Data Strategy & Impact Executive Director

Dept of Ed Central Operations; Richmond (VA); On-site; USD 130,000 - 158,000; Full time

Job summary

Dept of Ed Central Operations in Richmond, VA seeks an Executive Director of Data Strategy and Impact to drive the department’s use of data and evidence in planning and execution. You will lead enterprise data initiatives, align strategy with priorities, and support leaders with analytical insights for decision‑making.

The role requires a strong background in data governance, strategic planning, and building data literacy across an organization.

Qualifications

• Develop and execute an agency‑wide data strategy aligned to priorities, outcomes, and decision‑making needs.
• Establish data governance, standards, policies, and processes for quality, security, accessibility, and responsible use.
• Identify how data and evidence support strategic planning, policy development, and organizational improvement.
• Translate complex data and analytics into clear information for executive and non‑technical audiences.
• Build data literacy and data‑use capabilities across the organization through coaching and professional development.
• Collaborate with technical experts on data systems, management, analytics, visualization, and integration.
• Proficient with Microsoft Office suite (Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Access).

Responsibilities

• Support implementation of VDOE strategic plan by leading data and evidence use for priority initiatives.
• Develop and maintain a department‑wide data strategy with tracking for progress and impact.
• Set clear data priorities to inform major agency decisions and initiatives.
• Act as an internal consultant to leaders on strategic priorities and data‑driven practices.
• Provide guidance on framing questions, establishing baselines, and selecting measures.
• Lead hands‑on analytical work to translate data into actionable insights.
• Partner with technical and programmatic leaders to ensure data infrastructure supports use.
• Communicate expectations clearly and provide regular feedback and interim evaluations.

Skills

Data strategy

Data governance

Strategic planning

Executive briefing

Coaching

Education

Master’s degree in data science / related field

Tools

Microsoft Office

Excel

Word

PowerPoint

Access

Job description

Dept of Ed Central Operations in Richmond, VA seeks an Executive Director of Data Strategy and Impact to drive the department’s use of data and evidence in planning and execution. You will lead enterprise data initiatives, align strategy with priorities, and support leaders with analytical insights for decision‑making.

The role requires a strong background in data governance, strategic planning, and building data literacy across an organization.