Director, Operations & Planning, What Works Cities

Organization: Results for America

Role: Director, Operations & Planning, What Works Cities

Location: Flexible, within the United States [Washington, DC preferred]

Organization Overview

Results for America (RFA) is the leading, national nonprofit organization helping policymakers at all levels of government harness the power of evidence and data to solve the world’s greatest challenges. Our mission is to make investing in what works the “new normal,” so that, one day, all government leaders use rigorous evidence and quality data to inform important policy and funding decisions. We believe that data-driven and evidence-based policy decisions should be used to increase the impact of the over $2 trillion that governments spend annually to open opportunities and advance economic mobility. 

Team Overview

At Results for America, one of our flagship local initiatives is What Works Cities (WWC), a Bloomberg Philanthropies funded an initiative that helps city governments across the country improve residents’ lives by using data and evidence effectively to tackle pressing challenges. To accomplish this, we work directly with city leaders and staff through coaching and implementation support, a range of online and in-person learning opportunities, and a growing professional network. This support is guided by What Works Cities Certification, the first-ever international standard of excellence for data-driven, well-managed local government.

What Works Cities Certification assesses cities based on their data-driven decision-making practices, such as whether they are using data to set goals and track progress, allocate funding, evaluate the effectiveness of programs, and achieve desired outcomes from contracts with outside vendors. The program also measures whether cities are publicly and transparently communicating about their use of data and evidence. By aspiring toward Certification and implementing the best practices outlined in the program’s criteria, cities across the country are more effectively delivering results for residents. What Works Cities Certification also serves as an international recognition program, which celebrates and accelerates the use of data and evidence in local governments by rewarding achievements and providing a clear path to excellence. Since our launch in 2015, we have helped more than 300 cities make progress on their most pressing issues, from health and public safety to homelessness and blight.

With the upcoming 10 year anniversary of What Works Cities, the initiative is entering an exciting phase. The initiative will continue to scale throughout North, Central and South America, adding to the milestone 100 Certified city total, while exploring other regional markets. The initiative is designing new and innovative ways for cities to engage and build capacity within the WWC network from starting their path towards Certification to deeper engagement with Certified cities. The focus will be on how to ensure the What Works Cities Standard and its corresponding Criteria and best practices related to good, well managed local government are elevated globally, embedded into key institutions as well as continues to refine its model based on consistent research and evaluation. 

Position Overview

The Director of Operations and Planning will be an integral part of the What Works Cities team, serving as a key strategic advisor to the Managing Director of What Works Cities. The responsibilities of this position include driving strategic cross-team initiatives, optimizing operational efficiencies and ensuring effective communication across a growing team. Specifically, this position will lead the tracking of strategic goals and priorities ensuring key milestones and metrics are on target, while assisting with trouble shooting roadblocks. Lead the design and implementation of a new team-wide operational plan that centralizes key administrative functions (contracting, budgeting, and hiring) while directly supporting team members with the same. This position will also be the lead on the systems and platform design of What Works Cities’ digital products ensuring both an internal and external user experience as What Works Cities continues to scale. This role requires an experienced change management leader, with strong leadership skills, problem solving acumen, entrepreneurial and innovative thinking; while possessing solid interpersonal skills.

Travel up to 30-40% annually may be required.

This is a full time, exempt position, based in a home office anywhere within the U.S.

Position Reporting Relationship

The Director, Operations & Planning, WWC reports to the Managing Director, WWC while working closely with other functional leads within the What Works Cities team. 

The Director, Operations & Planning, WWC will have 2 direct reports, and a dotted line to the Associate, What Works Cities.

Position Responsibilities

Teamwide Tracking and Execution of Strategic Plan (40%)

• Collaborate with the Managing Director and team leads to develop and refine strategic goals and metrics, as well as routinely review team-wide priorities 
• Facilitate, track and assist with execution of WWC’s phase 4 strategy; ensuring that annual metrics align with the team structure and project management tools to enable the WWC staff to do their most impactful work 
• Provide high level decision support to the Managing Director through analysis, forecasting, and recommendations 
• Strengthen visibility and communication across the WWC team by ensuring cross-team awareness of work streams, deliverables, key milestones and roles as well as responsibilities 
• Pinpoint, prioritize & helm cross-WWC team planning to improve core WWC business processes 
• Identify & lead planning to ensure cross-WWC team knowledge sharing and training opportunities

Cross-Team Operations, Executive Support and Communications (30%) 

• Establish, manage, & run agendas for internal team Quarterly events and weekly meetings; manage ongoing WWC team internal communications to ensure strategic coherence across all WWC teams and RFA teams. 
• Lead day-to-day oversight of WWC operations and liaise with specific RFA administrative functions to ensure alignment, efficiency and effectiveness of WWC, as needed
• Manage all WWC contract management (full lifecycle - launch, renewal, close out) in compliance with funder requirements and org financial policies & procedures. With assistance from team leads on key inputs and relationship management. 
• Assist with tracking WWC’s annual and grant budgets, including monthly P&L reviews, budget variance analysis, and mid-year re-forecast budgeting decisions. Directly supporting the Managing Director with analysis, timeline reviews and key milestones. 
• Manage & liaises with WWC team leadership and RFA’s Talent team to ensure quality completion of hiring, onboarding and staff performance review cycles (mid year and EOY annual) 
• Assist the Managing Director with annual and routine performance management cycles; as needed. 
• Provide oversight on the Managing Directors schedule including travel and speaking engagement commitments. Ensuring effective and efficient time management as well as development of key material to execute on the same. 
• Complete special projects and initiatives assigned by the WWC Managing Director

Teamwide User-Experience Lead (20%)

• Oversees the internal and external WWC tech and digital infrastructure systems to enable both a unified City and staff user experience 
• Manage an  AD, [title TBD] to develop & execute on the WWC’s Network/Community Forum product roadmap as well as 
• Manage a Senior Manager, Systems & Platform Administration to ensure strong user service across WWC’s platforms for tracking as well as activity implementation (Saleforce, Assessment Portal, Partner Portal )
• Collaborates with WWC senior leaders and RFA counterparts (on the Tech & Info Systems team) to identify and  share best practices related to  data management to ensure efficient collection, storage, usage practices

Team Management and Development (10%) 

• Assisting the Managing Director with ensuring a strong, cohesive, collegial, inclusive What Works Cities team culture
• Lead the Ops & Planning team by building a strong team culture that effectively  models exemplary people and project managerial skills 
• Serve as an enterprise leader, championing diverse teams and modeling RFA’s values.

Experience, Competencies, and Qualifications 

The ideal candidate will have the following qualifications, as well as an alignment with Results for America’s mission and organizational values:

Experiences:

• 12+ years of relevant work experience and Bachelors degree
• Masters degree (MBA/MPP/MPA) preferred
• Work experience within government (federal, state, and/or county/city levels) 
• Experience supervising two or more FTEs
• At least 5 years experience supervising staff
• Prior experience setting, forecasting & managing annual program budgets (multi-million)
• History of designing and developing strategies, objectives, and plans
• Proven performance of successfully implementing plans
• Ability to adapt and adjust to unplanned variables
• Experience maintaining organizational assets/records/knowledge base
• Demonstrated ability leading/supervising a department
• Strong project management skills, with a high detail orientation and a demonstrable track record as an implementer who thrives on managing a variety of initiatives concurrently 
• Experience as a thought partner with executive-level leadership and stewarding change management initiatives 
• Prior experience with systems and platform management and/or design a plus
• Experience interacting with executive-level leadership
• A commitment to Results for America’s mission and vision, and
• Respect for Results for America’s organizational values.

Competencies:

• A track record of leading large-scale group projects & milestones to deadlines and successful outcomes
• Proven ability to prioritize and delegate tasks effectively in a fast-paced environment 
• Strong oral and written communication skills 
• Excellent interpersonal skills, proficient at influencing others and building trust at all stakeholder levels  
• Critical thinker and proactive planner; grounds plans and decisions in data/evidence, and  
• Solutions oriented, anticipates challenges and models problem solving for others.

Salary and Benefits

Results for America offers a compensation package that includes:   

• A competitive base salary commensurate with relevant work experience; and
• A benefits package that includes choice in medical plans; dental/vision coverage; paid time off; a 403b retirement plan with employer contribution.  

The salary range for this position is $147,041 - $191,386.

New hires are typically brought into the organization at a salary between the range minimum and the salary range midpoint depending on qualifications, internal equity, and the budgeted amount for the role.   

How to Apply

• To apply for this position, please complete and submit all information in the application.
• RFA is an equal opportunity employer that values/celebrates diversity and that follows a policy of making all employment decisions and personnel actions without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, marital status, partnership status, personal appearance, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information, family responsibilities, matriculation, political affiliation, disability, status as a victim of domestic violence, sexual offenses or stalking, military status, veteran status or any other category protected under federal, state or local law.
• Applicants for employment with RFA must have valid work authorization that does not require sponsorship of a visa for employment authorization in the U.S.