Data & Research Manager

Opportunity 180 Introduction:

In a sentence: Opportunity 180 is seeking to ensure every kid in Nevada graduates from high school college and career-ready, prepared to live the life they dream. The organization is entering Year 4 of its ambitious 10-year goal to ensure 100,000 more students have access to a high-quality education in their neighborhood, including investing in the great ideas and new learning environments of more than 650 current and future education leaders and bringing $100M into the market to create the conditions for great schools to thrive. 

The current landscape: In Nevada, despite a nearly 82% statewide graduation rate, less than 1 in 5 high school students is on grade level in math and less than half are on grade level in English Language Arts. Opportunity 180 seeks to partner with the broader community to lead both practice-based and policy-centered solutions to the State’s persistent educational challenges, and to do so by unifying around a common vision for success based on evidence and data. This requires a coordinated effort to align around a single North Star and deploy sustainable strategies to ensure efforts to meet the educational needs of kids can launch and thrive. 

To meet these ambitious goals and build the conditions needed to strengthen and amplify our work, we are seeking a Data and Research Manager who will turn data into information, information into insight, and insight into actionable next steps for community partners and stakeholders.

For more information, visit Opportunity180.org.

Role Snapshot:

LEAD the organization’s Good Data work through primary administration, updates, and utilization of the Great Schools All Kids Data Portal

DRIVE initiatives and understanding around using data as a common language for decision making among families, policymakers, and other stakeholders

SUPPORT the implementation of key strategic practices, processes, and systems to reach our goals

The role breakdown: 

• 65% data storytelling, data analysis, research, reporting, visualization and data usage
• 20% technical writing for storytelling and driving community commitment to the O180 North Star
• 15% administration, team support and team development in data usage

The Data & Research Manager at Opportunity 180 will serve as an integral member of the organization’s team, with the specific objectives to:

• Serve as the project lead for the Great Schools All Kids Data Portal, including annual and periodic updates, database management, and reporting
• Maintain a database for organizational key performance indicators 
• Support usability, comfortability, and user-friendliness of data for organizational stakeholders and translate complex data sets into actionable and meaningful information
• Work collaboratively with team members to use data to inform decision-making and communicate impact and community needs 

Essential Functions and Responsibilities:

• Lead the day-to-day work of the Great Schools All Kids Data Portal, including major annual updates, periodic updates, and data verification
• Generate reports and respond to data requests, including but not limited to district reporting for elected officials, presentations, legislative testimony and presentations, and miscellaneous requests for data from team members and external partners 
• Create data visualizations that clearly articulate trends, takeaways, and key points of the data and implement these visualizations into appropriate context (presentations, blogs, website content, etc.)
• Manage the platform for O180’s online board matching portal, including content moderation and report generation
• Maintain the organization’s knowledge base of external reports, studies, and data sources
• Analyze national K-12 education data trends and performance to contextualize Nevada’s performance and key takeaways from the data 
• Maintain and update organizational tools for KPIs relating to high-quality seats, school leaders/talent, investments, and impact to inform internal program evaluation
• Manage and design the reporting environment, including identifying and vetting data sources, security, and metadata
• Support initiatives for data integrity
• Define new data collection and analysis processes and designing accompanying technical guidance and process documentation
• Provide technical expertise to team members and external stakeholders

What you offer:

• Strong background in data analysis and analytics, including data models and reporting packages
• Ability to analyze large datasets
• Ability and willingness to own high-priority tasks and projects with minimal guidance and adherence to tight deadlines 
• Sound judgment and ability to manage confidential information with tact and integrity 
• Ability to translate technical terms and jargon into nontechnical lay terms
• Strong project management skills with attention to detail and the ability to drive to completion

Qualifications

The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required to perform this job. 

• High-level experience in methodologies and processes for managing complex data sets
• BA/BS or qualified experience in computer science, information systems, and data management
• Expertise in Excel, Google Sheets, and other spreadsheet software
• Understanding of data manipulation techniques, such as pivot tables
• Ability to conduct research using qualitative and quantitative methods 
• High-level written and verbal communication
• Experience with presentation software (PowerPoint, Google Slides, etc.)

Preferred Qualifications

• Previous experience in managing or analyzing education performance data
• Previous success in leading and managing qualitative and quantitative research projects and communicating the impact of those projects effectively
• Nimble business mind with a focus on developing creative solutions
• Understanding and familiarity with MySQL

Certificates, Licenses, Registrations: A current Nevada State-issued Driver’s License and current automobile insurance coverage, including automobile registration.

Compensation & Benefits:

• The salary range for this position is $65k - $79k
• We offer excellent benefits, including a 401K plan, 100% coverage of medical and dental insurance with 50% coverage for dependents, opportunities for local and national personal and professional development, generous PTO, and relocation if needed
• Flexible work culture where we work from the office at least 2 days a week and from home the remainder of the week with the exception of in-person team meetings and programming.

Physical Demands: 

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to stand; walk; sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; talk or hear; on occasion, climb or balance; stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl.  The employee is occasionally required to lift up to 25 pounds.  The vision requirements include close vision, distance vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.

Work Environment:  

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally exposed to excessive heat, and wet and/or humid outside conditions.  The noise level in the environment is moderate and at times, high.

Note: This job description in no way states or implies that these are the only duties to be performed by the employee in this position. Scheduled hours may change based on business needs.  Employees will be required to follow any other job-related instructions and to perform any other job-related duties requested by any person authorized to give instructions or assignments. All duties and responsibilities are essential functions and requirements and are subject to possible modification to reasonably accommodate individuals with disabilities. To perform this job successfully, the incumbents will possess the skills, aptitudes, and abilities to perform each duty proficiently. Some requirements may exclude individuals who pose a direct threat or significant risk to the health or safety of themselves or others. The requirements listed in this document are the minimum levels of knowledge, skills, or abilities. This document does not create an employment contract, implied or otherwise, other than an “at-will” relationship.

The company is an Equal Opportunity Employer, drug-free workplace, and complies with ADA regulations as applicable.