Assistant Director of Evaluations and Competitive Grants

Job Title: Assistant Director of Evaluation and Competitive Grants

Location: Research Evaluation and Strategic Improvement

Pay Grade: Administrative and Professional Salary Grade A05

Work Calendar: All 12 Month Staff

FLSA Status: Exempt

GENERAL PURPOSE

Reporting to the Director of Research Evaluation and Strategic Improvement this position provides strategic leadership and management in comprehensive evaluation and competitive grants management across Stafford County Public Schools. The role is responsible for supporting research and evaluation efforts division-wide guiding the design implementation and use of both qualitative and quantitative data to inform decision-making and continuous improvement. This position also leads the identification acquisition and coordination of competitive funding opportunitiesfederal state local and philanthropicand ensures alignment with division priorities and compliance standards. In addition to leading evaluation initiatives the position supervises staff responsible for program evaluation and grants administration manages grant writing and submission processes and oversees fiscal and performance reporting for awarded competitive grants.

MAIN JOB TASKS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Support research efforts

• Lead the design and execution of applied research initiatives aligned to strategic priorities across the Division.
• Guide research planning data collection and interpretation in collaboration with school and department leaders.
• Oversee the development of protocols and tools for mixed-methods data collection including surveys focus groups and interviews.
• Support internal and external research partnerships ensuring ethical standards and alignment with division priorities.
• Facilitate the use of research findings to inform practice.

Lead evaluation efforts

• Direct comprehensive evaluation efforts across operational academic and strategic initiatives.
• Supervise evaluation design and implementation including logic models metrics and formative/summative frameworks.
• Build internal capacity for data-informed decision-making by supporting cross-departmental use of evaluation results.
• Supervise staff responsible for program evaluation and reporting to ensure high-quality actionable deliverables.
• Communicate findings through visualizations written reports and presentations tailored to varied stakeholder audiences.

Lead acquisition and coordination of Competitive Grants

• Lead the identification pursuit and coordination of competitive grant opportunities to include federal state local and philanthropic levels.
• Manage the full lifecycle of grant development including needs assessment writing submission and post-award compliance.
• Collaborate with departments and school leaders to support and align grant-seeking efforts with division needs and strategic priorities.
• Supervise grant staff to ensure timely reporting fiscal oversight and alignment of funded activities with intended outcomes.
• Monitor policy changes funding trends and partnership opportunities to proactively expand external funding streams.

Support and demonstrate core values of Stafford Schools

• Engage in ongoing professional development relevant to position.
• Respond to written and oral requests for information promptly and thoroughly.
• Maintain a clean neat appearance appropriate to position.
• Maintain a record of appropriate attendance and punctuality.
• Serve as a role model for students colleagues and the general public.
• Work in close harmony with colleagues supervisors and co-workers.
• Comply with all District and School policies and regulations including but not limited to guidelines for confidentiality.
• Perform other related duties as required/assigned.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

• Masters degree required in evaluation research methodology public policy social sciences education research or a closely related field.
• Doctorate (Ph.D. or Ed.D.) strongly preferred particularly in fields with a focus on program evaluation applied research or data science.
• Minimum of five (5) years of progressive experience in applied research and evaluation including design implementation and dissemination of mixed-methods evaluation studies.
• Demonstrated expertise in quantitative and qualitative methodologies survey and instrument design and statistical analysis.
• Experience supervising evaluation or research staff and leading cross-functional project teams.
• Experience in competitive grant acquisition and management preferred.

KNOWLEDGE SKILLS AND ABILITIES

• Knowledge
  • Advanced understanding of program evaluation theories frameworks and methodologies (e.g. logic models theory of change developmental and utilization-focused evaluation).
  • Expertise in mixed-methods research design data collection and analysis.
  • Familiarity with federal and philanthropic grant funding processes compliance standards and reporting requirements.
  • Working knowledge of data privacy laws ethical research standards and institutional review board (IRB) protocols.
  • Awareness of education policy public-sector systems or social impact measurement (preferred but not required).
• Skills
  • Proficiency in statistical software and data visualization tools (e.g. R SPSS Stata NVivo Tableau Excel).
  • Strong academic and technical writing skills for a range of audiences including policymakers funders and practitioners.
  • Ability to synthesize complex data into clear actionable insights and compelling narratives.
  • Skilled in managing multiple complex projects with competing deadlines and stakeholders.
  • Expertise in project management including scoping timeline development stakeholder coordination and progress monitoring using tools such as Asana Smartsheet or Microsoft Project.
  • Effective leadership and supervision of research evaluation and grants staff.
• Abilities
  • Lead with strategic vision while maintaining strong attention to analytical detail.
  • Collaborate effectively across departments teams and external partners.
  • Foster a culture of inquiry reflection and continuous improvement.
  • Exercise sound judgment in high-stakes and time-sensitive decision-making environments.
  • Translate research and evaluation findings into strategic recommendations that inform organizational planning and funding priorities.

WORKING CONDITIONS AND PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

• Work environment is primarily inside with moderate noise levels temperatures that are controlled and no exposure to chemicals or other negative air quality elements.
• The work is light work requiring exertion of up to 20 pounds of force to move or lift objects.
• The following physical and mental abilities are representative of those expected to complete the essential functions of the job: standing for prolonged periods; sitting for prolonged periods; operating motor vehicles or heavy equipment; moving the hands wrists or fingers repetitively; moving with force on the back or lower body repetitively; feeling grasping or holding objections by hand; identifying colors visually; identifying objects in low light or distant conditions; communicating via spoken language; communicating via written language; perceiving sounds; making decisions using logic and rational thinking.

To perform this job successfully an individual must be able to perform the essential job functions satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodations shall be made as required by law to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the primary job functions herein described.

Since every duty associated with this position may not be described herein employees may be required to perform duties not specifically spelled out in the job description but which may be reasonably considered to be incidental in the performing of their duties just as though they were actually written out in this job description.

Required Experience:

Director