Job Title: Director of Impact, Program & Operational Effectiveness        

The Organization: Acelero, Inc.

Who We Are: Acelero, Inc. is a for-profit, mission-driven company that aims to improve school readiness for low-income children by both directly operating Head Start programs and offering programmatic support to other Head Start grantees. 

Established in 2001, Acelero, Inc. is made up of two divisions - Acelero Learning and Shine Early Learning. Acelero Learning provides direct Head Start services to more than 5,000 children and families in four states (delegates) – New Jersey, Nevada, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin.  Acelero Learning’s programs have been identified as a national exemplar, a model to the nation for early childhood education, and most significantly, has demonstrated best-in-class child outcomes gains, even during the pandemic.

Shine Early Learning (Shine), established in 2009, was created to scale the dissemination and utilization of Acelero Learning’s proven tools and approaches through partnerships to other Head Start programs nationally. In the past three years, Shine has further diversified its offerings through training, technical assistance, and consultation to publicly funded early childhood systems, including the launch of SPARK Learning Labs.

Our nearly 1500-employee workforce includes 727 teachers, 156 Family Advocates, 158 middle managers (Center Directors and Coordinators), 79 senior leaders, and 39 executive leaders. Shine has partnerships in 26 states/territories throughout the country, which ranges from Head Start grantees to statewide systems.

The Current Landscape: At the forefront of educational innovation, Acelero Inc. is navigating a pivotal phase of strategic transformation, commenced in June 2021, with a clear vision to expand exponentially and dismantle inequities. Guided by the insights and leadership of a diverse and representative national Design Team, the company has meticulously crafted a new vision, mission, and core values underpinned by a robust theory of change. This strategic evolution involves a deliberate restructuring of the organizational framework, positioning Acelero Inc. to achieve its objectives, and to surpass them significantly. Central to the company's ethos is an unwavering commitment to recognize and nurture every child's potential, ensuring no child is left behind due to systemic inequalities. Acelero Inc. is steadfast in its mission to empower families, fostering their ability to advocate effectively for their children and themselves. This period of transformative growth and commitment to equity presents a unique opportunity to contribute to Acelero Inc.'s journey towards shaping a more inclusive and empowering educational landscape.

The Purpose of the Role

The Director of Impact, Program and Operational Effectiveness leverages research, data, and evaluation to drive and enhance the impact of Acelero’s Head Start programs, the Learning & Impact Team (LIT) program models, and broader organizational processes. This leader will guide evaluations of both directly and partner-operated HS programs, focusing on child outcome improvement and identifying success factors across diverse community settings. Additionally, the Director will lead the impact evaluation of LIT program models and Inc. operational processes, ensuring they advance progress toward our Big Hairy Audacious Goal (BHAG). Working closely with teams, this leader will develop theories of change, logic models, and apply implementation science to inform both programmatic and operational strategies.

A Year in the Life

Essential Duties & Responsibilities:

Lead Program & Operational Impact Evaluations: Oversee data-driven evaluations to assess the effectiveness of programs and organizational strategies. Use quantitative and qualitative methodologies to evaluate program outcomes, monitor operational performance metrics, and generate insights to guide program and operational improvements.

Develop Program-Focused Theories of Change: Collaborate with organizational leaders to create theories of change and logic models that align program and operational goals with intended impacts, ensuring that initiatives are evaluated against these models for alignment with the organization’s mission.

Drive Data-Informed Organizational Improvements: Analyze operational and programmatic data to provide actionable insights for continuous improvement. Use these insights to inform and enhance strategies at the organizational and operational levels.

Advance Equity and Inclusion in Evaluations: Implement data practices that prioritize equity, inclusivity, and fairness, ensuring that diverse populations are represented and that evaluation methodologies reflect the organization’s commitment to dismantling inequities.

Support Cross-Departmental Evaluation Efforts: Collaborate with other directors within the Impact team to harmonize impact evaluation tools and processes, particularly with the Director of Impact, Scalable Solutions, to achieve coherent and aligned practices across all evaluations.

Facilitate Comprehensive Impact Reporting: Synthesize evaluation results into reports that communicate the impact of program and organizational efforts to key stakeholders, translating complex data into accessible, actionable insights.

Build Individual & Team Data Literacy: Provide training and support to staff in understanding and utilizing data for program improvements, ensuring they have the knowledge and skills needed to embed equity-focused practices in their work.

Write and Manage Grants: Assist in securing and managing research grants, and ensure compliance with grant-related reporting.

Position Reports To: Chief Learning & Impact Officer

Who should apply? (Requirements/competencies) 

Master’s or Ph.D. in Education, Social Sciences, Public Administration, or related field with a strong background in program evaluation and organizational impact.

Minimum of three (3) years of experience in program evaluation, impact measurement, or organizational performance assessment.

Proficiency in both quantitative and qualitative research methodologies, with experience using statistical and data visualization tools.

When/Where/How Much 

Start Date: Winter 2024

Location/Travel: Remote position with travel required locally or long-distance up to 25% of the time for work-related meetings and functions.

Base Salary: The position offers a base salary range of $85,145 - $125,000 annually, commensurate with experience and qualifications.

Please note: The total compensation package includes health insurance, retirement benefits, etc. Specific details regarding the incentive package will be discussed during the hiring process. 

Email Talent Acquisition Partner:  recruiting@acelero.net

We are an equal opportunity employer, committed to creating a diverse and healthy workplace.