Senior Workforce Managing Consultant, Learning & Strategy, Education And Employment Division

Position Description:

We are seeking a senior workforce managing consultantwho is passionate about improving the lives and outcomes of Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) program participants. The senior managing consultant will partner with clients and programs to use data and evidence to inform program improvement, strategy development, policymaking, and product and tool development. This position offers the opportunity to work with the top workforce leaders in the field and engage with policy makers and practitioners around critical issues facing the American workforce. We are particularly seeking staff with the skills and experience to lead technical assistance projects for the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL). Our clients also include the Administration for Children and Families, the Institute of Education Sciences and other government agencies at the federal, state, and local level as well as private philanthropic and nonprofit clients. Our current and recent work includes a range of projects such as:

• Technical assistance to the DOL Strengthening Working Families Initiative grantees to address parent’s training and support service needs as well as create better coordination of the workforce development and childcare systems.
• Collaboration with Philadelphia Works, Inc. and PA CareerLink to redesign their EARN program through assessment of the participant experience, business processes and motivation for change as well as strategic planning sessions to develop and implement evidence-informed solutions.
• Provision of training and technical assistance on data and performance to DOL’s network of apprenticeship grantees nationwide through the Registered Apprenticeship Technical Assistance Center of Excellence- Data Center.

The new senior managing consultant will join Mathematica’s growing interdisciplinary staff with backgrounds in education, child or human development, psychology, sociology, economics, public policy, and data science in the Employment and Education Division (EED) within the Human Services unit. They will contribute to growth in the EED division by leading and supporting projects, identifying and obtaining new work, and mentoring junior staff.

The role includes these activities:

• Communicating with project officers on the financial status of projects, design and technical issues, and project reports and presentations
• Collaborating with local partners to develop, implement, and/or test strategies for improving performance
• Building relationships with workforce program partners at states, tribal agencies, community colleges, and other entities to understand their program needs and pursue evidence-informed solutions
• Contributing to the professional development of other research staff working in the EED division
• Leading interdisciplinary teams using evidence to inform workforce program design and improvement and providing technical assistance and coaching to programs
• Contributing to business development and proposals for new projects for DOL, foundations, and state and local workforce agencies
• Strengthening partners’ capacity to use data to inform policies, practices, and interventions in workforce programs
• Overseeing project budgets, schedules, and staffing to ensure high-quality project delivery
• Supporting workforce program partners to understand, capture and report data on and successfully meet DOL requirements and performance goals
• Providing thought leadership in substantive topics related to workforce program innovation and evidence-informed strategies to improve outcomes, particularly for workers from historically underserved populations and those with disabilities

Position Requirements:

• Ph.D. or master’s degree in relevant field. We will consider candidates without an advanced degree who demonstrate substantial relevant experience.
• Strong interpersonal skills, including a demonstrated ability to deal tactfully and diplomatically with clients and other external stakeholders and to lead a team with collaborators, including subcontractors and consultants, to work toward improving student and educator outcomes.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills, including experience facilitating meetings, adult learning sessions and communicating research findings to non-technical audiences.
• Extensive substantive knowledge of evidence-based approaches for improving workforce practices, programs, and interventions
• Demonstrated commitment to anti-racism, diversity, equity, and inclusion through prior work.
• At least eight years of experience partnering with workforce agencies to develop and improve programs and improve outcomes for workers
• Evidence of successful business development activities with the federal government, foundations, or state or local workforce development agencies.

Staff with experience in one or more of the following areasare preferred:

• Substantive expertise in WIOA program implementation and requirements, workforce partnership development, employer engagement, employment and training initiatives, and/or workforce performance measurement.
• Working on DOL-funded projects to provide training and technical assistance to WIOA programs.
• Developing relationships with Federal agencies (particularly DOL) to support their technical assistance needs
• Employing participatory research methods and the principles of equitable evaluation, including incorporating workforce development community members’ voices into research design, execution, and the interpretation of results.
• Employing rapid-cycle evaluation, continuous quality improvement, and/or human centered design methods.

Our work is more robust because it is informed by a variety of diverse perspectives, and we encourage applications from candidates from under-represented backgrounds.

This position offers an anticipated annual base salary range of $115,000 - $155,000. We offer flexibility to work remotely or in an office.
Available locations: Princeton, NJ; Washington, DC; Cambridge, MA; Ann Arbor, MI; Oakland, CA; Seattle, WA; Chicago, IL; Remote

A cover letter and resume must be submitted at the time of application via our online application system. Candidates will be considered on a rolling basis in the order that applications are received.

More about Mathematica

Mathematica applies expertise at the intersection of data, methods, policy, and practice to improve well-being around the world. We collaborate closely with public- and private-sector partners to translate big questions into deep insights that improve programs, refine strategies, and enhance understanding. Our work yields actionable information to guide decisions in wide-ranging policy areas, from health, education, early childhood, and family support to nutrition, employment, disability, and international development. Mathematica offers our employees competitive salaries, and a comprehensive benefits package, as well as the advantages of being 100 percent employee owned. As an employee stock owner, you will experience financial benefits of Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) holdings that have increased in tandem with the company’s growth and financial strength. You will also be part of an independent, employee-owned firm that is able to define and further our mission, enhance our quality and accountability, and steadily grow our financial strength. Read more about our benefits here: https://www.mathematica.org/career-opportunities/benefits-at-a-glance.

One of Mathematica’s core values is a deep commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. Our efforts are more robust because they are informed by a variety of diverse perspectives, and our mission to improve societal well-being is strengthened by a greater understanding of issues and challenges facing the populations we serve. Mathematica’s ongoing commitment to diversity and inclusion is woven into our everyday actions, policies, and practices—including decisions regarding recruitment, training, compensation, and promotion. We are dedicated to maintaining a work environment in which everyone is treated with respect and dignity. We offer Employee Resources Groups on a variety of topics, local diversity and inclusion activities in each office, and a Diversity council.

We take pride in our employees and in their commitment to excellence. We encourage staff to collaborate in developing creative solutions to difficult problems and to share the responsibility and enjoyment of carrying out complex projects. This collegial spirit has helped us earn our reputation for innovative and high-quality work. As a winner of the "Excellence in Diversity Award," we know that building an inclusive culture based on the diverse strengths of employees from different backgrounds is key to our success.