Director, Research & Learning

Opportunity

Nationally recognized nonprofit venture philanthropy seeks a Director, Research & Learning (DRL) to lead our impact measurement, data collection, research, and continuous learning efforts. 

Organization

NewSchools is a venture philanthropy that builds a better education system by connecting people, resources, and ideas. We bridge the gap between those with capital and those with the courage to put that capital to work on the frontlines of education. We envision an education system that keeps its promise to all students. That’s why we invest in the ideas and energy of education leaders and entrepreneurs who are advancing innovative solutions that expand the definition of what works. There’s a better way to advance education through philanthropy—one that is more equitable, more collaborative, and more courageous–and we’re proving it every day. 

Responsibilities 

As the Director of Research & Learning, you will lead our impact measurement and storytelling, data collection and analysis, research partnerships, and continuous learning efforts. You will partner with investment teams and the communications team to identify, synthesize, and share key insights and lessons learned from our portfolio to influence our investment decisions, management assistance approach, and the field. In addition, you will serve as a key organizational leader focused on reinforcing our mission and goals and supporting our people. In this role, you will report to Delicia Jones, Chief Strategy Officer. NewSchools is a remote organization and you may work from anywhere in the United States. This role will require approximately 10% travel for team retreats and conferences.

Your legacy at NewSchools will include:  

Developing and executing a strong vision for Research & Learning, including:

• Impact Measurement & Storytelling
  • Lead R & L team to develop and refine organizational and portfolio-level logic models, in partnership with investment teams, to inform data collection and impact reporting.
  • Oversee the development of impact measurement resources and validation tools (e.g., business rules, data sources, dictionaries, check lists) to ensure data required to understand our impact is consistently collected. 
  • Oversee the aggregation of cross-portfolio impact measures to enable storytelling of our org-wide impact.

• Data Collection & Analysis
  • Oversee the design and implementation of impact data collection tools,  and processes to ensure accurate, relevant, validity and reliability of impact data. 
  • Ensure that impact data analysis is rigorous, accurate, and provides actionable insights to inform our understanding of impact, strategy development, and insight generation.
  • Partner with other teams in the organization to ensure aligned approaches to impact data collection, storage, and analysis and develop the infrastructure to gather and learn from data. In the future, this may include: managing the design and usage of our data warehousing platforms to maintain a valid and reliable signal source of truth for impact data.  

• Research Partnerships
  • Lead the development of our investment strategy research agenda to unlock new insights for the field, including the design and execution of one to two large research projects per three-year strategy cycle.
  • Source and manage key research partnerships and consultants to ensure we have the expertise and infrastructure necessary for data collection and insight generation. 
  • Serve as the primary point of contact for research partners by managing the relationship, ensuring deliverables are executed on time and on budget, and implementing internal tasks to ensure staff members and ventures experience a smooth partnership. 

• Continuous Learning
  • Lead the R & L team to engage with partners to ensure investment teams are synthesizing their data, generating insights, and identifying implications for their investment, management assistance and thought leadership activities. 
  • Support continuous improvement efforts and build the capacity of investment team members to develop data-based insights to inform their work. 
  • Oversee training of employees on how to collect and analyze data, maintain databases to ensure data integrity, and/or create data visualizations to support team learning and application of their data. 

Leading thought leadership associated with NewSchools’ research, measurement approach, and impact, you will: 

• In partnership with the CEO and CSO, develop an annual thought leadership agenda aligned to our research, measurement approach, and impact.
• Strengthen our Expanded Definition of Student Success approach based on ongoing research and analysis of NewSchools’ longitudinal data set. 
• Participate in learning networks or other partner engagements to learn about Measurement, Evaluation, Research, and Learning (MERL) trends and innovations, understand NewSchools’ position in the broader MERL ecosystem, and amplify our approaches and insights.
• Create knowledge products, such as insights briefs, blogs, conference presentations and insights summaries, that highlight NewSchools’ research, measurement approach, and/or impact to influence the field to think and act differently. 
• Share materials with a range of internal and external audiences, including board members, funders, practitioners and researchers, to make the case for our value proposition and to help others adopt promising practices. 

Leading a high-performing, diverse team and providing the support they need, you will:

• Provide leadership, and vision, and robust structures for our R & L team, determining the most important bodies of work the team will deliver on to fulfill NewSchools’ mission and goals
• Develop and implement a vision for an effective, growth-oriented, inclusive team. Establish clear roles and responsibilities for each team member.  
• Set annual goals for the team that advance organizational objectives. Support direct reports in achieving their aligned individual goals and understanding how they contribute to the overall team’s charge.
• Manage team budget and resources, including time and effort of employees and consultants. 
• Ensure the growth, development, and retention of team members through world-class management and coaching.

Serving as an organizational leader, you will:

• Drive cross-functional collaborations to champion a culture of data-driven decision-making.
• Collaborate with other partners and team leaders across the organization to establish a consistent, equitable experience for staff members. Ensure values and principles of DEI are infused throughout team leadership and management. 
• Serve on the Collective Leadership Team. Communicate and represent relevant decisions to team members.  
• Positively represent NewSchools to all internal and external stakeholders through effective communication.

Skills & Experience 

• At least 12 years of experience in research and learning, with at least 10 years of management and leadership of a team
• Strong knowledge of educational research methods, impact measurement approaches,  and academic/SEL/culture climate measurement constructs and assessments
• Strong data and analysis skills, including experience with descriptive and inferential statistical analysis
• Experience designing research projects, synthesizing data and drawing informed conclusions, and managing external research partnerships
• Knowledge of data storage and integration methodologies and solutions
• Passion for innovation, excellence and equity in public education
• Demonstrated track record of leading and working with high levels of excellence. High comfort with ambiguity and tolerance for risk
• Ability to serve as an organizational leader both internally and externally
• Ability to influence without authority and commitment to high quality conversational capacity and communication skills
• Demonstrated track record of managing a high-performing team and collaborating with a wide-range of stakeholders to achieve ambitious goals
• Expertise in strategic planning, and project management, with the ability to translate insights into actionable strategies for diverse audiences
• Ability to toggle between operating at the strategic and implementation levels. Comfort working in a small organization and team
• A high degree of self-awareness and a demonstrated commitment to learning and continuous improvement
• Belief in the power of philanthropy to create momentum for systems level change and a deep network across k-12 education
• Ability to travel up to 10% for in-person team meetings, retreats and conferences

Compensation

The starting salary range for this position is $165,000 to $200,000 with the potential for up to 10% annual bonus. Final salary will be determined by experience and qualifications. 

NewSchools Venture Fund has a strong commitment to diversity. Candidates of all backgrounds are encouraged to apply. Please note, applicants must be authorized to work for any employer in the U.S. We are unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment visa at this time.

This application will be open until 12:00pm PST on 10/18/24. Priority will be given to applicants who apply by 10/14/24.