POSITION ANNOUNCEMENT: Research and Evaluation Analyst, Boston, MA
Organizational Overview:
The Achievement Network (ANet) is a nonprofit organization, founded in 2005, motivated by the vision that one day all students will have the opportunity to master the skills and concepts needed to be successful in college and beyond. ANet is committed to helping all students achieve academic excellence by providing urban, low-income schools with effective data-driven strategies to identify and close gaps in student learning, and embedding these strategies into schools’ everyday routines to measurably close the achievement gap. ANet combines high-quality standards-aligned assessments; educator coaching in how to analyze assessment results, identify gaps in student learning, and create action plans to address these gaps; and peer Networks of schools that collaborate to improve their use of data. This comprehensive package has produced measurable student achievement gains in our Network schools. In the coming 2010-11 school year, we plan to work with nearly 170 schools and continue to expand our Networks in six geographic regions- Massachusetts; Washington, D.C.; New Orleans, LA; Newark, NJ; Chicago, IL; and National Heritage Academies. By 2013, we aim to serve over 300 schools across these Networks in order to affect the educational outcomes of over 60,000 students every year.
ANet was recently named as one of only 30 winners nationally in the United States Department of Education’s Investing in Innovation (i3) Development category competitive grant process. The i3 fund was established under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 to provide competitive grants to local education authorities and nonprofits partnered with them with a record of improving student achievement. Funding from the i3 grant will support an independent randomized control study and growth of our networks for the next four years.
Position Overview:
The Research and Evaluation Analyst will coordinate ANet’s efforts to document the effectiveness of its program for internal and external purposes. This position will focus on analyzing ANet’s impact and results, building ANet’s capacity in research and evaluation, and developing relationships with key partners that provide data (e.g., states and districts) and conduct research (e.g., university partners). The position will have significant opportunity to lead ANet’s research and evaluation agenda and, as such, the position demands a combination of intellectual leadership, quantitative skills, strong curiosity about factors driving student achievement and clear communication skills.
The position is in ANet’s Boston headquarters, and will work closely with ANet’s Chief Executive Officer, Chief Program Officer, and Product Manager, and report to ANet’s Special Projects Manager. This position offers the unique opportunity for an entrepreneurial, results-oriented individual to become a vital member of The Achievement Network.
Responsibilities: Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:
• Develop and perform standard analytical routines to:
o Document student achievement gains in ANet’s partner schools and organizations, including in comparison to gains in similar schools and organizations
o Validate ANet’s program through studying the connection between implementation of our program and student performance
o Set/track ANet’s performance objectives;
• Think creatively to develop new metrics to demonstrate the success of ANet;
• Manage relationships with and oversee output from consulting psychometricians, researchers, and evaluators,
o In particular, work closely with independent, external evaluator executing our Investing in Innovation randomized control trial
• Respond to specific analytical requests by ANet members and determine whether requests should be included in ANet’s standard analytical routines;
• Regularly organize findings for continuous improvement of ANet offerings and staff development; and,
• Produce annual summary of ANet findings for external audiences as well as more frequent summaries around specific topics.
Required Skills, Experiences and Competencies: In order to be successful in this role, ideal candidates should demonstrate the following:
• Excellent education credentials: Advanced or undergraduate degree with coursework in quantitative areas, such as Statistics, strongly preferred.
o Knowledge of urban schools a plus
o Ability to think creatively about metrics and analysis
• Experience with research design and execution:
o Strong statistical analysis skills
o Knowledge of research and evaluation quantitative methodology (including regression analysis)
o Proficiency with SPSS
o Experience conducting quantitative analysis for making policy recommendations
• Ability to manage relationships with external data providers and research partners: Excellent interpersonal skills and strong group presentation skills, with the ability to communicate complex ideas clearly and effectively
• Comfort with working in an entrepreneurial, fast-paced, highly collaborative and team-oriented environment: With a desire to contribute to a growing organization, outstanding project management skills and initiative
• Belief in The Achievement Network’s mission and strategy: Most importantly, a passionate commitment to and a sense of urgency for the support of urban schools, along with a belief that all students can achieve at high levels.
Benefits and salary:
Salary for this position is competitive and depends on prior experience and qualifications. We also offer a comprehensive benefits plan.
How to Apply:
The Achievement Network is soliciting applications for this position immediately. To apply, please email a resume and thoughtful cover letter, outlining: a) your interest in The Achievement Network and this position, b) challenges you would expect in this role and how you would overcome them, and c) outcomes and results you would hope to see in your evaluation role. Please send to Alyssa Christopolis at achristopolis@achievementnetwork.org, subject line “Research and Evaluation Analyst.” Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.
The Achievement Network is committed to maximizing the diversity of our organization. We are an equal opportunity employer and seek individuals of all ethnic and racial backgrounds to apply to this position.
