Learning and Evaluation Associate

Location: St. Louis, MO office; currently 3+2 hybrid schedule
Position Type: Full-time, exempt
Travel required: None
Compensation: Salary range: $100,000-$110,000.  Benefits paid in full, including generous employer-paid premiums for health, dental, vision, and disability insurance.  Additional benefits include professional development assistance, tuition assistance, student loan repayment assistance, paid company holidays, paid time off, paid parental leave, and a retirement plan with employer contribution.

To apply: Please submit a cover letter and resume or CV via email to: eval-jobs@jsmf.org

ABOUT JSMF
The James S. McDonnell Foundation (JSMF) envisions a thriving St. Louis region where inclusive economic growth drives shared prosperity and enhances the quality of life for all. Guided by its mission to advance economic mobility for St. Louisans facing the starkest disparities, JSMF invests in four areas essential to the region’s long-term success: workforce, small and mid-size businesses, wealth building, and the civic infrastructure needed to design and implement lasting economic solutions. Founded in St. Louis in 1950 by aerospace pioneer James S. McDonnell, JSMF has awarded more than $600 million in grants to date. For more information about JSMF’s mission and the work of its funded partners, visit jsmf.org.

POSITION SUMMARY
The Learning and Evaluation Associate will play a crucial role in supporting the Foundation’s evaluation efforts and learning initiatives. This position is essential for enabling the JSMF team and its partners to work with various sources of evidence, promoting ongoing learning for transformative change. This role has three main responsibilities:

• Provide evaluation, technical assistance, and support to grantees
• Conduct mixed methods data collection and analysis
• Communicate findings and insights to promote continuous learning and guide investment and program decision-making

Evaluation Technical Assistance to Grantees (~60% of time)
The primary role of the Learning and Evaluation Associate will be to design, manage, and implement technical assistance to strengthen grantee capacity for data collection and analysis. Technical assistance should enable grantees to structure data, analysis, and reporting to align with Foundation goals, collect meaningful data, and promote shared learning. This role will apply a shared measurement strategy to gather and report information that offers valuable insights to both grantees and the Foundation. This includes designing and delivering technical assistance support, such as 1) one-on-one consultations on developing outcomes, key results, and meaningful measures, 2) creating or sharing tools, templates, and resources for data collection and analysis, and 3) providing office hours, coaching sessions, and facilitating peer learning among grantees.

Conduct Mixed Methods Data Collection and Analyses (~25% of time)
This role will utilize mixed methods of data collection and analysis to deepen understanding of lived experiences and the factors that drive change. This includes conducting interviews and focus groups, analyzing grantee data and interviews (e.g., coding and thematic analysis), and triangulating qualitative and quantitative data to produce insights and findings for reports, briefs, and presentations.

Communicate Findings and Insights (~15% of time)
This role will contribute significantly to presenting and translating results in dissemination and learning products (such as data interpretation sessions, emergent learning opportunities, reports, dashboards, briefs, charts, and data visualizations) that highlight trends and insights in formats tailored to the target audience(s). This position will lead the development of components of the mid-year and annual reports, as well as the measurement dashboard, to ensure that data communication and learning opportunities generate new insights to enhance grantmaking and organizational performance. Additionally, this role will support the JSMF team’s facilitation of information exchange with team members, grantees, and organizations to develop a deeper, action-oriented understanding of regional issues and inform the Foundation’s goals, decisions, and future activities. The position will report to and work closely with the Director of Learning and Evaluation, while also coordinating with the Data Analyst and the broader strategy and programs team.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Supports the onboarding of new grantees, including providing consultation and support for developing grantee-specific outcomes, key results, and measures.
• Develops and implements capacity building and technical assistance for evaluation, data reporting, and data use, including structuring investee evaluation to align with JSMF goals and strategic measures.
• Assists in creating dissemination products and translating learning and evaluation findings for internal and external stakeholders.
• Manages the development and execution of qualitative data collection (e.g., recruitment, scheduling, facilitation of focus groups/interviews) and qualitative analysis plans and processes (e.g., codebooks, coding, thematic analysis).
• Supports the development and implementation of participatory and engaged learning processes with stakeholders (e.g., team members, content experts, residents, practitioners), such as emergent learning opportunities and data interpretation sessions.
• Collaborates with the Director of Learning and Evaluation and JSMF team to monitor progress and generate insights from data, research, and engagement to enhance the Foundation’s impact. Performs other duties that support advancing the Foundation’s mission.

QUALIFICATIONS AND COMPETENCIES

Education

• A bachelor’s degree is required. An advanced degree in social sciences, public policy, administration, or a related field that includes applied research methods or evaluation and learning practices is highly preferred.

Work experience

• Five or more years of professional experience in conducting, leading, or managing learning, evaluation, and/or applied research projects, preferably within the nonprofit or philanthropic sector.

Competencies/Skills

• Experience in providing evaluation, data collection, analysis, technical assistance, and capacity support to individuals or organizations in alignment with measurement frameworks and goals.
• Demonstrated success in using, coaching, and facilitating learning strategies and practices; familiarity with Emergent Learning and other learning principles and tools is encouraged.
• Understanding of and demonstrated experience with participating in and facilitating learning experiences and opportunities, such as data interpretation sessions and evaluation technical assistance approaches.
• Strong organizational skills, with a high level of accuracy and attention to detail.
• Proven project management experience, with the ability to prioritize, develop realistic action plans, and manage multiple complex projects simultaneously.
• Familiarity with quantitative data collection, management, and analysis (e.g., descriptive analyses).
• Proficiency in MS Office Suite, with intermediate to advanced skills in Excel.
• Experience with qualitative data collection and analysis, including coding and thematic analysis.
• Excellent verbal, interpersonal, written, and listening communication skills, with the ability to translate complex data and ideas for diverse audiences through visual and narrative data storytelling.
• Ability to build and maintain close, collegial relationships with colleagues and grantees from diverse backgrounds and perspectives and a willingness to work collaboratively across teams.
• Ability to facilitate feedback loops that promote learning with and from grantees and partners.
• Demonstrated flexibility, adaptability, curiosity, and a commitment to continuous learning.
• A commitment to and embodiment of the Foundation’s guiding principles, mission, and vision.