Executive Director, CEAL

The Colorado Evaluation and Action Lab (Colorado Lab) at the University of Denver (DU) was created under the leadership of the Governors Office to unlock data-informed solutions to our most pressing social problems. Working together with a broad range of government and community partners we conduct research with rigor to obtain the best available evidence to inform policies programs and investments. Our goal is to leverage data to inform policy and practice set the wheels in motion to achieve and sustain change and position our partners to pursue additional meaningful change for the communities they serve with the guidance of eight essential elements: Prioritize Relationships Learn Together Apply Rigor Activate Findings Sustain Change Make Connections Welcome Risk for Reward and act as a Bridge to the Research Community.

The Colorado Lab team currently consists of management research teams Evidence-Building Hub teams the Linked Information Network of Colorado (LINC) team and the operations team. The Colorado Lab also works closely with a network of affiliated researchers and evaluation teams throughout the state. Colorado Lab staff are required to possess a solid intuitive understanding of research and evaluation methods and strong written and oral communication skills for explaining technical topics to non-experts. Staff members are expected to engage in a collaborative learning environment where employees are highly responsive to each other as well as to government and research partners. Staff hold themselves and each other responsible for completing high quality well-documented work in a timely fashion.

Position Summary

The Executive Director (ED) is responsible for all of the operations and activities of the Lab and is a member of the two-person management team. The ED reports to DUs Senior Vice Provost for Research and Graduate Education. The ED develops and executes a strategic vision for the Lab that maximizes the benefit to Coloradans while ensuring long-term financial and political sustainability. The ED serves as a leader for the Lab by defining modeling and reinforcing a safe and productive work culture where staff actively model the Labs essential elements of building mutual relationships applying systems-thinking at every step of building evidence and ensuring actionability of the work. They ensure that processes are in place to support Lab staff in consistently fulfilling all contractual commitments to government agencies funders and research partners with high quality responsive and actionable products.

The ED oversees the Deputy Executive Director in their leading and operationalizing of the Linked Information Network of Colorado (LINC) partnership with the Governors Office of Information Technology. LINC is a data-sharing approach that meets the needs of a variety of government partners in Colorados unique context in a sustainable way. The ED supervises members of the management team the research team and the operations team.

Essential Functions

The Executive Director of the Lab is responsible for all of the operations and activities of the Lab. The Executive Director reports to the Senior Vice Provost for Research and Graduate Education.

• In partnership with the offices of the Governor Lt. Governor and agency leaders develop the Labs research agenda focused on the states policy priorities.
• In partnership with the offices of the Governor Lt. Governor Chief Data Officer and agency leaders develop the data infrastructure needed to enable the use of administrative data for research projects within the Lab and provide advice for the further development of internal state data infrastructure and management.
• Engage with legislators about opportunities to advance their goals through the use of cross-system data and rigorous evidence.
• Partner with offices and independent agencies within the Judicial branch of state government to build evidence for their programs and inform their budget requests.
• Secure and support project specific funding through grants contracts and philanthropic gifts.
• Execute and manage research projects that include descriptive analysis quasi-experimental evaluations and randomized controlled trials (RCTs).
• Translate academic findings from Lab research into practical recommendations which state agencies can use to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of their programs; this may include:
  • Working with state agencies to suggest changes to current programmatic efforts.
  • Providing technical assistance or training to program owners on the application of evidence-based methods in the design implementation and evaluation of programs.
  • Partnering with state agencies to design and test specific policy or program adjustments to understand their effectiveness and then support implementation.
• Build and coordinate a network of affiliated research professors from across the state of Colorado and beyond.
• Support external research partners is generating actionable research that is responsive to government priorities.
• Develop an operational plan for the Lab including staffing model and timeline for completing research projects.
• Create Lab operational strategies and policies to improve efficiency and effectiveness of budgeting and finance.
• Develop and execute a detailed funding plan including budget fundraising strategy and financial sustainability plan for the Lab.
• Work closely with state and local government officials in Colorado.
• Manage day-to-day operations of the Lab.
• Provide written reports to funders.

Knowledge Skills and Abilities

• Extensive experience conducting policy-relevant research.
• Outstanding interpersonal skills.
• Outstanding written and oral communication skills.
• Outstanding responsiveness.

Required Qualifications

• PhD in field relevant to domestic social or health policy.
• 15 years experience leading domestic policy-relevant research.
• Track record of successfully serving as a leader of a university-based research center or institute with 3M annual expenditures relevant to the mission of the Colorado Lab.
• Experience serving as PI on multi-year projects with 1M annual expenditures.
• Experience developing sustainable fiscal models for soft money-funded organizations similar to the Colorado Lab.
• Experience building and maintaining relationships with government partners.
• Experience managing a team.
• Experience leading complex research that leverages three or more state or federal administrative data sources to generate cross-system insights and support evidence-based decision-making.
• Outstanding interpersonal skills
• Outstanding written and oral communication skills including the ability to translate research findings into concrete policy or programmatic recommendations for government partners.
• Outstanding responsiveness.
• Outstanding quantitative and analytical skills and ability to match research designs and timelines to evidence-based decision-making goals of government leaders.
• Experience with project management.
• Experience in areas of operations and financial leadership data strategy and domestic social policy area.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working in a direct public sector policymaking or program administration context.
• Served in appointed government leadership positions (e.g. commissions task forces).
• Directly informed state or federal legislation.

Working Environment

Monday - Friday 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Must be based in the Denver region with a balance of virtual and in-person work.

Physical Activities

• Ability to work in front of a computer for extended periods of time.
• Occasionally required to move about the office/campus.

Work Schedule

Monday - Friday 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

Application Deadline

For consideration please submit your application materials by 4:00 p.m. (MST) December 3 2025.

Special Instructions

Candidates must apply online be considered. Only applications submitted online will be accepted.

Salary Grade Number

The salary grade for the position is UG.

Salary Range

The salary range for this position is $220000 $230000.

The University of Denver has provided a compensation range that represents its good faith estimate of what the University may pay for the position at the time of posting. The University may ultimately pay more or less than the posted compensation range. The salary offered to the selected candidate will be determined based on factors such as the qualifications of the selected candidate departmental budget availability internal salary equity considerations and available market information but not based on a candidates sex or any other protected status.

Benefits

The University of Denver offersexcellent benefits including medical dental retirement paid time off tuition benefit and ECO pass. The University of Denver is a private institution that empowers students who want to make a difference. Learn more about theUniversity of Denver.

Please include the following documents with your application:

1. Resume

The University of Denver is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race color religion sex (including sex stereotypes sex characteristics sexual orientation gender identity and gender expression) marital family or parental status pregnancy or related conditions national origin disability or status as a protected veteran. The University of Denver does not discriminate and prohibits discrimination on the basis of race color national origin ancestry age religion creed disability sex (including sex stereotypes sex characteristics sexual orientation gender identity and gender expression) marital family and parental status pregnancy genetic information military enlistment or veteran status and any other class of individuals protected from discrimination under federal state or local law regulation or ordinance in any of the Universitys educational programs and activities and in the employment (including application for employment) and admissions (including application for admission) context as required by Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972; the Americans with Disabilities Act; Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973; Title VI and VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964; the Age Discrimination Act of 1975; the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967; the Equal Pay Act; the Colorado Equal Pay for Equal Work Act; the Colorado Protecting Opportunities and Workers Rights (POWR) Act; and any other federal state and local laws regulations or ordinances that prohibit discrimination harassment and/or retaliation. For more information please see the University of DenversNonDiscriminationStatement.

All offers of employment are contingent upon satisfactory completion of a criminal history background check.