Director of Data and Evaluation

Job Title: Director of Data and Evaluation
Job Type: Full-Time
FLSA Classification: Exempt
Location: Hybrid in Bay Area, Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, or New York City
Desired Start Date: August 4th, 2025
Hiring Manager: Chief Program Officer

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.

Our intervention for underemployed graduates has produced compelling wage outcomes for thousands of first-generation and low-income grads in New York, California, Illinois, and Florida. 

Within 12 months of program completion, three-in-four COOP alumni are fully employed.

Learn more about COOP Careers’ here: 

• https://coopcareers.org/mission
• https://coopcareers.org/impact
   

Our Workplace

COOP is an alumni-led organization where we bring our authentic selves to work every day. Over 60% of our staff 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 three 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, Chicago, and Miami. We come together virtually each month to create space for collective learning and professional development, and regionally in-person each month to build connections. 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. As a team of one, 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 (30%)
  • Maintain and oversee Impact Data Entry & Quality SOPs (overall scope from outreach to outcomes)
    • 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 surface trends and insights to guide high-quality program delivery
  • 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
  • Generate key hypotheses, study designs and implementations
  • 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
• External Partnership Management (20%)
  • Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT) project management, training/support, data sharing, communication, and embargo oversight
  • 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
• 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
  • Supporting Talent team on staff talent development training around data integrity, collection and use 
• 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
  • Based on organizational needs and capacity, represent COOP at conferences or events
  • Contribute to thought leadership through white papers, blog posts, or other publications, sharing insights from our data-driven work

Required:

• 5+ 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 managing large or complex projects with excellent project management skills
• Demonstrated ability to provide technical assistance and support in the evaluation or delivery of nonprofit or educational programs, especially in workforce development, education, or youth empowerment

Preferred:

• Familiarity with randomized controlled trial (RCT) implementation
• Proficient in statistical software (e.g., Stata, R, SAS, SPSS) and SQL
• Skilled in using platforms such as Salesforce.com, survey tools, and business intelligence/visualization tools (e.g., PowerBI, Tableau)
• Proven capability in mentoring or guiding entry-level research and evaluation practitioners and data analysts, both formally and informally
• Adept at managing collaborations with third-party consultants, universities, and research firms

• Collaborator -  Works effectively within scaling, multi-site organizations with local and national stakeholders,
• Data Minded - Uses principles of effective data visualization to enhance messages and presentations to diverse audiences, including internal and external and potential funders
• Mission Driven & Equity Minded - Demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, equity-focused evaluation, as well as ethical research practices.
• Motivator of Others - Experience empowering non-evaluators to conduct evaluation activities
• Strategic Thinker - Smart, strategic thinker with effective, diplomatic, and proactive leadership skills, including the ability to manage up to more senior and executive-level leadership

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 - $120,000 (commensurate with experience)
• 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

COOP’s hybrid workplace strikes a thoughtful balance between at-home flexibility and in-person chemistry. Regular shared experience in person (structured and spontaneous) will enhance collaboration, strengthen existing relationships, and forge new ones within and across teams. Intentional, casual, and joyful moments together will infuse our culture with the sense of community that makes COOP unique and powerful and will collectively push us toward our shared purpose. 

Currently, all COOP team members are working remotely and attending a once-a-month in-person coworking and team-building day at our co-located space in lower Manhattan (Civic Hall, 124 E 14th St, New York, NY 10003) for NYC team members and in San Francisco (Swissnex, San Francisco Pier 17, The Embarcadero Suite 800, San Francisco, CA 94111) for Bay Area team members or a mutually convenient coworking location for our Los Angeles, Chicago, and Miami team members. 

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, Miami, New York, Bay Area, and within the states of CA, CT, FL, IL, IN, 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