Evaluation and Learning Officer

At the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, we first listen to the communities we serve, tap into our learnings and relationships, and bring everyone together to build and support programs that improve education, boost entrepreneurship, and help Kansas City thrive.

Evaluation and Learning Officer

The Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation is a private, nonpartisan foundation that provides access to opportunities that help people achieve financial stability, upward mobility, and economic prosperity – regardless of race, gender, or geography. The Foundation uses its grantmaking, research, programs, affiliates, and initiatives to support the start and growth of new businesses, a more prepared workforce, and stronger communities. Our work is grounded in the principles of racial equity, diversity, and inclusion and is consistent with the aspirations of our founder, Ewing Marion Kauffman.

Based in Kansas City, Missouri, the Kauffman Foundation is one of the largest foundations in the United States with an asset base of approximately $3 billion. While striving to have national impact and global reach, the Foundation is deeply committed to Kansas City, as evidenced by work on initiatives that reach into neighborhoods and enrich the community and quality of life in the region. For more information about the Foundation, please visit the website at www.kauffman.org.

Reporting directly to the Evaluation Director, the Evaluation and Learning Officer operationalizes all evaluation and learning related initiatives, and supports grantmaking program evaluation, leveraging evaluation and learning platforms and tools to inform program assessment. This role will work closely and collaborate with other Research, Learning and Evaluation (RLE) team members and Foundation associates, in alignment with the Foundation’s mission, vision and strategic priorities.

Specific Responsibilities Include:

• Implements the strategic goals for evaluation and learning activities and operations, implementing an evaluation and learning strategy that informs the Foundation’s programs and practices and advances equity and impact in alignment with the Foundation’s mission.
• Develops impact metrics and tracks progress to measure results of the Foundation’s grantmaking and research-based evaluation and learning strategies.
• Works with the Evaluation Director and key staff members to facilitate an annual planning process, which includes gathering data from across the Foundation, assessing progress to date, analysis of current context and opportunities, and identification of annual priorities.
• Recommends evaluation and learning activities at the grant, Foundation, and field levels to inform change and identify elements that lead to change.
• Collaborates with and advises the impact teams on the integration of evaluation and evaluative thinking into the work.
• Collaborates with stakeholders to identify key evaluation and learning areas, prioritizes projects accordingly and integrates evaluation and learning insights into strategic decision-making processes.
• Identifies the lessons and information that can be aggregated and synthesized for others inside and outside the Foundation.
• Ensures that all reports and systems for evaluation and learning data collection, analysis, management and feedback meet the Foundation’s needs.
• With supervisor, cultivates a diverse network of external evaluation and learning partners as needed.
• Ensures evaluation and learning processes meet industry standards, are data-driven and provide actionable strategic recommendations and insights that support the Foundation’s vision, mission and strategy.
• Allocates resources effectively, manages workload and ensures deadlines are met.
  
  

Education And Experience

Education: Master’s degree or equivalent professional experience preferred as demonstrated by a track record of accomplishment in the field of research, evaluation, or assessment. Would consider an equivalent combination of education and/or experience that demonstrates possession of core competencies.

Work Experience: A minimum of seven years of work experience conducting, designing, commissioning, and/or managing social science research or evaluations that are actionable and inform strategy in the social sector.

Travel: This position may require some business travel.

Qualifications

Qualified candidates for this position must be highly motivated, capable of self-direction and able to work collaboratively in a team. Candidates must exhibit a keen sense of responsibility and enjoy working with multiple demands, shifting priorities, and constant change.

• Has a proven ability to work within an organization that prioritizes racial equity, diversity, and inclusion in culture and strategic work.
• Has a passion for advancing equitable and transformative solutions for communities served by the Foundation.
• Has experience with a broad set of frameworks, methods and approaches to evaluation and learning, including both quantitative and qualitative methods.
• Can create and implement learning and evaluation approaches with a passion for building a learning culture.
• Learns quickly, can synthesize multiple sources of information, gains insights, and communicates in a clear and coherent way, distilling complex ideas into clear, concise, and actionable forms.
• Has excellent communication skills, including well-developed interpersonal, written, and listening skills.
• Has experience with a broad set of frameworks, methods and approaches to evaluation and learning, including both quantitative and qualitative methods, database applications and research services.
• Possesses strong analytical, critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
• Possesses a passion for “doing what is right,” with unquestioned integrity, positive ethics and values reflective of the Kauffman Foundation.
• Is committed to the Foundation’s credo, standards, and values in alignment with our racial equity, diversity, and inclusion statement.
• Has strong computer literacy skills, including word processing, spreadsheets, and business applications. .
  
  

All of the statements in this position description are intended to describe the general nature of the work being performed and are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required. This document describes the position currently available. The organization reserves the right to modify job duties or job descriptions at any time.

NON-DISCRIMINATION

The Kauffman Foundation firmly supports the principle and philosophy of equal opportunity for all individuals, regardless of age, race, gender, creed, national origin, disability, veteran status or any other protected category pursuant to applicable federal, state or local law.

TO APPLY

Interested applicants can apply for this position by submitting a cover letter and resume. Job posting will be removed at 12pm CT on Monday, July 29, 2024.