Invest in What Works Senior Fellow

Organization: Results for America

Role: Invest in What Works Senior Fellow

Location: Flexible, within the United States 

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 could significantly increase the impact of the over $2 trillion that governments spend annually to improve economic mobility outcomes for all residents.

Team Overview

RFA has organized a “practice” at every level of government: federal, state, and local.  Results for America’s State Practice Team:

• Sets Standards of Excellence that outline how government leaders can deliver better outcomes for all residents by using data and evidence in budget, policy, and management decisions; 
• Provides technical assistance support and coaching for state government leaders to implement best practices that enable their local partners to effectively adopt evidence-based solutions that address local needs and produce positive population outcomes for all residents; 
• Builds momentum for investing in what works by celebrating successful governments and government leaders through events, media, and other avenues. 

Position Overview

This temporary, 2-year position inspires and guides government partners in using data and evidence and in aligning public resources to produce economic mobility outcomes by working full-time within a state government (as an RFA employee). This position is funded by external grant sources and is contingent upon the continued availability of such funding. Employment is for the duration of the grant period only.

Travel up to 20% 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 position reports to the VP/State Practice Lead. The position works very closely with the Director, State Practice along with the Associate, State Practice to coordinate engagements with government officials. This position also works closely with junior staff on other RFA Teams to ensure technical assistance to state government officials is timely, relevant, and impactful. For the purposes of state implementation support, this position will report to a senior leadership role within the Office of the Secretary, Maryland Department of Budget and Management.

Position Responsibilities

State Implementation Support (90%) 

• Embed within a central state government agency, at a senior level, to serve as the statewide lead evidence expert; serve as the evidence implementation coach to two additional agency heads and their teams; 
• Accountable for leading the successful implementation and delivery of technical assistance in a state government  –  with an annual budget of $10’s of billions and agencies with grants valued at $100’s of millions – and shifting government funds to evidence-based efforts;
• Build and maintain relationships with state officials in order to enable RFA to understand their needs and design and deliver useful implementation support; 
• Creatively and strategically deliver content and curriculum, rooted in State Standard of Excellence criteria, for implementation support for state partners; and
• Provide tailored coaching to help state leaders to advance their evidence-based practices, including defining and prioritizing evidence of effectiveness in state budget processes and grant programs including: Improving strategies, materials, presentations, curriculum, communications, and other engagement resources based on feedback collected from the RFA team, partner organizations, and key government partners.
• Establish and implement program impact metrics and mechanisms for tracking, including those that may require partner reporting; 

Internal Coordination, Impact Tracking, and Alignment (10%) 

• Ensure team efforts are in seamless alignment with RFA’s shared goals; 
• Contribute to RFA-wide initiatives including North Star Goals, Standards of Excellence, and impact story telling.
• Participate in State Team and All Team meetings.
• Track progress on key milestones to support funder management and reporting. 
• Weekly meetings with VP/State Practice lead to coordinate state implementation support.

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:

Experience and Qualifications:

• 12+ years of relevant work experience and Bachelors degree
• At least six years of relevant work experience in local, state, or federal government is required;
• At least four years experience leading agency-wide or government-wide budgeting and/or grantmaking processes is required; and
• Thorough understanding of using evidence in the budgeting and/or grantmaking processes as a strategy to improve outcomes is required.
• Experience directly or indirectly supervising two or more FTEs, ideally, 2-3 years experience in managing consultants, staff, or teams, including undergraduate and graduate-level interns
• Track record of developing and overseeing program budgets
• History of designing and developing strategies, objectives, 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
• Experience interacting with executive-level leadership in executive and legislative branches of government, and
• A track record of producing results in government, and expertise in public budgeting, grantmaking, use of data and evidence, project management, communication, and relationship management. 

Competencies:

• Outstanding project management skills, including a strong capacity to manage and coordinate simultaneous projects and successfully prioritize multiple tasks
• Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail, with the ability to establish and implement systems to achieve goals
• Strong people and partnership management skills, including the ability to diffuse conflict and participate in complex management and reporting structures
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, able to produce clear, concise, and compelling narratives through a combination of expert prose, use of data, graphics, and engaging storytelling
• Advanced skills in Microsoft Office and/or Google Suite software
• Highly independent and accountable, with the ability to efficiently complete many complicated tasks without close supervision (e.g., in a remote office arrangement)
• A commitment to Results for America’s mission and vision
• Respect for Results for America’s organizational values, and
• Able to work across a virtual and in-person team, and with government partners across the country.

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 all information in the application link.

RFA is an equal opportunity employer that values 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.