Post-Secondary Education Technical Assistance-focused Associate
Social Policy Research Associates (SPR) is seeking a Technical Assistance-focused Associate for full-time employment in our Workforce and Human Services Division. We are a 100 percent employee-owned dynamic research, evaluation, and technical assistance (TA) firm based in Oakland, CA. Currently, we are seeking to add a high-level Associate to our Workforce Development and Human Service Division’s TA team. This TA team provides a range of services for federal, state, and local partners including capacity building, backbone support for large-scale collective reform efforts, facilitation and coaching, development of customized tools and resources, applied research, and evaluation. Our next team member will have excellent and empathetic skills in supporting and engaging clients, a strategic and analytical approach to problem solving, and a commitment to equity to apply to all our products and services.
The Company: At SPR, we believe in providing rigorous, high-quality TA and research to improve the well-being of diverse groups of individuals, families, organizations, and communities. Over the past 30 years, SPR has earned national recognition for our work for education systems, philanthropy, and public-sector investments in policies, practices, and programs designed to improve outcomes for diverse populations across the country. Our clients consistently share an appreciation of the equity lens we bring to our TA and evaluations, the technical rigor that we bring to our evaluation design, and our ability to engage real-time data to inform continuous learning and iterative strategy improvements. For more information about SPR, please visit our website at www.spra.com.
What We Are Looking For: An Equal Opportunity Employer, SPR is an organization that values a staff with diverse perspectives and backgrounds. All applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability and veteran status (EEO/AA/M/F/Vets/Disabled).
All candidates must meet all the following minimum requirements to be considered for this position:
- Master’s degree and 4 years of relevant experience; or bachelor's degree and 7 years of relevant work experience
- Practitioner or policy-level experience in a public agency or education setting.
- Interest and experience in education policy or reform (especially related to post-secondary education, and issues related to student equity.)
- Experience developing and delivering online and in-person facilitation.
- Excellent oral communication, writing, and analytical skills.
- Excellent customer service skills and experience serving public sector or education clients.
- Experience with facilitating/designing meetings and group processes, both virtual and in-person.
- Comfort with creating tools, messaging, communications that support planning and large-scale implementation processes.
- Comfort with the collection and use of data to inform project implementation.
Qualifications below are preferred but not required.
- Applied research and/or evaluation experience.
- Experience with client management, project management, business/proposal development, and/or reporting.
- Experience with backbone, collective action efforts, and/or community organizing.
- As part of a team, developing and delivering TA, particularly meeting facilitation, both in-person and virtual.
- As part of a team, planning and implementing in-person or online conferences, meetings, webinars, or other events, including overseeing agendas and logistics.
- As part of a team, developing tools and resources, including components of memos, toolkits, guides, issue briefs, and/or reports.
- Summarizing and analyzing data for use in issue briefs, reports, and planning processes.
- Managing virtual event registration and platform logistics.
- Making written and digital products accessible.
- Contributing to bid and proposal efforts.
- Carrying out other duties as assigned.
Salary Range: $95,000 to $115,000 commensurate with experience. Remote staff compensation outside of the San Francisco Bay Area is subject to geographic adjustment based on local cost of labor and cost of living rates.
The Location: SPR staff members can work from the company’s office, which is located adjacent to the City Center BART station and plaza in downtown Oakland with nearby restaurants, cafes and open markets. Remote work is also available for people who live close enough to attend occasional in-person events and meetings in the SF Bay Area (within about two hours from Oakland City Center).
Other Information: In this role, you can expect frequent phone or video conferencing usage; extensive computer use; use of office machines; heavy keyboarding; and occasional travel in which you may need to transport equipment up to 40 pounds in weight. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. SPR offers excellent benefits, including health, dental, vision, Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP), 401k plan, PTO, and paid professional development time and limited company financial support for professional development activities.
How to Apply: Apply through our website at https://www.spra.com/about-spr/careers/. This position will remain open until filled.