Our vision is that all students graduate from high school with the knowledge, skills and agency needed to succeed in a postsecondary experience, attain credentials of value and demonstrate early labor market outcomes needed to thrive in the workforce of the future and as a productive citizen in a democratic society.
We propose to support this vision by increasing the number of Black, Latino, and low-income students who (a) earn a high school diploma, (b) enroll in a postsecondary institution, pursuing a course of study aligned to positive labor market outcomes, (c) attain a high-quality credential, and (d) obtain an upwardly mobile job by age 25.
We are currently seeking an exceptional Associate Program Officer (APO) to support the education R&D and Innovation strategy with the K-12, Big Bets in Innovation team. The APO will be responsible for utilizing research, data analysis and project management to support portfolio development and management processes as well as other work that furthers the goals of the team. The (APO) will report to the Deputy Director (DD) and support Senior Program Officers (SPOs) and Program Officers (POs) as follows:
- Support the Education Innovation bodies of work (Middle Years Math, Secondary Writing, Education R&D Infrastructure, Education to Employment Pathways, Digital Educator Communities, and Exploratory R&D), with a specific focus on data analysis, process creation/execution and coordinating work associated with grant development, selection and learning.
- Assist with the management of a portfolio of grants including: support grantees through managing, monitoring and evaluation components, support internal processes including: pipeline development, portfolio progress, documentation, budget information and reporting.
- Facilitate, coordinate and manage a range of projects and activities related to evaluating, developing, preparing, and monitoring specific grants, and/or other Big Bets team activities.
- Support design and implementation of performance processes and systems, which will feed data and analysis from grants and research back into key strategy and portfolio management decisions.
- Provide ongoing research, background information and analytical support for program management including: drafting new proposals, scheduling and conducting interviews, scheduling meetings, developing and coordinating surveys and writing briefs and literature reviews. Analyze field level trends related to education innovation and shifts in related K-12, post-secondary and labor markets.
- Capture data coming in from grants, contracts and partners. Analyze data in excel and other programs. Use data to interrogate team hypotheses and support better decision making.
- Effectively project manage key meetings and external events from initial design to follow-up actions, keeping stakeholders informed of progress as appropriate.
- Participate in meetings, coordinate programmatic input and write and review briefs to prepare Foundation Leadership for high-profile events.
- Draft sections of key documents, reports and presentations for a variety of purposes and audiences, summarizing developments and recommendations for program areas and external partners.
We are looking for people who enjoy the opportunity of working on complex problems and collectively creating solutions that have the potential for transformative change. You have experience working collaboratively with the communities our K-12 strategy aims to serve, and understand the context for learning experienced today by many students of color and low income students in the United States. You must be prepared to work with flexibility, efficiency and diplomacy in an exciting, challenging environment. The responsibilities of this role require that you should have some demonstrated experience in at least one of the following areas and demonstrated interest in at least one other: research & development and innovation processes in education or related sectors, strategic planning in education or related sectors, career pathways, digital learning, innovative teacher professional development, education policy, education measurement and evaluation. Additionally, we seek a candidate with:
- Strong background in data analysis and effective data synthesis and interpretation
- Ability communicate complex ideas clearly, in both written and verbal form
- Strong writing and proofing skills
- High-degree of organization, able to work efficiently in managing multiple projects simultaneously
- Able to demonstrate creative thinking in response to complex situations
- Ability to maintain positive colleague and partner relationships
- Ability to work independently and proactively to find possible solutions to unstructured problems
- Growth mindset and ability to adapt in a dynamic and feedback-rich environment.
- Ability to think strategically and manage multi-dimensional projects in support of critical stakeholders.
- Master’s Degree in education or related scientific field, business strategy, or public policy considered desirable.
- Experience working in or closely with a university, research institute, school district, state education agency or charter management organization is preferred.