Research & Evaluation Technical Assistance Manager

American Camp Association

4d • $58,000 - $68,000 • Remote

About The Position

The American Camp Association® (ACA) is a national nonprofit organization serving the more than 20,000 year-round and summer camps in the US that annually serve 26 million campers. ACA is committed to empowering camps to create quality experiences that build a world of belonging and growth.

We are looking for a time-limited (2+ years), remote, full-time Research & Evaluation Technical Assistance Manager. Someone responsible for providing technical assistance to ACA’s camp organizations translating research and evaluation evidence into actionable insights, and facilitating trainings for camp professionals. Up to 25% travel required.

Under the supervision of the Director of Research and Evaluation, the Research and Evaluation Technical Assistance Manager is the lead provider of research and evaluation technical assistance to ACA’s camp organizations (members and grantees). The Technical Assistance Manager leads the design and delivery of field-facing trainings, supports research and evaluation projects, translates research and evaluation evidence into actionable insights for camp professionals, and leads and facilitates communities of practice for camp professionals.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in outdoor education, psychology, education, parks and recreation, social work, or other related fields.
• Three or more years of relevant experience.
• Strong knowledge of positive youth development principles and practices.
• Experience providing technical assistance and/or capacity building support to internal and external groups (e.g., collaborators, partners).
• Experience presenting to or facilitating trainings for youth development professionals.
• Demonstrated project management skills including managing multiple projects with various deadlines.
• Experience leading or contributing to qualitative or quantitative research and evaluation projects.
• Experience building relationships and collaborating with external partners, coalitions, and/or organizations on research and evaluation projects.
• Experience managing multiple projects with various deadlines.
• The ability to translate and communicate research and evaluation findings to various audiences.
• The ability to work with camp professionals, volunteers, consultants, and camp researchers and evaluators.
• Ability to adapt training approaches and technical assistance to meet the diverse needs of camp professionals across varied organizational contexts.
• Willingness to regularly travel for in-person trainings, conferences, and events.

Nice To Haves

• Spanish language proficiency.
• Working knowledge of survey platforms such as Qualtrics, Alchemer, or Survey Monkey.
• Experience using qualitative tools for data analysis (E.g., Dedoose, or NVivo).

Responsibilities

• Support ACA’s internal and external research and evaluation initiatives.
• Lead and facilitate ACA communities of practice focused on topics such as program quality, including providing research and evaluation technical assistance support, communicating with community of practice members, and coordinating regular community meetings.
• Engage in capacity building activities to advance evaluation readiness and skills for camp professionals.
• Design and lead engaging trainings (virtual, in-person, asynchronous) for camp professionals.
• Develop training materials, user manuals, and other digital resources for camps and camp professionals that promote the use of evaluation and making meaning of data.
• Maintain partner relationships with ACA camps, camp researchers and evaluators, and volunteers.
• Support the communication and dissemination of research and evaluation findings for various audiences (e.g., youth development professionals, the public, ACA staff) including research articles, reports, briefs, and presentations.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with internal team members and external stakeholders to broaden the reach and relevance of ACA’s research and evaluation work.
• Support the development of evidence-based reports, tools, and other resources resulting from grant-funded projects and industry-wide research projects.
• Support the execution of ACA’s Camp Research Forum.

Benefits

• Health, vision, and dental insurance for employee and dependents with limited employer contribution.
• Retirement plan with generous employer match.
• Generous time off-plans including sick, vacation, personal, and holidays.
• Non-voluntary benefits include life insurance and long-term disability.
• Voluntary benefits offered include additional life insurance, short-term disability, and other supplemental options

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Number of Employees: 1-10 employees