Associate Program Officer – Monitoring, Evaluation, & Learning

Background

RIZE Massachusetts Foundation (RIZE), through an employee lease agreement with Mass General Brigham, is seeking an associate program officer for monitoring, evaluation & learning (APO-MEL). This is a unique opportunity to join the only public-private partnership solely dedicated to funding and collaborating on solutions to end the overdose crisis. Guided by those with lived experience and unafraid of new ideas, RIZE is building networks, creating programming, and supporting community partners using novel approaches to preventing overdose and increasing access to treatment.

Our multifaceted strategy is designed to address the complexity and enormity of the crisis and will only be effective if based on evolving realities on the ground. We listen to and learn from our partners, monitor the success of our collaborations, and hold each other accountable toward a shared vision of “Zero stigma. Zero deaths.” Our work is iterative, designed to both support and expand upon our areas of focus to maximize impact. We are a learning organization that consistently evaluates progress toward our short-term and long-term impact goals. RIZE’s vision is that our funding will lead to meaningful and positive results in addressing not just the immediate crisis of opioid overdose death but will also improve alignment among the overall addiction treatment ecosystem and evidence-based addiction treatment and recovery practices. This provides an ideal platform for the APO-MEL to contribute to and learn from our dynamic and evolving strategies.

Our current program strategies are 1) advance the behavioral health workforce to deliver effective care, without stigma, for all people with opioid use disorder (OUD) in the state, 2) partner with key organizations to align approaches to policy and services to improve the addiction treatment ecosystem, 3) acknowledge institutional racism and work to address its impacts within the recovery system. In addition, RIZE was recently selected to build and operate a community grant program to increase the equitable allocation of Opioid Recovery and Remediation Fund (ORRF) dollars to organizations and municipalities that otherwise could not apply for funding.

Position Overview

The APO-MEL will work across RIZE’s grant programs and initiatives to lead the implementation of comprehensive evaluation and learning strategies to understand and strengthen the Foundation’s impact. This position supports the development of evaluation projects, analysis of data and evidence, strategic planning/implementation, and reporting on progress and impact to inform and improve grantmaking through regular internal reflection and analysis of data. The APO-MEL will build and maintain strong relationships with grantees, outside evaluators, board & staff, advisory committees, and subject matter experts, including people with lived and living experience. The APO-MEL should be committed to making data relevant and useful and should have skills in communicating and displaying data in user-friendly ways for non-experts.

Major Responsibilities

Analysis of Data and Evidence

• Utilize emergent and mixed methods approaches, including a range of qualitative methods (e.g., case studies and participatory approaches) and quantitative methods (e.g., exploratory data analysis and descriptive data summary and visualization) to identify outcomes and impact of the Foundation’s work.
• Coordinate with the program team to ensure alignment around collecting and documenting indicators and metrics. Enter and track collected information in the grants management system (Salesforce) to capture metrics and narrative entries for analysis.
• Collaborate with external evaluators on assessments of RIZE’s grants and programs.
• Conduct research and literature reviews and provide summaries and updates on evidence-based, evidence-informed, or evidence-generating models, policy initiatives, and advocacy efforts. Identify opportunities and insights within collected data that can help RIZE be responsive to the community and field.
• Contribute to the development of new projects, including grant guidelines, collecting background information/research, developing knowledge on specific focus areas, participating in meetings regarding projects, and preparing follow-up memoranda on meetings.
• Support the management of a portfolio of projects, including research grants.

Learning (Organizational & Grantee Capacity Building) 

• Guide RIZE’s approach and engagement with grantees related to evaluation, including understanding principles and practices and building skills related to evaluation and learning.
• Support the program team and grantees in designing and updating individualized evaluation frameworks (helping grantees document their grant projects at a basic level—activities, outcomes, and measures—using RIZE’s templates and grants management system.)
• Support grantees in “right-sizing” evaluation efforts and advise (when needed) on data collection, analysis, and submission to RIZE.
• In collaboration with the program team, co-lead and document learning check-ins with grantees. Support grantees in telling their own stories of progress and impact.
• Synthesize findings from check-ins (quantitative and qualitative) regularly to identify themes related to progress, barriers and facilitators to progress, internal process improvement, and ongoing needs.
• Participate in coalitions, community events, and other meetings or gatherings of organizations active in addiction treatment, harm reduction, and recovery communities to engage grantees and other stakeholders in reviewing, assessing, and providing insights related to evaluation and learning data. Attend hearings and meetings as necessary.

Reporting on Progress and Impact

• Create presentations, graphs, and other visualizations of data to report findings and lessons learned (e.g., Word reports, PPT slide decks, etc.).
• Update and maintain dashboards and other information-sharing tools related to evaluation.
• Assist with program-related materials for board and board committee meetings.
• Prepare monthly, quarterly, and ad hoc reporting of metrics, outcomes, performance benchmarks, and program support activities related to the ORRF community grant program.
• Prepare and submit grant reports, ensuring adherence to funder requirements and deadlines.
• Contribute to briefing materials, policy briefs, conference abstracts, and journal articles for publication.
• Possible work on survey instruments, analysis of survey data, and the dissemination of survey results.
• Collaborate with the engagement and development team to identify ways grantee evaluation activities can help to support RIZE’s larger storytelling efforts, including providing accurate and compelling narratives and metrics for funder-facing and external documents such as the annual report and sharing knowledge through the development of executive summaries and high-level narratives.

General

Our employees use the Mass General Brigham values to govern decisions, actions, and behaviors. These values guide how we get our work done: Patients, Affordability, Accountability & Service Commitment, Decisiveness, Innovation & Thoughtful Risk; and how we treat each other: Diversity & Inclusion, Integrity & Respect, Learning, Continuous Improvement & Personal Growth, Teamwork & Collaboration.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in social sciences, public health, or other related area with graduate-level research experience preferred.
• Experience in social science, behavioral science, evaluation, organizational development, or other fields doing data collection, data analyses, or evaluation and learning practices.
• Experience with philanthropy, grantmaking, and program evaluation a plus.
• Ability to conduct effective, non-extractive evaluations in communities that have been marginalized and among those with lived and living experience of the overdose crisis. Experience supporting equitable evaluation and learning practices preferred.
• Ability to understand the difference between “what” data and “so-what” data and skilled in pulling meaningful insights and hypotheses from information rather than just reporting facts.
• Intellectual curiosity, rigor, and integrity. Ability to keep an open mind and embrace new ideas and approaches while critically evaluating their potential impact and effectiveness.
• Exceptional written, oral, and interpersonal skills; ability to clearly and persuasively articulate complex ideas to diverse audiences.
• Experience in drafting briefs, reports, and literature reviews.
• Problem-solving skills, initiative, and a can-do attitude.
• Demonstrated ability to prioritize and use time management skills, execute flexibility, and sound judgment as this role requires independently keeping track of multiple funding timelines and various evaluation activities.
• Comfortable working as part of a small team and in a fast-paced, impact-driven environment, highly collegial.
• Knowledge of Microsoft Office, Salesforce, Constant Contact, Zoom, and WordPress is a plus.
• Proficiency in using PowerPoint, Canva, and other software to create engaging and effective presentations. Understanding of audience needs and the ability to tailor presentations accordingly.
• Minimum of 5 years of work experience.

The APO-MEL is a full-time, hybrid role. RIZE is in downtown Boston, and occasional travel, primarily in-state, will be required for meetings and events as needed. The role may require evening and occasional weekend work.

We are an equal-opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religious creed, national origin, sex, age, gender identity, disability, sexual orientation, military service, genetic information, and other status protected under law.

To apply, please complete an application using this link.