Director of Evaluation and Research

About Us

Attendance Works is a national, non‑profit initiative, fiscally sponsored by Community Initiatives in Oakland, CA. Operating virtually, Attendance Works ((Use the "Apply for this Job" box below).) is the nation’s go-to resource for attendance policy and practice. Attendance Works advances success in school and beyond for all students by reducing chronic absence prek-12. Funded by a combination of grants and fees, we employ a diverse team of staff located throughout the United States.

Our website () is our primary vehicle for communication with the broader public. While many offerings and products are available without charge, including the website, webinars, methods for data collection, toolkits, research and attendance messaging, a variety of fee‑based services are also available to schools, districts and/or states. These include individualized consultation, technical assistance, coaching and peer learning networks.

The Director of Evaluation and Research collaborates closely with Attendance Works’ CEO, Vice‑Presidents, Directors and Associate Directors to lead the organization’s approach to measuring impact across programs and initiatives as well as using data and research to engage in continuous improvement.

• Analyze national, state, and district-level attendance data to identify trends, disparities, and opportunities for impact.
• Develop credible frameworks to assess attribution, contribution, and influence where direct causality may be difficult to isolate.
• Lead development of an Impact evaluation plan for the organization aligned with Attendance Works’ strategic plan and our goal of reducing chronic absence by 50%. The plan should reflect Attendance Works commitment to serving as a field catalyst.
• Establish standards for evidence claims used in external communications, fundraising, board materials, and thought leadership.
• Ensure impact statements are rigorous, defensible, and clearly communicate limitations.

• Work with program staff to ensure that research findings are incorporated into TA activities and inspire action
• Design and oversee formative and outcome evaluations of Attendance Works programs, tools, and technical assistance initiatives aligned with Attendance Works’ Strategic Plan.
  Based on analysis of findings, recommend improvements to programmatic strategy and practice aligned with broader organizational goals. Regularly reviews findings with the advisory board, leadership team and all hands.
• Build an inclusive research culture that centers the voices and experiences of students and families most impacted by chronic absence.
• Provide expert feedback to organization leadership regarding continuous improvement including support with process evaluations for new and existing initiatives to assess implementation quality, reach, fidelity, participant engagement, and operational effectiveness. Integrate quantitative and qualitative evidence.

• Partner with internal teams, partners, and external vendors to design, build, and improve dashboards with data visualizations, reporting tools, data systems, and collection instruments.
• Translate business/program needs and grant objectives related to evaluation and research into technical requirements for vendors.
• Manage external vendor relationships specific to dashboard and data tool creation including developing scopes of work, timelines, budgets, quality standards and ensuring timely completion of deliverables on budget
• Ensure data quality, usability, governance, and reporting consistency.
• Manage implementation of new measurement systems or platform enhancements.
• Assist with updating and improving data tools including the DATT (District Attendance Tracking Tool) att and SATT (School Attendance Tracking Tool)

• Develop and lead the organization’s multi‑year research and learning agenda aligned to strategic priorities in partnership with CEO and VPs. This includes identifying and developing strategies to address research gaps as well as cultivating…