Senior Research and Evaluation Specialist at National Council on Aging in Arlington, Virginia

Job Description:

We believe every person deserves to age well. That’s why we’re on a path to improve the lives of 40 million older adults by 2030. Come join an awesome team and learn about the work we do, the people we serve, and why equitable aging matters now more than ever. At NCOA, we represent the interests of the aging population across the nation, while striving to live out our core values of equity, excellence, and innovation. This is meaningful work where we put “people first” and our employees can learn and grow, where work/life balance is prioritized, and have a flexible hybrid work schedule while being part of a dynamic, collaborative team.

We are interested in growing our team with passionate, committed, and innovative individuals. The Senior Research and Evaluation Specialist will join NCOA at a time of dynamic growth.

POSITION SUMMARY

The Senior Research and Evaluation Specialist will support research, evaluation, data generation and analysis across NCOA, including assisting with the measurement of NCOA’s social impact goal of improving the lives of 40 M older adults by 2030 as well as the Social Impact 2.0 initiative. The incumbent will assist with designing, programming and analyzing surveys, assisting with coordinating and summarizing focus group discussions, and organizing and analyzing open-ended responses and interview transcripts. A key aspect of the position is to deliver regular technical support to program staff across the organization, conduct research and analysis, and produce timely and accurate reports. The incumbent should be proficient in producing simple spreadsheets, summary tables, graphics, data visualizations, and summarizing findings from quantitative and qualitative analyses. Analysis products developed by the incumbent may be used for fact sheets, external communication pieces, national conference presentations, funder reports, data monitoring, and quality assurance. The incumbent will manage expectations from federal clients and will respond quickly to requests with high quality and accurate content.

Positions at this level typically report to a Senior Director and require advanced knowledge and experience as well as strong project management capabilities. Incumbents are required to exercise latitude and independent judgement within their scope of work and usually require minimal oversight. Incumbents generally have five or more years of experience in their discipline and a bachelor’s degree or the equivalent, as well as substantive experience at this level. Graduate level degrees may be considered in lieu of experience.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Support the design and implementation of research and evaluation studies within NCOA as well as in partnership with universities and research agencies.
• Apply appropriate research methodologies and statistical techniques to measure the impact and delivery of healthy aging programs and other aging services.
• Conduct analyses and interpret data to identify trends, patterns, and insights.
• Respond to internal data and analysis requests.
• Develop and generate reports and other products to communicate findings, including graphical presentations (e.g. dashboards, visualizations, slide decks) for internal and external audiences, including funders.
• Assist in the preparation of grant proposals, including the development of research plans, data analysis sections, and evaluation frameworks.
• Collaborate with NCOA program teams to support strategic planning and other organizational initiatives including an organization wide research agenda.
• Contribute to the development of NCOA research reports and publications.
• Review and analyze qualitative data from focus groups and listening sessions with aging services network, community partners, and older adult program participants or special populations.
• Assist with compiling data and creating graphics for NCOA’s Social Impact.
• Identify and operationalize mechanisms to collect program data.
• Other responsibilities as required.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE/QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s degree in a social science field (e.g., community health, public health, healthcare, data science, epidemiology) required; master’s degree preferred.
• A minimum of 5 years of relevant experience, preferably with a non-profit or government organization.
• Strong analytical and critical thinking skills with the ability to interpret complex data and provide actionable insights.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to present data findings in a clear and concise manner to different audiences.
• Experience with data analytics and project management, including the use of project management platforms.
• Experience designing and administering surveys and facilitating qualitative research activities
• Ability to clean, manage and analyze large data sets
• Proficiency in statistical analysis software (e.g., SPSS, Stata) or programming languages used for analysis (e.g. R, Python).
• Working understanding of statistics for data manipulation and ability to develop professional quantitative reports, translating data for non-technical audiences, with a high attention to detail.
• Advanced Excel skills for data cleaning, calculation and database usage.
• A collaborative, responsive, and flexible teamwork approach with the ability to prioritize and manage concurrent projects.
• Critical and analytical thinking skills to interpret, adapt to, and apply guidelines and procedures to tasks with a curiosity and enthusiasm for data, and an interest in puzzling with data for public policy and advocacy to promote the NCOA mission.

Other Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience with data management.
• Proficiency with data collection and visualization tools (e.g., SurveyMonkey, Qualtrics, Power BI, Tableau).
• Working knowledge of data visualization mapping tools (e.g. Tableau, Google Places, RealZips, GIS, etc).
• Knowledge of Salesforce and Google Analytics.
• Knowledge of relevant public data sources to link and incorporate into internal data systems, such as PUMS, Census data, BLS, CMS data, etc.
• Foundational knowledge or experience with public benefits programs (e.g. NCOA’s programs: SNAP, LIHEAP, MSP, LIS, and Medicaid).
• Familiarity with issues affecting aging adults in the United States is highly desirable.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Occasionally required to sit.
• Occasionally required to walk.
• Occasionally required to reach with hands and arms.
• Occasionally required to talk or hear.
• Occasionally required to bend, lift, or climb stairs.
• Occasionally required to lift light weights (less than 25 pounds).

WORK ENVIRONMENT

• The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

SELECTION PROCESS

We only accept applications that follow the electronic process. No phone calls please. This position is subject to background screening. Qualified applicants should submit a cover letter with salary requirements and resume to the Senior Research and Evaluation Specialist job posting:

https://www.ncoa.org/page/careers

NCOA offers generous benefits, including:

• Medical, Dental, Vision, STD, LTD insurances
• Paid vacation, sick, and other types of leave
• 403(b) Retirement plan
• Hybrid remote work options
• And more!

NCOA is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer and a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Champion

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