Job description

JOB ANNOUNCEMENT

Research Associate

Building Changes seeks a Research Associate to implement sections of Building Changes’ Research and Evaluation plan. The position will focus on producing applied research and evaluation relevant for policy and practice on topics identified through collaboration with partners and Building Changes staff with the goal of improving services, supports, and outcomes for students, youth, and families experiencing homelessness.

This position will be involved in the evaluation of various Building Changes’ projects such as:

• Youth Diversion Infrastructure Project (YDIP): This project aims to reduce homelessness for youth and young adults exiting publicly funded systems of care. Building Changes and A Way Home Washington partnered together to provide flexible funding and Diversion supports to help young people secure safe housing through Fiscal Administrators located in different counties across the state.

• Tailored Trainings and Technical Assistance: Building Changes has developed a Menu of Strategies and the Assessment & Building Capacity (ABC) Tool to assist school districts and those serving students experiencing homelessness in those settings in a targeted and informed way. Building Changes works with districts to create action plans to identify gaps in services and tailors technical assistance to support their strategies

The goals of this body of work are to:

• Collect and analyze data and share learnings from Building Changes projects and facilitate cross-systems collaboration.

• Use learnings to inform strategies and develop tools for addressing the unique needs of students and youth experiencing homelessness.

• Influence policy and advocate in a data-informed way for adequate, sustainable resources and capacity for the education and housing systems.

• Hold the education, health, and housing systems accountable to advance and adopt racially equitable and culturally responsive policies, practices, and community partnerships.

This position reports to the Director of Research and Evaluation and is located at our office in Seattle, though we are currently working remotely or in a hybrid context due to COVID-19. This position may also require occasional statewide travel once safe.

Our Mission

Building Changes advances equitable responses to homelessness in Washington State, with a focus on children, youth, and families and the systems that serve them.

Our Work

Together with our partners, Building Changes pushes for equitable, holistic responses in and across the housing, education, and health systems so that all children, youth, and families experiencing homelessness get the support they need. Resolving a housing crisis and maintaining housing stability are not possible without this. To achieve our mission, Building Changes uses an interdisciplinary approach that combines grantmaking and capacity building, research and evaluation, and advocacy.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Diversity, equity, and inclusion are more than just words to Building Changes; they are the practices that guide how we operate as an organization, how we do our work, and how we interact with each other, our partners, and communities at large. We believe that to achieve our mission of advancing equitable responses to homelessness, our organization and workplace must represent people from all identities, backgrounds, experiences, abilities, and perspectives. Therefore, we encourage interested candidates from diverse backgrounds to apply, even if they are not certain they meet every expectation of the role.

Responsibilities will include:

• Conduct project evaluation, research, and technical assistance, including partner consultation, methodological design, qualitative and qualitative data collection and management, analysis, and interpretation and presentation of findings.

• Integration of qualitative methods and data into the research and evaluation of projects at Building Changes.

• Working in partnership with Building Changes’ Practice Innovation, Policy/Advocacy, and Communications staff, write reports for and deliver presentations to layperson and technical audiences. Develop summary materials such as slides, briefs, fact sheets, and interactive data dashboards to share findings with communities and influence policy and practice.

• Working in partnership with Building Changes’ Development staff, provide accurate and relevant research and data to support grant proposals.

• Review and stay abreast of research literature, methodological developments, and data visualization techniques.

• Summarize and distribute findings internally; provide consultation to staff on research and evaluation principles and methods.

• Represent Building Changes externally at conferences, on committees, in workgroups, and other venues as necessary.

• Help shape and refine the Building Changes’ Research and Evaluation strategy.

• Other duties as assigned.

The successful candidate will have a combination of the following:

• Knowledge of qualitative research and evaluation methods and ethical principles. At least 1-2 years of experience is preferred*.

• Demonstrated skill in analyzing qualitative and quantitative data and sharing learnings with wider audiences. At least 1-2 years of experience is preferred*.

• Experience collecting primary data (e.g., surveys, interviews, focus groups).

• Expertise in Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and online survey products.

• Exceptional oral and written communication skills, including the ability to summarize complex methods and findings for technical and layperson audiences.

• Excellent organizational and time management skills; proven ability to manage multiple projects and move them forward to completion on time.

• Ability to work collaboratively within and across interdisciplinary teams.

• Experience working in content areas focusing on underserved populations.

• A strong commitment to racial equity.

Other desired qualities and experience include:

• Knowledge or experience in implementation sciences and evaluation is desired.

• Experience in obtaining, managing, and analyzing large administrative datasets is desired.

• Experience in statistical analysis software and/or programming languages (R, STATA, SPSS, or similar) and/or Tableau is desired.

• Knowledge and experience working in the housing crisis response and/or education and/or health sectors is desired.

• Demonstrated experience centering equity in research and evaluation activities is desired.

*Note: In our effort to conduct an inclusive search for qualified candidates, this position does not require an advanced degree. Educational attainment will be considered along with other experience.

The salary for this position is $72,500. This salary has been benchmarked against local market survey data at the 75th percentile of the market for organization of our size, type, and revenue. We offer excellent health, time off, retirement, and other benefits.

To apply for this position, please email cover letter and resume to: Apply Here

Subject: Research Associate. For more information, please visit our website at www.buildingchanges.org.

Building Changes is an Equal Opportunity Employer with a strong organizational commitment to building a diverse workforce.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $72,500.00 per year

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• Dental insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Flexible schedule
• Flexible spending account
• Health insurance
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Professional development assistance
• Retirement plan
• Vision insurance

Schedule:

• 8 hour shift

Work Location: Hybrid remote in Seattle, WA 98144

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