Hybrid Associate Director, Product and Operations chez UChicago

Department

AI RISC

About the Department

Foster Insights helps state agencies and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) harness data to better meet the needs of the youth and families they serve. Informed by the latest academic research and policy, we work alongside partners responsible for the well-being of thousands of youth and families to improve programmatic practice through actionable and impactful data analysis. Our collaborative efforts empower leaders and practitioners with data to inform practice and policy, ensuring that youth impacted by the child welfare system remain connected to their families, schools, and communities.

Job Summary

As the Associate Director of Product and Operations at Foster Insights, you will co-lead a dynamic team in our mission to improve child welfare. In this role, you will oversee reporting and budgeting for gifts, grants, and contracts, as well as plan team capacity to align with funding and contracts. You will be responsible for ensuring the timely delivery of high-quality projects to executive leadership, program staff in state child welfare agencies, NGOs, and other foster care vendors. You will also collaborate with our partners to improve products and expand our product offerings. Staying abreast of policy changes in the child welfare space will be crucial to ensure our products remain relevant and aligned with the evolving landscape.

Additionally, you will work closely with our software engineers, data scientists, and department leadership to communicate data needs for work products. You will direct the team’s analysis efforts by setting research agendas, reviewing code, and interpreting findings. When necessary, you will conduct your own in-depth data analysis using R and other programming languages to extract insights from large datasets. It is essential to have experience in data analysis and the ability to effectively communicate findings to non-technical audiences. Furthermore, you will oversee the development of tech products, including dashboards, by leveraging project and product management expertise. You will then utilize these findings to develop initiatives with partners, providing technical assistance for the implementation and tracking of changes.

Responsibilities

• Leads cross-functional team of data scientists and software developers to deliver high impact data analysis to external child welfare system leadership, including state directors of child welfare, executive leadership of NGOs, and child welfare program staff.
• Manages the internal team's delivery of work, workload balance, and capacity planning to ensure projects are completed on time and within scope.
• Oversees grant reporting for external stakeholders and internal budgeting, ensuring transparency and effectiveness in the allocation of resources.
• Collaborates with external executive leadership and program staff to distill key business problems into insightful metrics, analyses, and dashboards that drive decision-making.
• Utilizes software, including but not limited to R, Python, and Tableau, to conduct analysis and visualization of data to generate reports and presentations on a recurring and ad hoc basis, as requested by internal and external stakeholders.
• Oversees the team's data analysis efforts by creating frameworks for answering external partners' questions and requests. Iterates on analysis with both internal and external partners to improve outputs.
• Effectively communicates complex data insights to non-technical audiences. Ensures all work products incorporate partner feedback, making data understandable and actionable.
• Works with external partners to create strategic initiatives based on data findings. Provides technical assistance to stakeholders for planning, implementing, and tracking new initiatives.
• Stays informed about policy changes and new research in child welfare to ensure that our products and strategies remain relevant and aligned with the evolving landscape.
• Ideates and explores new ways of using data to answer critical questions in the child welfare field. Advocates for data-driven approaches within child welfare systems and encourage the adoption of these methods.
• Develops and communicates program priorities and performance standards and assesses operations using these criteria. Plans and conducts quality assurance reviews and recommends changes as appropriate.
• Manages program budgets and recommends or makes budgetary recommendations.
• Has a deep understanding when interacting with faculty, researchers and staff for committee work or information.
• Performs other related work as needed.

Minimum Qualifications

Education:

Minimum requirements include a college or university degree in related field.

Work Experience:

Minimum requirements include knowledge and skills developed through 5-7 years of work experience in a related job discipline.

Certifications:

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Preferred Qualifications

Education:

• Bachelor's degree in data science, computer science, economics, or similar field.

Experience:

• Managing high level external partnerships and client relationships.
• Project management experience.
• Background with data analytics, and/or experience with fundraising. Relevant industries and functions include child welfare, business development, fundraising, and/or data analytics.

Technical Skills or Knowledge:

• Proficiency with R, Python, and data visualization software, such as Tableau.
• Familiarity with AWS GovCloud.

Preferred Competencies

• Strong leadership skills and proven track record of delivering large-scale projects.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, capable of engaging both technical and non-technical audiences.
• Strong strategic thinking with ability to balance short-term deliverables and long-term goals.
• Strong interpersonal skills and proven record of effective relationship-building with internal and external constituents.
• Professional demeanor including tact, discretion, and a customer service oriented approach.
• Proven record of time management and organizational skills, as well as exceptional attention to detail.
• Proven ability to handle multiple tasks simultaneously and meet deadlines. Possess a self-motivated disposition.
• Demonstrated strong critical thinking skills through analyzing complex situations, identifying opportunities for improvement, and recommending effective changes to achieve key objectives.
• Strong data skills, including proven ability to produce impactful insights with little direction.
• Work both independently and successfully as a member of a team.

Application Documents

• Resume/CV (required)
• Cover Letter (preferred)

Job Family

Administration & Management

Role Impact

Individual Contributor

Scheduled Weekly Hours

37.5

Drug Test Required

No

Health Screen Required

No

Motor Vehicle Record Inquiry Required

No

Pay Rate Type

Salary

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FLSA Status

Exempt

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Pay Range

$95,000.00

The included pay rate or range represents the University’s good faith estimate of the possible compensation offer for this role at the time of posting.

Benefits Eligible

Yes

The University of Chicago offers a wide range of benefits programs and resources for eligible employees, including health, retirement, and paid time off. Information about the benefit offerings can be found in the Benefits Guidebook.

Posting Statement

The University of Chicago is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, or expression, national or ethnic origin, shared ancestry, age, status as an individual with a disability, military or veteran status, genetic information, or other protected classes under the law. For additional information please see the University's Notice of Nondiscrimination.

 

Job seekers in need of a reasonable accommodation to complete the application process should call 773-702-5800 or submit a request via Applicant Inquiry Form.

 

All offers of employment are contingent upon a background check that includes a review of conviction history.  A conviction does not automatically preclude University employment.  Rather, the University considers conviction information on a case-by-case basis and assesses the nature of the offense, the circumstances surrounding it, the proximity in time of the conviction, and its relevance to the position.

 

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