Program Director

at  McREL International

This is a great time to join McREL International, where we’re blending half a century of global expertise and local knowledge with a work culture that honors creativity and collaboration.
At McREL, we co-develop educational services and solutions with our clients and partners. Using curiosity as our guide, we put our minds to work through research, program evaluation, data analysis, and studying best practices. Our clients are diverse, representing rural, suburban, and urban communities; indigenous, Native American, and First Nation communities; and school systems large and small. We also partner with other education companies and nonprofits, particularly with our research and program evaluation services.
McREL is seeking to add a Program Director to our team. With a strong preference for applicants based in the Pacific region, including individuals residing in the U.S. territories and freely associated states.
McREL provides competitive compensation and benefits, and a flexible work environment. The wage for this position is $145,000 – $180,000 annually, depending on experience.

We are proud to offer a comprehensive benefits package, including:

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance, where McREL covers the majority of the premiums
• 403(b) retirement plan with a 10% employer contribution (not a typo!)
• Generous time-off policy including 18 days of vacation in the first year, plus personal time, sick days, and 10 paid company holidays
• Life, accident, and travel insurance premiums covered by McREL
• Supplemental insurance options
• Flexible spending accounts
• Employee assistance program to help with the bumps in life
• Dedicated professional learning budget for employees to access development opportunities

Equally important, we strive to live by our Core Values: Humble Expertise, Joyful Excellence, Compassionate Courage, Rigorous Ingenuity, and a Macro-Micro Focus. If you’re a curious person who wants to make a difference for educators and the families they serve, we’d like to hear from you!

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS & ABILITIES

• Ability to consistently demonstrate McREL’s core values.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills (including technical writing, small-group facilitation, and presentation skills).
• Ability to lead technical assistance, consultations, and capacity building to state agencies, school districts, or schools in implementing programs for educational improvement and innovation.
• Ability to review, synthesize, and share research to identify evidence-based practices and support effective implementation.
• Strong Knowledge of key programs in the Every Student Succeeds Act.
• Strong organizational and project management skills and ability to help staff problem-solve.
• Knowledge and understanding of significant issues in education as well as the ability to anticipate trends and shifts in education research and evaluation to refine current strategies and develop future strategies.
• Ability to effectively communicate to practitioners how to apply research or evaluation theory through a practitioner’s lens.
• Ability to collect data using various approaches (e.g., focus groups, interviews, surveys).
• Ability to coach and mentor staff to develop skills and improve outcomes.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office, project management software, and McREL-specific tools and reports.
• Ability to work both independently, as a team member, and as a leader of people in a positive and collaborative manner.
• Ability to receive growth-oriented feedback in a positive, constructive manner and apply changes to future work.

REL Contract Specific KSAs (only applies if working as a PD on a REL contract)

• Knowledge of quantitative and/or qualitative methodologies, methods of inquiry, and associated analyses as well as the ability to determine the appropriate methodology for the questions being asked; ability to conceptualize improvements to known methodologies and methods.
• Advanced skill using Stata and/or SPSS (preferred), SAS, R, or MAXQDA, and online survey software; ability to leverage these skills to guide and develop other staff
• Knowledge and application of the Common Guidelines for Education Research and Development (IES & NSF, 2013).
• Knowledge of instrument design. Ability to create instruments based on extant ones or create sound instruments.

MINIMUM EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS

• Master’s in education or a related research field and 15+ years of relevant work experience.
• 10+ years complex project management experience.
• 10+ years of experience with people management.
• 5+ years leading proposal development.
• 4+ year of relevant business development experience (e.g., competitive grant writing, direct sales, etc.).

PREFERRED EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS

• Doctoral Degree in education or a related research field and 7+ years of relevant work experience.
• 2+ years of experience within the jurisdictions service by McREL or the specific program.
• 7+ years as a senior leader in educational research, measurement, or evaluation, or technical assistance.
• 10+ years of experience with people management.
• 7+ years of relevant business development experience (e.g., competitive grant writing, direct sales, etc.).
• 5+ years of experience in a K-12 or postsecondary school system.

TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS

Must be willing and able to perform domestic and international travel (including overnight and commercial airline travel) that is necessary to accomplish the essential functions of this position. Travel for this position is estimated at up to 50%.

OTHER REQUIREMENTS

This role has the potential to work on federal contracts and employment may be contingent on the ability to gain security clearance

ROLE PURPOSE

The Program Director is responsible for the creation and execution of the strategic vision, direction, and leadership within an assigned large-scale, complex program(s). This requires the incumbent to have a deep understanding of research and evaluation design and theory that can be leveraged to provide customized technical assistance and contextualized research and evaluation services to clients to address their needs. The PD applies a broad understanding of McREL’s capabilities and services to execute high impact and long-term inquiry.
The Program Director, with the assistance of an Associate Program Director, provides leadership to establish long term strategy and creates aligned team goals, ensuring that gaps are identified and addressed.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIESProgram Strategy Execution and Oversight

• Responsible for development, planning, and implementation of research, evaluation, and/or technical assistance endeavors by conceptualizing complex, customized project designs within the assigned program.
• Provides continuous improvement leadership of multiple assigned task or state leads, directing a program portfolio typically consisting of multiple large-scale projects that offer broad opportunities for staff to support and provide direct service to clients and build their expertise.
• Provides thought leadership, guiding technical assistance for K-12 systems, and translating research or evaluation findings into applications that help clients solve their most pressing problems of practice.
• Within large complex projects, identifies new needs and opportunities for new partnerships or work and connects project team members with a broader professional support network when appropriate.

ADDITIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES

• Uses vision to think beyond the immediate situation, explore multiple potential paths to achieve desired outcomes, and determines priorities for action.
• Facilitates intra- and inter-departmental collaboration and initiatives to enhance and expand McREL’s portfolio of work and internal culture on a consistent basis.
• Collaborates directly with senior leaders and other directors to support broad business objectives.
• Perform other duties as assigned.