Policy And Research Administrator

Arizona Department of Administration • Phoenix, AZ

1d • Hybrid

About The Position

The Policy and Research Administrator is responsible for researching various topics to develop or make recommendations to proposed initiatives and policies in the areas of education research, accountability, and assessment. This role gathers and analyzes data for complex projects and reports for presentation to management, the Board, and external stakeholders. The Policy and Research Administrator plans, coordinates, and leads advisory committee meetings as well as administer data governance principles, standards, and best practices to ensure the protection of the privacy/confidentiality of students, teachers, and other educators. This position may offer the ability to work remotely, within Arizona, based upon the department's business needs and continual meeting of expected performance measures. The State of Arizona strives for a work culture that affords employees flexibility, autonomy, and trust. Across our many agencies, boards, and commissions, many State employees participate in the State’s Remote Work Program and are able to work remotely in their homes, in offices, and in hoteling spaces. All work, including remote work, should be performed within Arizona unless an exception is properly authorized in advance.

Requirements

• Knowledge of data and statistical analysis
• Knowledge of sound research practices
• General understanding of the Arizona public education system
• Knowledge of one or more of the following: SPSS, SAS, STATA, Python or R
• Knowledge of processes, policies, and standards that ensure the proper management, usage, and protection of an organization’s data assets
• Knowledge of national and federal education systems and initiatives
• Skills in presenting highly effective written, visual and oral presentations on complex data to a wide variety of audiences
• Skills in Microsoft Office and Google Suite products, including Microsoft Excel and Google Sheets
• Skills in working on multiple complex projects simultaneously
• Skills in working in high pressure environments
• Skills in detailed oriented reports
• Skills in analyzing and developing complex policy in a variety of areas
• Skills in interpreting and applying federal and state codes and regulations
• Ability to develop and execute long-term strategic plans, specifically tailored to school accountability, assessment, and research, aligning with the overarching goals and priorities of the Board of Education
• Ability to perform and analyze complex calculations associated with technical properties of educational assessments and accountability measures
• Ability to develop and articulate potential policy recommendations in the areas of school accountability, assessment and research
• Ability to work collaboratively with stakeholder groups and other state agencies
• Ability to perform detailed work with a high degree of accuracy

Nice To Haves

• Work experience in K-12 schools
• Bachelors or more advanced degree in Education, Public Policy, Statistics, Data Science, or a related field, and with 4 or more years of work experience in statistics, data management, and research.

Responsibilities

• Plans, implements, and completes research projects to develop or make recommendations to proposed initiatives and policies that are in line with the Board’s goals. This includes collaborating with the Arizona Department of Education and other educational stakeholders to ensure alignment with statewide goals for education research, accountability, and assessment.
• Strategically plans, organizes, and facilitates advisory committee meetings including coordinating logistics, agenda development, materials preparation, and follow up on action items.
• Oversees the State Accountability System for the Board of Education. Works with the Department of Education to develop and deploy strategies for continuous improvement in the system. Monitors accountability timelines, release dates, and leads the appeals process.
• Gathers, analyzes, and synthesizes data for Board projects and initiatives, including performance dashboards, data visualizations, and reports for presentation to management, the Board, and external stakeholders which address educator misconduct and Board action, A-F, and Arizona Online Instruction schools.
• Administers data governance principles, standards, and best practices to ensure the protection of the privacy/confidentiality of students, teachers, and other educators.
• Contribute to Board agenda planning, drafting materials, making presentations, and supporting effective Board meetings.
• Engage in research projects relating to any legislative change that would need to occur in the next legislative session or in line with legislative priorities in the future.
• Acts as the Board’s delegate at both local and national meetings and conferences.

Benefits

• Sick leave
• Vacation with 10 paid holidays per year
• Paid Parental Leave-Up to 12 weeks per year paid leave for newborn or newly-placed foster/adopted child (pilot program)
• Health and dental insurance
• Retirement plan
• Life insurance and long-term disability insurance
• Optional employee benefits include short-term disability insurance, deferred compensation plans, and supplemental life insurance

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior