Senior Manager, Evaluation & Research

About Junior Achievement USA®
Junior Achievement is education for what’s next. As a strategic partner working in collaboration with educators, employers, investors, leaders, and the communities they serve, we are dedicated to helping students achieve academically today and economically tomorrow. As a leader in experiential learning operating on a national scale with over a century of experience, we are driving toward lasting change. This means ensuring a generation of students has the transferable skills and competencies needed to navigate a rapidly changing world. By delivering career-connected learning, we are invested in accelerating economic mobility through education. By helping students become confident, capable, and connected today, we can ensure they have access to opportunity-filled futures tomorrow. Junior Achievement reaches more than 4.6 million students annually across nearly 100 U.S. markets, and is part of JA Worldwide, which serves over 19.9 million students in more than 100 countries. Learn more at www.ja.org. 

Position Summary 

Junior Achievement USA (JA USA) is seeking a Senior Manager, Evaluation & Research to support the organization's evaluation, assessment, and research initiatives. Reporting directly to the Vice President of Evaluation & Research, this role is responsible for designing and carrying out quantitative and qualitative evaluations that help JA USA understand the effectiveness and impact of its educational programs and learning experiences, assessments, and strategic initiatives. The position develops research designs, evaluation methods, assessment instruments, and data collection processes that support both formative and summative evaluation efforts. It also involves analyzing complex datasets, identifying meaningful trends and outcomes, and translating the results into practical information that supports program improvement, strategic planning, grant reporting, and organizational decision-making. 

A significant part of the role involves communicating evaluation findings in ways that are clear, accurate, and useful to a variety of audiences. The individual will prepare reports, presentations, dashboards, and other data summaries for organizational leaders, internal teams, and JA Area Offices. The position also provides training, consultation, and technical support related to evaluation practices, survey administration, assessment methodologies, and the use of JA USA's assessment administration methods and platforms, including D2L, SurveyMonkey, and paper-based assessment instruments.  Success in the role requires the ability to explain technical concepts to non-technical audiences, to work collaboratively with colleagues and stakeholders who have different levels of evaluation experience and communicate the story of JA USA’s mission-related impact in a clear and compelling manner. 

​​​Essential Functions 

• Design and conduct quantitative and qualitative evaluations that measure the effectiveness and impact of JA USA educational programs, assessments, and strategic initiatives 
• Develop and implement evaluation methodologies, research designs, assessment instruments, and data collection processes that support formative and summative evaluation efforts 
• Analyze quantitative and qualitative data using statistical software and other analytical tools to identify trends, evaluate outcomes, and inform organizational decision-making 
• Prepare reports, presentations, dashboards, and other data summaries that communicate evaluation findings clearly and support organizational learning, strategic planning, and decision-making 
• Deliver consultation, training, and technical support related to evaluation practices, survey administration, assessment methodologies, and JA USA assessment platforms 
• Develop, maintain, and improve evaluation resources, datasets, coding documentation, reporting tools, and internal research processes to support operational excellence and data integrity 
• Design and validate assessment instruments that meet established validity and reliability standards while supporting continuous improvement of JA USA's measurement systems 
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to support research initiatives, organizational reporting, grant-related evaluation efforts, and strategic planning activities 
• Support the ongoing development of internal business processes, departmental communications, knowledge management resources, and evaluation documentation 
• Perform additional evaluation, research, and organizational support responsibilities as assigned 

Required Qualifications 

• Master's degree in quantitative methods, statistics, educational research, evaluation, social sciences, or a related field emphasizing quantitative and qualitative research methodologies 
• Minimum of 3-5 years of professional experience conducting program evaluation, educational research, or applied research within education, nonprofit, or related environments 
• Demonstrated experience designing and implementing quantitative and qualitative research methodologies 
• Experience developing assessment instruments, conducting statistical analyses, and interpreting research findings 
• Strong written, verbal, presentation, and data storytelling skills, including the ability to communicate technical research findings to audiences with varying levels of evaluation experience 
• Proficiency using statistical software such as R, SPSS, SAS, or comparable analytical platforms 
• Advanced Microsoft Office skills, including Excel, Word, and PowerPoint 
• Strong written and verbal communication skills with the ability to deliver presentations, facilitate training, and consult with diverse stakeholders 
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple research projects simultaneously while maintaining exceptional attention to detail 
• Strong analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills with a commitment to continuous learning and process improvement 

Desired Qualifications 

• Doctoral degree (or ABD) in quantitative methods, statistics, educational research, program evaluation, or a related field 
• Experience evaluating K–12 educational programs, youth development initiatives, or nonprofit education organizations  
• Familiarity with Junior Achievement programming or similar youth-serving organizations 
• Knowledge of emerging educational research methodologies, K–12 education trends, and assessment practices 
• Experience creating dashboards, executive presentations, or other data visualization tools that communicate findings to diverse stakeholder groups 
• Experience supporting grant-funded research or evaluation projects 
• Experience developing dashboards, data visualizations, or interactive reporting tools 
• Experience training adult learners on research methodologies, assessment systems, or data platforms 

Compensation 

The base salary range for this position is $68,000 to $88,000 annually, with the exact salary depending on relevant experience, demonstrated impact, and alignment with the scope and responsibilities of the role. 

Benefits 

JA USA’s health care benefits provide coverage when needed—focusing on programs that support and encourage healthy living and your overall well-being. We offer medical, dental, vision, life insurance, long-term disability, holidays, paid time off, and 401(k). 

Our Commitment 

At JA USA, we believe that our success is directly tied to our ability to foster an environment where all individuals have access to opportunities and can thrive. We are deeply committed to creating a workplace where inclusion and belonging are not just principles but lived experiences. This commitment drives us to attract, develop, retain, and promote a workforce that mirrors the communities we serve, bringing together a wide range of perspectives, experiences, and talents. 

We embrace the unique contributions that every JA USA employee brings to our mission and encourage individuals from all backgrounds to join our team. By welcoming various voices, we continue to expand our understanding of the world, and we actively seek to elevate representation of different individual experiences and the perspectives they shape. 

We are dedicated to fostering an environment where everyone feels respected, valued, and heard—where people can be their authentic selves and know that they belong. This is how we build a workplace where every individual can succeed, and where we work together to create lasting impact for the young people and communities we serve. 

Additional Information 

JA USA does not provide sponsorship for employment visas for this position. All candidates must be legally authorized to work in the United States without the need for sponsorship, now or in the future. If this is a remote position, candidates must reside in and be authorized to work in the United States at the time of hire and throughout employment.