Senior Research Specialist, Strategic Policy, Innovation, and Research

Foundation for California Community Colleges; California; Híbrido; USD 75.000 - 85.000; Jornada completa

Ventajas ofrecidas por este puesto de trabajo

Competitive compensation

Generous PTO & holidays

Medical, dental, and vision plans

FSA / HSA

Descripción de la vacante

Foundation for California Community Colleges seeks a Senior Research Specialist, Strategy, Policy, Innovation, and Research to lead research initiatives across the Success Center. The role emphasizes analyzing complex datasets, crafting evidence-based policy recommendations, and presenting findings to college leaders and policymakers.

The successful candidate will design and manage research projects, work with large state datasets, and translate results into actionable guidance for

Formación

• Minimum five years of progressive experience in research, evaluation, and innovative project implementation.
• Experience leading research projects through full lifecycle with limited supervision.
• Experience engaging senior leaders, policymakers, or executive stakeholders.

Responsabilidades

• Lead the design and execution of research and evaluation projects advancing priorities and goals.
• Independently conduct quantitative and qualitative analyses; synthesize findings and develop evidence-based recommendations.
• Lead and manage research activities including scoping, data collection, analysis, and reporting.
• Analyze large datasets (e.g., COMIS, IPEDS, Census) using Stata, SQL, and other tools.
• Develop near-final drafts of reports, briefs, dashboards, and data visualizations for policy use.

Conocimientos

Research design

Quantitative analysis

Qualitative analysis

Stata

SQL

R

Atlas.ti

Policy research

Project leadership

Herramientas

Stata

SQL

R

Atlas.ti

Descripción del empleo

Senior Research Specialist, Strategic Policy, Innovation, and Research 100% Remote within California, Must reside in California The Success Center supports California Community Colleges in advancing equity-centered student success through policy development, research, strategic projects, field engagement, and professional development. This work is engaging, fast-paced, and ever evolving and requires a flexible personality who enjoys working in a team-based environment. The Foundation for California Community Colleges is the trusted partner of the California Community Colleges, facilitating collaboration, accelerating innovation, and increasing system-wide resources.

What You’ll Do

• Lead the design and execution of research and evaluation projects that advance Success Center priorities and strategic goals.
• Independently conduct quantitative and qualitative analyses, synthesize findings, and develop evidence-based recommendations for policy and practice.
• Lead and manage research activities, including project scoping, data collection, analysis, interpretation, dissemination, and reporting.
• Independently analyze large and complex datasets, such as Chancellor’s Office Management and Information System (COMIS) data and publicly available data (e.g., IPEDS and Census), using Stata, SQL, and other analytical tools.
• Develop near-final drafts of research reports, papers, policy briefs, presentations, data visualizations, dashboards, and other products that translate complex research findings into actionable policy and practice recommendations to improve success for California Community Colleges students.
• Synthesize quantitative and qualitative evidence into clear strategies that support decision-making among college leaders, policymakers, practitioners, funders, and other stakeholders.
• Lead research and evaluation projects with limited supervision through the full project lifecycle, including planning, coordination, implementation, risk mitigation, stakeholder engagement, timeline management, and reporting.
• Serve as a research and data resource for the Success Center.
• Provide guidance and technical expertise related to data analysis, research design, interpretation of findings, and higher education policy issues.
• Represent the Success Center at state, regional, and national meetings, convenings, conferences, and workgroups.

Attributes for Success

• Minimum of five years of progressive professional or educational experience in research, evaluation, and innovative project implementation.
• Minimum three years of experience contributing to project leadership through planning, coordination, and reporting.
• Experience engaging senior leadership, policymakers, or executive stakeholders in advancing organizational or system-level goals.
• Excellent research, evaluation, and analytical skills, including advanced qualitative and qualitative methodologies, with the ability to clean, analyze, and interpret large, complex data sets using software, data analysis software such as Stata, R, SQL and/or Atlas.ti to develop evidence-based recommendations, inform decision-making, and support research and policy objectives.
• Extensive knowledge of the California Community Colleges system and higher education landscape, including policies, programs, data, and emerging issues.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to produce clear, professional, and audience-appropriate reports, briefs, and presentations.
• Proven project management ability to plan, coordinate, and deliver multiple complex initiatives independently and on time.
• Preferred: Experience in higher education reform, systems change, or nonprofit/public sector environments.

We’re recruiting for mission-driven, passionate, equity-minded individuals with a strong desire to impact and change people’s lives for the better.

Our work holds great weight and responsibility, and the opportunity to impact the lives of millions.

Innovation, creativity, collaboration, and entrepreneurship are encouraged as employees work to achieve organizational goals.

FoundationCCC blends the impact of a non-profit, the culture of an entrepreneurial start-up, and the scale of a state agency.

Team members are hired for their expertise in niche areas across our areas of impact and higher education overall, and for their knowledge of business, philanthropy, technology, communications, and more.

We have a commitment to professional development and an emphasis on shared leadership, to ensure growth for employees and the organization overall.

What we Offer

• Competitive compensation, generous PTO, holidays.
• Medical, dental, and vision plans, Flexible Spending Accounts, and Health Savings Accounts (HSA), Employee Assistance Program (EAP), and Wellness offerings.
• CalPERS retirement program and optional 403(b) and 457 Retirement plans.
• Tuition reimbursement.
• Public Service Loan Forgiveness certified employer.

Budgeted Annual Salary Pay Range: $75,000.00 - $85,000.00 Final salary and rates are based on education, experience, skills relevant to the role, and internal equity.

The Foundation for California Community Colleges is the official nonprofit partner to the California Community Colleges, the largest and most diverse system of higher education in the nation.

Our work reaches all 116 California Community Colleges across 73 districts and is designed to help improve the student experience and expand pathways to economic and social mobility across California.

More specifically, we exist to benefit: Students: We believe in ensuring students from all backgrounds succeed in reaching their goals and improving their lives and their communities; Community Colleges: We believe in lifting up the California Community College system as the greatest gateway to a better future; and Communities: We believe in the power of community colleges to help their communities thrive.

Our projects and services seek to be at the forefront of innovation and excellence in higher education across five areas of impact: student success, workforce development, equity, community impact, and system support.

To date, we’ve delivered hundreds of millions in grants, support, and cost savings to colleges and students to make this possible, with 85 cents of every dollar raised directly allocated to programs and services.

We’re proud of our role in helping Californians build a better future for themselves and their families, but we know there’s more to be done.

Join us. Learn more about working at the Foundation > Read the Foundation's Double Impact Strategic Plan >

Location The Foundation’s main headquarters are based in Sacramento, California, though we offer remote opportunities throughout the entire state. We aim to hire a workforce reflective of the California communities we serve.

If you have any questions, please email us at [e-mail].