Measurement and Evaluation Practice Area Senior Director

About WestEd

As a community of over 1,400 researchers, practitioners, consultants, and administrative professionals from all backgrounds and life experiences, we are committed to making a qualitative difference in the lives of youth, children, and adults. We conduct and apply research, develop evidence-based solutions, and provide consulting services across the country in both rural and urban communities to improve equitable outcomes for individuals from infancy through adulthood. Serving as trusted partners in the areas of education, health, and justice, our teams enhance capacity within communities and school districts to prioritize impact - asking the right questions, customizing methodologies, developing relevant tools, and implementing best practices specific to a diverse range of stakeholder needs.

WestEd supports individual initiative, excellence, and hard work of all individuals in our hiring and work practices. WestEd complies with all applicable federal and state anti-discrimination laws, as well as OFCCP requirements. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to disability, or status as a protected veteran.

SPECIAL NOTICE REGARDING THE WORK LOCATION OF THIS POSITION-Although WestEd provides the option of working at one of its facilities for employees, many roles allow employees to choose to work remotely for their own convenience. The decision to allow remote work at the employee's convenience is based on the requirements of the position or project in question.

Practice Area Brief Description

The Mobility and Measurement Center at WestEd strengthens interconnected systems that support human development and opportunity across the lifespan. We use rigorous assessment, evaluation, and data analytics to inform the development of aligned pathways across educational institutions, employers, communities, and other systems that promote safety, well-being, economic mobility, and opportunities for all learners and community members. The Center includes two Practice Areas: Economic Mobility and Data Systems, and Measurement and Evaluation. The Senior Director will lead this latter practice area.

Position Overview
The Measurement and Evaluation Practice Area houses WestEd's extensive portfolio of assessment and evaluation projects. Both portfolios are diverse, with our assessment work ranging from relatively small formative assessment projects with school districts to large state summative assessment programs. Our assessment team includes psychometricians and researchers who design and implement innovative assessment solutions and conduct rigorous research. Similarly, our evaluation portfolio includes projects ranging from relatively small-scale evaluations of individual programs and services to large, multi-year evaluations of major educational initiatives. The Practice Area senior director role is anticipated to require up to 25%-30% time towards business development for the Center and possibly up to 15% time towards management, quality, and impact activities within the Practice Area and Center. The remainder of their time will be spent leading high quality high impact projects. Practice Area leaders build a strong pipeline and growth trajectory for their designated Practice Areas and contribute to development and refinement of their Center's strategy. They will:

1. Lead Practice Area initiatives to grow business in alignment with agency priorities and strategic objectives.
2. Cultivate and maintain strategic relationships with key clients, partners, and stakeholders.
3. Meet or exceed new contract value targets established for the Practice Area through proactive business development activities including proposals, networking, and building eminence.
4. Monitor market trends and the competitive landscape to identify trends and opportunities, shape offerings and services, and inform strategic direction for the Center.
5. Provide insight and recommendations to inform business planning - ensuring objectives and revenue goals are achieved.
6. Collaborate with members of the Center leadership team to innovate and enhance WestEd's ability to offer its clients higher quality and greater impact through its service offerings.

Project Management
The Practice Area leaders ensure that systemic practices are implemented consistently to meet standards for effective business management. They are responsible for the
following:

1. Lead and oversee project teams in meeting scope, budget, and schedule commitments while maintaining high-quality deliverables.
2. Monitor and achieve agency and performance measures.
3. Model and implement WestEd's quality and impact standards.
4. Ensure project documentation, reporting, and compliance processes are consistently followed.
5. Make data-driven decisions for staffing and resource allocations within the Practice Areas.

In addition to Practice Area leadership, this role includes agencywide strategic leadership for one or more areas of strategic importance to agency results. In this capacity, the Practice Area, Senior Directors will be responsible for the following:

1. Guide agency strategy in one or more areas to build WestEd's brand, impact, and achieve results.
2. Cultivate strong networks and build national reputation that contributes to positioning WestEd as a strategic influencer and high-impact partner to the field.
3. Build internal capacity to successfully follow through with opportunities to grow WestEd's impact and growth.
4. Participate in agency-level strategic planning.

*Note: Visa sponsorship is not available for this position. Successful candidates must be authorized to work in the United States.

WestEd conducts a criminal background check and education verification for all new hires. Any offers of employment will be contingent on receiving a clear background check in accordance with applicable law.

SALARY AND BENEFITS:
The full salary range for this position, WestEd level 15, is $185,600 to $290,000, but WestEd does not typically hire at or near the top of the salary range. The typical hiring range for this role is $185,600 to $232,000. The actual offer considers multiple factors, including but not limited to education, experience, internal equity, and other organizational needs.

In addition to the base salary, benefits include:

* 15% contribution toward retirement effective day 1 of employment
* Pre-tax Flexible Spending Accounts
* All health/welfare benefits are effective the first of the month following the hire date
* PTO: 3 weeks' vacation (increases to 4 weeks beginning the 4th year of employment), paid holidays, and 12 days paid sick leave per year
* Life Insurance: value of 3x gross salary
* Opportunities for annual merit-based performance increases + annual incentives
* Professional development opportunities & mentorship program

For more details about our benefits, go to: https://www.wested.org/work-at-wested/#benefits

WestEd is a Drug Free Employer and maintains a drug-free workplace. #LI-DNI #Circa-DNI

Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities

The contractor will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the contractor's legal duty to furnish information. 41 CFR 60-1.35(c)