About the Role

The Managing Director (MD) of Research and Evaluation will be responsible for developing Accelerate’s research agenda and strategy. The role’s overarching responsibility is to conduct and/or manage research projects to answer key, open questions regarding learning interventions and scaling implementation through policy levers. In coordination with research partners, they will actively shape study designs for grantees, ensuring rigorous evaluation that advances through the highest tiers of the ESSA evidence continuum and alignment with Accelerate’s research agenda. The MD of Research and Evaluation will be active in knowledge sharing and engaging in opportunities to influence policy and practice based on the learning from Accelerate’s work. This role will require 20%-30% travel.

What You’ll Help Us Do

Research Strategy and Leadership

• Cultivate national research and learning agenda, building from the efforts of other institutions and focusing on the practical need for answers.
• Design RFPs to solicit and select qualified research partners to support Accelerate’s evidence building in alignment with the research agenda. 
• Maintain a portfolio of research partners that includes expertise from relevant domains in K-12 education and reflects diversity of thought and background, as well a broad array of institutions. 
• Manage research partnerships and its Research Learning Community to advance its research agenda, identifying cost-effective interventions and helping those interventions scale.

Research Design and Implementation

• Contribute to grantmaking efforts as an internal consultant helping to define priorities for grants programs.
• Participate in grant application/selection process, applying expertise to assess program’s prior evidence and readiness for rigorous evaluation. 
• Ensure that investments in grantees and research are aligned to answer learning agenda questions.
• Monitor the progress of research projects through oversight of partners, tracking milestones, study site selection, data sharing agreements, IRB approval, etc. 
• Identify challenges with research projects and proactively and collaboratively problem-solve. 
• Be accountable for successful completion of research studies and timely delivery of interim and final reports. 

Evidence Building and Knowledge Sharing

• Analyze/synthesize findings from research reports to distill lessons learned and inform the research agenda. 
• Manage the Research Learning Community, facilitating quarterly meetings of research partners and stakeholders to identify and communicate key findings.
• Produce notes and policy memos to translate research findings into accessible, actionable information for decision makers.
• Support the dissemination of lessons learned from research projects for a variety of audiences, including researchers, systems leaders, and educators, translating research and evidence into tangible best practices to inform policy and decision makers.
• Develop/submit national conference proposals; attend and present at conferences that reach key audiences and stakeholders in support of Accelerate’s overarching mission.
• Lead content development for the research component of Accelerate’s Community of Practice and State Tutoring Fellowship. 

Who You Are

Successful employees at Accelerate:

• Champion the potential of all students and efforts that advance diversity, equity, and inclusion based on data and evidence of impact.
• Express confidence with humility, demonstrating empathy and respect for all stakeholders. 
• Embrace feedback and coaching, in the spirit of continuous improvement towards optimizing professional impact and achieving organizational goals. 
• Model an approachable and even-keeled demeanor, while multitasking in a fast-paced environment.
• Communicate clearly and consistently, building strong relationships across a variety of internal and external stakeholders.
• Listen openly, learn continuously, and connect authentically with diverse communities, including students, families, educators, policymakers, local leaders, and funders.
• Demonstrate strong organizational skills and attention to detail, maintaining a working knowledge of a complex portfolio of grantees, research partners, and evaluation studies. 

What You’ve Done

• Doctorate degree in sociology, education, psychology, public policy or other relevant area strongly preferred.
• 10+ years post doctorate in applied research, preferably in an academic, government, or non-profit organization, with a focus on K-12 education. 
• Experience as principal investigator in rigorous research projects, including randomized controlled trials. 
• Senior leadership experience in a research institution, education non-profit, public school system (federal, state or local), or other government agency.
• Demonstrated record of convening multiple stakeholders to achieve a powerful result.
  Proven ability to analyze data and findings and convert them into actionable lessons for the field.

Compensation

The annual salary range for this position is between $150,000 and $210,000. Accelerate also offers a comprehensive benefits package, including medical, dental, and vision coverage, technology stipend, 401k with employer match, and generous PTO.