Access Evaluator (MA5) - Olympia

Description

Our vision is to ensure that Washington state’s children and youth grow up safe and healthy thriving physically, emotionally and academically, nurtured by family and community."

Job Title : Access Evaluator (MA5)

Location : Olympia, WA Remote

Closes : July 15th, 2024

Salary : $74,724 - $100,524 Yearly The Evaluation and Research section is comprised of highly engaged staff working to support and improve DCYF services and reduce systemic inequities.

This position works on a team of six, expert evaluators and researchers, primarily focused on child welfare. The initial priority for this position will be supporting the development and implementation of the agency's Language Access Plan.

The work is primarily remote, with very occasional in-person meeting requirements in Western Washington, and the successful candidate must live in, or move to Washington.

The ideal candidate will have experience and expertise in program evaluation methodologies, strong interpersonal and collaboration skills, and knowledge of or interest in public service access issues faced by persons with disabilities or whose preferred language is not English.

Click here to learn more about DCYF.

The Opportunity :

This position must have proven expert knowledge of program evaluation, data analysis, and reporting. The position plans and manages research activities, identifies indicators and appropriate data sources, conducts statistical or data analysis activities, and reports findings that ultimately will enhance state and agency policy, practice, and services available to families and children in Washington State.

This position will provide key data and evaluation support for the development of DCYF’s agency-wide Language Access Plan.

The Evaluation and Research section is located within the Office of Innovation, Alignment, and Accountability. This Office is written into the founding legislation of DCYF (HB 1661) and is dedicated to directing and implementing the innovation, alignment, integration, collaboration, systemic reform work, and building external partnerships for which the office is responsible.

Further detail on the scope of the office is available in HB 1661 Section 104. The Evaluation and Research section is solely responsible for on-going evaluation, research, and development and management of data used to guide administration policy, programs and the understanding of the effectiveness of DCYF service delivery to families and children in Washington State.

Some of what you'll do :

• Conducts program evaluation and data analysis, including internal and external data analysis, program design and implementation, consulting with agency leaders, managers, stakeholders, and staff, and planning implementation activities in assigned areas.
• Reviews nationwide best practices, available data, current agency practices, and research literature to provide support for access improvement and the development of an agency-wide Language Access Plan.
• Assesses and supports accessibility of the DCYF website.
• implements professional evaluation of access to DCYF programs and services. Conducts statistical or data analysis activities.
• Prepares and presents professional, publishable reports to guide agency decisions. Produces final reports, conclusions, and recommendations regarding access to DCYF executive leadership.
• Provides technical assistance and professional expertise to interpret, develop, and implement tools for ongoing process evaluation and reporting.
• Provides expert advice and consultation to agency leadership in developing strategies for the use of available resources, defining departmental needs and priorities, policy development, long-range planning, and setting goals and objectives.
• Partners with colleagues across DCYF to inform data collection practices, provide appropriate data, support evidence-informed decision making, and implement improvements to access.
• Communicates with program leaders to ensure understanding of key program materials to which access must be guaranteed.

Required Qualifications :

• Equivalent combination of education and experience in data analysis, use of external data sources, and program evaluation totaling six (6) years.
• A Bachelor’s degree in social science, public health, or related field and five (5) years of progressive experience in data analysis, use of external data sources, and program evaluation.

Experience must include :

• Research and Analytical Skills / Abilities : Proven ability to research, evaluate, and draw conclusions from data; support policy recommendations with facts and analysis.
• Program Evaluation : Proven ability to design and conduct multi-modal program evaluation, qualitative and quantitative data collection and analysis, construction of appropriate comparison groups, and writing summary evaluation reports.
• Problem-Solving and Creative Thinking : Proven ability to understand complex problems and system challenges, and to propose new solutions or improvements to existing solutions.
• Collaboration Skills / Abilities : Ability to partner with a variety of interested parties to identify and resolve complex or sensitive issues.
• Communication Skills / Abilities : Ability to convey ideas and facts orally and in writing, using language the audience will best understand;

Ability to translate complex research to a non-technical audience.

Dedication to and experience with antiracism and data equity principles and practices.

In addition to those required qualifications, our ideal applicant will also have some or all of the following :

• A Master’s degree in social science, public health, or a related field.
• Three (3) years of research experience in access or equity related research and / or graduate-level education in research focused on access issues.
• Demonstrated experience in data analysis, use of external data sources, and program evaluation.
• Previous lived experience, personal or professional, with DCYF programs
• Demonstrated understanding of access barriers faced by persons with disabilities or whose preferred language is not English.
• Demonstrated knowledge of statistical methodology appropriate for applied social science research.
• Demonstrated ability to support interested parties who have content expertise but limited or no research training, in developing questions that meet their needs.
• Demonstrated proficiency using statistical software through the command line interface or syntax editor, preferably Stata, or transferrable experience.
• Demonstrated ability to partner with a variety of interested parties to identify and resolve complex or sensitive issues.
• Demonstrated previous experience working with children and / or families.
• Demonstrated proficiency developing appropriate data visualizations.
30+ days ago