Colorado Nonprofit Association
Evaluation & Learning Manager
Fueling Change, Igniting Impact: Be a Catalyst for Health Equity with The Colorado Trust!
The Colorado Trust
The Colorado Trust is a grantmaking foundation dedicated to ensuring all Coloradans have the opportunity to thrive. When the nonprofit PSL Healthcare Corporation was sold to a for-profit organization in 1985, the sale proceeds were used to create The Colorado Trust. We partner with organizations across Colorado that are working to make positive changes for people and communities. We provide funding and other resources to help every person living in Colorado have the opportunity to live a long and healthy life. Our grants support organizations and efforts focused on policy advocacy, community building, direct services, public education and more. We work side-by-side with grantees and community members to ensure grants are solution-based and effective.
The Colorado Trust strives to maintain a diverse workforce that reflects the communities we serve and aims to build an organizational culture that reflects our commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion.
Qualifications
- Master’s degree with research or evaluation emphasis in social sciences or related field (or commensurate experience) and formal training in research methods, evaluation design, and qualitative or quantitative analysis
- Minimum of three years of experience working in social sciences or related fields, with demonstrated capacity in evaluation design, qualitative and quantitative methods, and data analysis
- Experience in project management, including developing timelines and work plans
- Understanding of health equity and social determinants of health, particularly as they relate to research and evaluation
- Experience in group facilitation and creating open forums for dialogue among persons with diverse perspectives and backgrounds
- Excellent verbal, interpersonal, and written communication skills for expert, peer or lay audiences with proficiency in English is required. Proficiency in Spanish is desired
- Proficiency with current and emerging technology, including Microsoft applications (e.g., Word, Excel, Teams, PowerPoint, SharePoint), data analysis software (e.g., SPSS, NVivo), and a willingness to follow organizational policies and team norms for remote communication platforms (e.g., Zoom) or data management (e.g., Tableau)
- Ability to maintain a confidential stance concerning the business and affairs of The Colorado Trust and those with whom it has relationships
- Ability to work from The Colorado Trust office in Denver at least three days per week and as needed for events
- Ability to travel by car and plane (local, in-state, and out-of-state) for occasional required business trips (may include overnight trips)
- Reliable transportation, proof of valid driver’s license, adequate automobile liability insurance coverage, and the ability to drive periodically for organizational business (unless an accommodation has been requested and approved)
Personal Attributes
- Passion for and commitment to The Colorado Trust’s health equity vision and its mission of advancing the health and well-being of the people of Colorado
- Ability to communicate effectively and respectfully with people of diverse backgrounds, especially across race, ethnicity, gender and class
- Ability to represent The Colorado Trust in public and community settings and communicate effectively with grantees, partners and other stakeholders
- Commitment to issues of community, diversity, equity, integrity and fairness
- Highly detail-oriented, organized, and able to systematically track multiple projects simultaneously and manage time effectively
- Action-oriented, self-starter who can work well independently and in teams
- Flexible, open to new ideas and divergent opinions; embraces change, evolution and growth
- Listens with a sincere desire to understand another’s point of view and comfort speaking up and disagreeing at times
- Ability to serve collaborative teams of colleagues both on-site and remotely
- Ability to create and adhere to organized systems within flexible and dynamic community environments
General Description
Evaluation & learning staff work with colleagues to assess the impact of the foundation’s charitable giving, providing accessible and actionable data through robust evaluation design to support learning, inform future grantmaking decisions, and contribute to The Colorado Trust’s strategic direction. Evaluation & learning staff partner closely with colleagues and grantees to meet the evaluation and research needs of the organization and its initiatives. The evaluation & learning manager executes and implements mixed-methods evaluation plans and analyses, reports on findings, and serves as a key support and community contact for evaluation efforts. This position will work from The Colorado Trust office in Denver at least three days per week and remotely for the remainder, with expectations of being present at in-person meetings and events as requested.
Responsibilities
Evaluation research
- Conduct evaluations from start to finish for concurrently operating multisite initiatives
- Work collaboratively with Grants & Impact Department colleagues to construct comprehensive evaluation plans, including developing evaluation questions and methods
- Manage the collection, cleaning and storage of evaluation data gathered from grantees, partners and staff
Learning
- Support the implementation of processes necessary to foster strategic learning
- Help orient the organization toward continual improvement through planning and facilitation of internal meetings focused on data utilization
- Implement knowledge-sharing tools and strategies that promote cross-team learning, organizational dialogue and reflection, and the use of evaluation findings, data and reflection to inform programmatic decisions
- Work with staff and grantees to increase understanding of how to use evaluation data for decision-making; facilitate use of evaluation and research results in ways that are accessible to internal and external audiences
Collaboration
- Build collaborative relationships with colleagues to promote an atmosphere of collegial information-sharing, candid reflection and critical dialogue
- Provide guidance and support to staff to create results-oriented funding initiatives to meet The Colorado Trust’s grantmaking goals based on high-quality needs assessments, data and a thorough understanding of relevant research
- Manage a portfolio of evaluations, develop and cultivate relationships with grantees, and collaborate with Grants & Impact Department staff to support evaluation strategies
Knowledge sharing
- Contribute to evaluation products, such as externally facing evaluation reports and internally facing evaluation presentations, to foster data discussion
- Conduct research and analysis of issues as needed, including literature reviews, and prepare issue briefs, recommendations and other materials for internal or external audiences
- Remain abreast of trends and changes in health equity issues nationally and locally—particularly evaluation advancements—and identify and report to staff and the board of trustees on learnings relevant to The Colorado Trust’s work
- Actively participate in evaluation and learning networks in the fields of health equity and philanthropy
- Provide technical assistance to staff or others in analyzing and interpreting information, assessment results, evaluations and other indicators used in grantmaking strategies
- Carry out other duties as assigned
Supervisor Relationship: The person designated to supervise the evaluation & learning manager is the director of evaluation & learning.