Director, Research & Insights

 

About JFF 

Jobs for the Future (JFF) drives transformation of the U.S. education and workforce systems to achieve economic advancement for all. Seeing that millions of people are unfairly shut out of quality jobs and the chance for a better life, our goal is to align education, workforce, and employment changemakers toward a shared North Star: By 2033, 75 million people facing systemic barriers to advancement will work in quality jobs.  

To achieve that goal, we design solutions, scale best practices, influence policy and action, and invest in innovation. With a staff of more than 200 people across the country working remotely and in offices in Boston (headquarters), Washington, DC, and Oakland, California, we operate at the national, state, and local levels, forging deep partnerships with employers, investors, entrepreneurs, policymakers, and education and workforce development providers to break down barriers and reimagine what’s possible.   

We’re on a path of ongoing growth and expanding impact. We have an operating budget of $105 million, and we’re funded by dozens of leading government agencies, foundations, and corporations. Learn more about JFF and join us as we build a future that works—for everyone.  

 

Equal Employment Opportunity at JFF  

Inclusion, belonging, and well-being are core to JFF’s North Star and mission, and we seek to invest in and learn from those who represent the communities we serve as it is important to the success of our work and the engagement of our staff members. We aim to cultivate a culture that centers the overall care, well-being, and success of the employee through flexible work hours, balanced workloads, professional development, and career advancement opportunities for all. 

JFF is a fair chance employer and in alignment to our North Star, we hire based on qualifications, and experience, and we are committed to fair opportunity for all qualified candidates – including those without a 4-year degree or formally incarnated individuals. 

 

About the Position 

JFF is seeking a Director, Research & Insights to lead and strengthen our enterprise-wide impact measurement systems and data infrastructure. This role is ideal for a leader who thrives at the intersection of research rigor, data strategy, and organizational learning. The Director will support and lead major initiatives including the American Job Quality Survey (AJQS) and North Star measurement, State Impact Strategy, and the development of an AI–powered research repository that centralizes data and insights across JFF. 

The Director will also support research activities on select funded projects, and contribute to fundraising and proposal development to expand JFF’s research portfolio. 

 

What You'll Do: 

 

Support JFF’s Job Quality Measurement and North Star Efforts 

• Provide technical guidance on survey design, analysis, and interpretation to our external research partners 

• Analyze a large, complex dataset on job quality to answer enterprise inquiries and elevate intriguing findings to support strategic decision making.  

• Define and implement a process for internal data use, including repository integration, access protocols, and sensemaking across business units (BUs). 

• Facilitate Business Unit (BU)-specific work sessions and targeted discussions to help leaders apply AJQS data within their portfolios. 

• Align job quality measurement with JFF’s North Star impact drivers, ensuring internal alignment and contribution to our impact platform 

 

Oversee Reporting for State Impact Strategy 

• Lead data analysis related to JFF’s State Impact strategy, ensuring consistency, rigor, and relevance across workstreams. 

• Reporting data to produce actionable insights that inform organizational strategy, investment priorities, and storytelling. 

• Recalibrate and re-score system maturity indicators on a defined cycle, synthesizing updated state-level evidence to track progress across employer, education, government, and population domains 

• Apply contribution-based frameworks to assess organizational influence on system change, drawing defensible conclusions from incomplete or lagging data without overclaiming causation 

• Analyze ecosystem behavior change to distinguish between organizational activity outputs and meaningful shifts in how state-level actors engage with workforce systems 

• Partner with state leads and internal leadership to pressure-test measurement logic, identify gaps in the evidence chain, and maintain framework integrity as strategies evolve 

• Skilled at navigating multiple stakeholders with competing priorities including funders, internal teams, state partners, and external experts — and building the trust and shared understanding needed to move research and decision-making forward. 

 

Advance Business Development and Proposal Strategy 

• Partner with colleagues to develop proposals, concept notes, and funder materials, translating complex research and measurement work into compelling narratives. 

• Lead or co-lead sections of proposals that require research design, evaluation plans, or measurement frameworks. 

• Support funder cultivation by contributing data-informed insights, storytelling, and briefings. 

 

Support Research Activities on Funded Projects 

• Oversee or advise on select research activities, ensuring methodological quality and alignment with JFF’s priorities. 

• Collaborate with internal teams and external partners to co-design studies  

• Synthesize and share findings with internal and external audiences to drive learning and influence the field. 

 

Who You Are  

The qualifications listed within the job description are intended as a guide and we do not expect candidates to bring all experiences and skills listed. Research supports that self-selecting out of potential professional opportunities is particularly common among individuals with identities that are marginalized in professional spaces. So, if you believe that you can meet the overall expectations of the position, we encourage you to apply so that we have an opportunity to learn more about you and the unique strengths you would bring to the work. 

 

• Experienced researcher and systems thinker with at least 12 years of experience in applied research, evaluation, or data strategy within education, workforce, or social impact settings. 

• Skilled in both quantitative and qualitative research and analysis, with demonstrated ability to design and interpret surveys, analyze large datasets, and synthesize qualitative data (e.g., interviews, focus groups, open-ended feedback) into actionable insights. 

• Experience with various data collection, data analytic, and data visualization tools (e.g. Baserow, Domo, Alchemer, SPSS, etc).  

• Adept at integrating mixed-methods findings and working with external research partners to tell cohesive stories about program impact and organizational learning. 

• Demonstrated success leading enterprise-level data infrastructure or research systems that drive strategy and performance improvement. 

• Deep understanding of impact measurement frameworks, performance indicators, and data governance practices. 

• Experienced in solution research including concept testing, user research, market analysis, and translating field insights into viable product hypotheses is optional but a plus 

• Ability to deal with ambiguity, and manage multiple stakeholders 

• Exceptional communicator who can translate complex data into compelling narratives for technical and non-technical audiences alike. 

• Proven experience managing and mentoring high-performing teams and fostering inclusive, collaborative, and learning-oriented environments. 

• Strong writing and proposal development skills, with experience contributing to concept papers, RFPs, and funder deliverables. 

• Commitment to JFF’s mission of equitable economic advancement and enthusiasm for leveraging data and insights to drive measurable impact. 

• Operates with a growth mindset and high standards. You’re agile, creative, and equity-centered, with a disciplined yet flexible approach to execution.  

• Is deeply aligned with JFF’s mission, vision, and values, and committed to advancing JFF’s performance and people management principles in all aspects of your work.  

 

What We Offer 

At JFF, we’re fueled by the desire to create a world where everyone has equal opportunity for economic advancement. Our team works hard to push the boundaries of what is possible, and in return, we provide a gratifying work experience, competitive salaries, and a comprehensive benefits program that includes flexibility and choice as core values in order to support people wherever they are in their lives and careers. 

JFF has offices in Boston, Oakland, and Washington, DC; employees are welcome to use JFF office space to work in-person or hybrid, or completely remote. To improve the employee experience and promote productivity while working remotely, JFF offers an annual home office stipend to all regular full-time and part-time employees. In addition, new employees receive office equipment as needed. 

The hiring range for this role is $120,000 - $150,000 annually, in alignment to JFF’s Director II salary band and our compensation philosophy. Starting salaries for new hires will be determined based on a combination of the new hire’s relevant experience and market demands. 

 

To Apply 

As part of your application, please include your resume and a thoughtful cover letter, addressed to Nyema Mitchell outlining how your skills and experience meet the qualifications of the position. 

We are accepting applications through June 12, 2026. Applications submitted by that date will be reviewed, and candidates will receive updates on their candidacy by the following week. 

At JFF, we’re also committed to accessibility and want to ensure that everyone, including people with disabilities, can fully access and engage with our application and hiring process. If you are unable to complete this application due to a disability and/or have specific access/accommodation needs in order to fully participate in our hiring process, please contact us at hiringaccommodations@jff.org. 

Positions at JFF are not eligible for employer-visa sponsorship or open to F-1 student visa holders.