Reports to: Vice President of Policy and Federal Advocacy
FLSA Status: Salaried, Exempt

Organization Overview
The Alliance for Excellent Education is a national policy, research, and advocacy organization. Its mission is is to promote high school transformation to make it possible for every child to graduate prepared for postsecondary education and success in life.  The Alliance develops and advocates for research-based national and federal policies that support effective secondary school reform.  Specifically, we aim to assure that high standards, aligned to college- and work-readiness, are in place in all schools and that students are provided with the supports they need to attain academic success.  Our efforts are based on the premise that, if given the right environment and tools, every student can achieve.

Position Summary
The Director of Research will be responsible for developing, implementing, and coordinating all research projects at the Alliance for Excellent Education (the Alliance) to help develop and inform federal secondary school policy. S/he will also identify promising new reform ideas, conduct analysis of educational data and programs, design and implement research projects, and develop and write compelling policy papers in a variety of lengths and formats, often with authorship attribution. S/he will serve as the day-to-day program manager for most Alliance publications and will be responsible for ensuring the Alliance uses the most accurate and high-quality research and statistics in the development and communication of policy. S/he will have the opportunity to work with a diverse array of nationally renowned researchers, practitioners, and policymakers, and will be responsible for managing many of the relationships with these advisors. The successful candidate must have outstanding organizational and planning skills, a high level of vision and detail orientation, and excellent written and oral communication skills including demonstrated ability to communicate complex research and data points in lay terms. The Director will supervise two research assistants and work closely with Alliance staff and stakeholders to ensure a strong evidentiary basis for the Alliance’s advocacy and policy work.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities

- Develop and implement a strong program of research and analysis to advance national high school reform policy.

- Collaborate with Alliance staff on policy development and advocacy.

- Conceptualize, author, and/or manage the writing of reports, fact sheets, briefs, and other publications, including the research necessary to develop them, that may be published by the Alliance or placed in other organizations' publications or in other media.

- Ensure the data and research accuracy of all Alliance publications.

- Work with the director of development to raise funds that will further the Alliance’s research and policy goals and ensure that funder requirements are met.

- Stay abreast of the most salient research, emerging policy trends, and best practices in the high school arena.

Qualifications:

- Postgraduate degree required. Doctorate preferred.

- Experience in the field of education research, ideally with a focus on urban education, school reform and/or secondary schools. Experience as a classroom teacher highly desirable.

- Demonstrated skill and experience in using qualitative and quantitative research designs and methodologies. Record of high-quality research and publications in relevant field.

- Ability to prepare and present reports, proposals, and data analyses.

- Demonstrated success in program development, project management, and grant management. 

- People and process management experience in a fast-paced, team-oriented, entrepreneurial environment.

- Success in at least one major institute or organization with high work standards and performance.

- Excellent written and oral communication skills a must.

Please send cover letter and resume to jobs@all4ed.org, or mail to Alliance for Excellent Education, Attn: Vice President, Finance & Administration, 1201 Connecticut Avenue, NW, Suite 901, Washington, DC 20036. No phone calls please.

The Alliance for Excellent Education is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to fostering a diverse and multicultural work environment. The Alliance welcomes applications from all qualified candidates without regard to race, color, religion, creed, gender, national origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, veteran or any other category protected by law.