for both ourselves and our students and live by a set of core values that reflect an unshakable belief in the talent and potential of our young people. The work we do is life-changing, and we know that our team is the greatest asset in achieving our mission. COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY: Year Up embraces diversity and equal opportunity in a serious way. All aspects of employment, including the decision to hire, promote, discharge, or discipline, are based on meritocracy. We do not permit discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression . click apply for full job details