Strategically develop and manage a portfolio of complex investments requiring strong project and grant management and research and evaluation skills. Specifically, this portfolio is focused on helping critical stakeholders throughout the higher education system to collect and use data to inform decisions to improve college access, affordability, and attainment, and is intended to further the Foundation’s Postsecondary Success strategies.
Refine and execute the Postsecondary Success team’s portfolio for improving the quality, accessibility, and use of data and data systems to support reform at scale in higher education as part of the Data, Measurement, Learning, and Evaluation team. This includes both strategic management of the portfolio as well as technical expertise to implement the portfolio in collaboration with key partners. Three-year priorities include supporting:
- Widespread adoption and use of a common measurement framework in the field.
- Development or improvement of national data systems and tools to facilitate collection of the framework at scale.
- Use of improved national data assets to support consumer information, institutional improvement, and public policy, and research and evaluation on its impact on student outcomes.
Additional Responsibilities
- Negotiate, execute, conduct and manage complex, performance-based contracts/grants with external partners, including but not limited to soliciting and reviewing grant proposals; preparing and presenting proposal summaries and progress reports for leadership review; monitoring and reviewing grantee progress, budgets, and deliverables; supporting stakeholder convenings and/or leadership site visits to maximize impact and ensure optimal learning to advance the postsecondary data portfolio.
- Develop, manage, and implement internal projects to execute the postsecondary data strategy, including but not limited to portfolio design, planning, and reporting. Collaborate across the Postsecondary Success team, the U.S. Program, and the foundation to design and implement cross-cutting data projects with a focus on scaling to ensure the long-term sustainability and impact of the portfolio. Serve as an internal resource to respond to data requests to support the Postsecondary Success team.
- This role is responsible for high-quality interactions and clear and consistent communications internally as well as with external grantees and partners in the field, including tracking developments related to postsecondary data in the field as well as representing the Postsecondary Success team and the foundation on postsecondary data issues.
- Strong expertise in postsecondary data, including but not limited to the availability, coverage, definitions, and use cases for key sources such as federal data collections (e.g. IPEDS, NSLDS) and surveys (e.g. BPS, NPSAS) and other national collections (e.g. National Student Clearinghouse) as well as demonstrated experience conducting primary or secondary research with these sources.
- Strong understanding of data and research methodologies, data tools such as Excel, Tableau, and Stata or other statistical software, and demonstration of data analysis and presentation skills..
- Strong desire to improve postsecondary data collection at scale and demonstrated knowledge of postsecondary data issues, including key research, policies, and debates in the field.
- Experience with deliberately managing all aspects of the grant and portfolio life cycle (although not necessarily in a foundation setting), including pre-development (making new grants), development (managing multi-year grants), post-development (dissemination, scale and disposition of grants in portfolio).
- Excellent written, visual, & oral communication skills effective with a broad & diverse audience.
- Ability to be highly effective while managing shifting internal expectations and priorities.
- Strong project/program management skills including managing multiple projects and timelines.
- Ability to prioritize and manage large amounts of information to achieve results in a fast-paced environment.
- Strong strategic- and critical-thinking and problem-solving skills.
- Ability to work with a variety of local, state, and federal/national entities and grantees.
- Ability to negotiate and mediate complex relationships in a matrixed environment.
Position located in DC. Moderate travel required (up to 20% of time).
As part of our standard hiring process for new employees, employment with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation will be contingent upon successful completion of a background check.
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is dedicated to the belief that all lives have equal value. We’re committed to creating a workplace where employees thrive both personally and professionally. We also believe our employees should reflect the rich diversity of the global populations we aim to serve—in race, gender, age, cultures and beliefs—and we support this diversity through all of our employment practices.
All applicants and employees who are drawn to serve the mission of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation will enjoy equality of opportunity and fair treatment without regard to:
- Race
- Color
- Age
- Religion
- Pregnancy
- Sex
- Sexual Orientation
- Disability
- Gender Identity
- Gender Expression
- National Origin
- Genetic Information
- Veteran Status
- Marital Status
- Prior Protected Activity