Job Title: Director of Data & Evaluation

Functional Team: Data & Evaluation

Job Type: Full-time

FLSA Classification: Exempt

Location: Hybrid in Bay Area, Chicago, Los Angeles, or New York City

Who We Are

COOP is building a diverse movement of upwardly mobile first-generation college grads overcoming underemployment through digital skills and peer connections. We want to reignite our nation’s promise of upward mobility for those who strive to achieve a brighter future for themselves and their families—to ensure the American Dream is a reality for all. We connect un-/underemployed first-gen college graduates to one another—within cohorts and across “generations” of cohorts. By growing their peer professional networks, members of our community achieve upward economic mobility by building the skills and connections they need for the careers they deserve.

COOP has supported more than 10,000 recent grads in five major metropolitan regions (New York City, the Bay Area, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Miami), who have secured college-level employment in upwardly mobile careers at 2.3x the rate of their underemployed peers. Learn more about COOP Careers by visiting our website here. 

Our Workplace

COOP is an organization where we bring our authentic selves to work every day. Many of our team members have been program participants which translates into a workplace that is mission-driven with deep connections to our community. Rooted in the core values that comprise our pillars of Head, Heart, and Hustle, we approach our work with empathy, curiosity, and a shared sense of purpose. Our teams span across NYC, Bay Area, Los Angeles, and Chicago. We approach our shared mission of overcoming underemployment with resourcefulness and optimism while bringing fun to the challenge.

What You Will Do

The Director of Data & Evaluation will lead COOP’s data and research efforts as the organization enters its next decade, using social science research methods to improve programs, demonstrate impact, and build data capacity across the team. Operating as the sole dedicated data professional, the Director will collaborate closely with staff, emerging analysts, and external partners to meet COOP’s evolving data needs. They’ll serve as the organization’s technical expert on evaluation, driving both internal learning and external evidence of impact.

Responsibilities

Data Collection, Reporting & Governance (40%)

• Maintain and oversee Impact Data Entry & Quality Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)
• Define key metrics and cadence for ongoing monitoring and sharing out report findings
• Ensure data integrity (completeness, accuracy and consistency) for all key metrics across Impact team functions
• Ensure standard reports meet stakeholder needs and translate report findings into actionable recommendations that guide program delivery decisions
• Own COOP’s Program, Captain (Alumni Coaches), Employment, and Alumni survey design and reporting
• Collaborate with technology and functional leadership to develop new administrative data tools and improve processes to increase data quality

Strategic Data Analysis & Evaluation Projects (30%)

• Manage a pipeline of internal data analysis and evaluation projects
• Conduct internal studies and coach other leaders across the organization through their own analytical projects
• Lead hypothesis generation, study design, and end-to-end implementation of evaluation projects
• Perform quantitative/qualitative data collection, data analysis, and reporting
• Define standard practices for learning from strategic program pilots and provide evaluation technical assistance to design team

Staff Training & Support (15%)

• Develop templates, guidance, tools to support with periodic data analysis, survey use, and making data-informed decisions
• Establish and reinforce best practices for using data to drive high-quality program delivery and communicate externally
• Answer staff questions with a focus on training functional directors on data collection, analysis, and interpretation using available tools
• Support the Talent and Technology teams on staff development training around data integrity, collection, and use

External Partnership Management (10%)

• Oversee RCT partnership with third-party evaluator including project management, data sharing agreements, stakeholder communication, and embargo compliance
• Maintain point of view on external data sharing policies in partnership with technology and compliance teams
• Build relationships with other external research partners to supplement COOP investment/staffing in Data & Evaluation
• Collaborate with external researchers and evaluators to enhance the rigor and credibility of COOP’s evaluation efforts

Thought Partnership & Thought Leadership (5%)

• Partner with the Executive team to ensure strategic decisions are research and evidence-based whenever possible
• Prepare detailed evaluation reports and present findings to senior leadership, funders, and other stakeholders
• Represent COOP externally at relevant conferences and sector convenings to elevate the organization's data and evaluation work
• Contribute to thought leadership through white papers, blog posts, or other publications, sharing insights from our data-driven work.

Who We Need

Required Qualifications:

• 8+ years of work experience in social science research or a related field
• Expertise in diverse evaluation and research methodologies (e.g., quantitative, qualitative, mixed methods, summative quasi-experimental, formative, developmental, iterative, rapid-cycle, participatory) and statistics
• Strong analytical skills and the ability to translate data into actionable insights
• Proficiency with Google Suite and advanced Excel techniques (e.g., formulas, macros, pivot tables)
• Experience with Salesforce, survey platforms (e.g., Form Assembly, SurveyMonkey), and at least one BI/visualization tool (e.g., Tableau, Power BI)
• Experience managing large or complex projects with excellent project management skills
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with experience translating complex findings for non-technical audiences.
• Demonstrated ability to provide technical assistance and support in the evaluation or delivery of nonprofit or educational programs 

Preferred Qualifications: 

• Experience supporting or managing randomized controlled trial (RCT) implementation
• Proficient in statistical software (e.g., Stata, R, SAS, SPSS) and SQL
• Proven capability in mentoring or guiding entry-level research and evaluation practitioners and data analysts, both formally and informally
• Experience working in workforce development, education, or youth empowerment contexts
• Adept at managing collaborations with third-party consultants, universities, and research firms

Who You Are

• Data Mindset - Understands and analyzes data; uses data to identify insights and implications to make data-driven decisions and inform operations/strategy
• Initiative and Results-Driven -  Creates action plans to drive decisions that deliver results and enhance intended impact, accounting for internal and external factors that might affect desired results and adjusting course as needed
• Collaboration - Views work with a collective mindset; supports others in understanding how we achieve our shared purpose with mutual accountability and shared ownership to achieve our goals
• Strategic Thinking - Considers the future of the organization proactively; weighs diverse inputs to inform strategy; identifies opportunities for efficiency, improvement, and innovation

What We Offer You

COOP Careers believes it is mission-critical to hire, retain, and motivate highly-qualified, passionate, dedicated professionals and is committed to providing a fair and comprehensive compensation package, which includes:

• Base Annual Salary: $100,000 - $110,000
• A generous and flexible vacation policy, including holidays and office closures for Wellness Weeks the last week of December and first week of July 
• 100% employer-funded comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage for you (80% employer-funded coverage for dependents)
• Flexible spending account benefits (healthcare, dependent care, and commuter)
• 401(K) retirement plan and 4% employer match - eligibility to participate after one year of service

Hybrid Working Policy

Currently, all COOP team members work remotely and attend a monthly in-person coworking and team-building day at our partner spaces:

• New York City: Union Square
• Bay Area:  San Francisco Embarcadero
• Chicago: Downtown / The Loop
• Los Angeles: Downtown

Residency Policy

All employees must reside within commuting distance (approximately two hours) of a COOP program site located in the following cities: Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, Bay Area, and within the states of CA, CT, IL, NJ or NY.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

COOP provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, or genetics. We seek to build a diverse staff representative of the communities we serve. All qualified applicants are strongly encouraged to apply.