Research and Evaluation Specialist

About the Organization

Founded in 1991 by successful businessman and philanthropist, Harold Grinspoon, the Harold Grinspoon Foundation (HGF) has invested more than $200 million in programs that make Jewish life and Jewish community more vibrant and more connected. Based in Agawam, Massachusetts (just five minutes from Springfield and thirty minutes from Hartford), HGF and its sister foundation the Harold Grinspoon Charitable Foundation (HGCF), employ over 140 employees and offer national and international philanthropic programs that range from enhancing Jewish life throughout the US and the globe, to bringing together colleges and universities to promote entrepreneurship, to providing support and resources for local farmers, to honoring local public school teachers, to supplying over 650,000 free books monthly to children throughout the world. 

The Foundation offers the stability of a nearly thirty-year organization, while also exhibiting the creative, exciting and fast-paced spirit of a start-up. As an endowed foundation committed to serving its target markets, it offers long-term growth opportunities while also driving positive impact for all those served. 

HGF is seeking a dynamic Research & Evaluation Specialist to join our growing team supporting multiple foundation initiatives, including the flagship program, PJ Library®.  This full-time position will oversee a variety of projects that support market research, measurement and evaluation activities, and will report to the Director of Evaluation.

Responsibilities:

The Evaluation Specialist’s primary responsibilities are to assist the Director of Evaluation in collecting and analyzing data related to PJ Library program goals and initiatives, as well as develop recommendations to enhance and improve program effectiveness and efficiency. The ideal candidate will be curious by nature, have a passion for marketing and business analytics, be proficient in Excel, and comfortable working both independently as well as in a team environment. More specific responsibilities include:

• Collaborate with various internal stakeholders to build and refine processes to track and measure outcomes for new and ongoing initiatives
• Write and edit questions for a multitude of surveys used across the Foundation that are sent to program participants nationally and internationally in 21 countries around the world. Surveys are focused on gauging participant satisfaction and self-reported impact while also serving to help HGF better understand its various target audiences
• Liaise with and manage vendors who help with survey programming and reporting
• Analyze survey results and make recommendations to help improve survey response rate, inform strategy and enhance the PJ Library Program
• Assist in the creation and content for program mailings (electronic and traditional)
• Edit and test all email surveys and related links
• Build reports for internal stakeholders summarizing results of various analytics activities
• Analyze open-ended survey responses and other qualitative feedback in order to determine meaningful themes
• Participate on a team charged with growing an internationally acclaimed philanthropic program that benefits children and families in its rapid growth around the globe! 

Requirements 

• Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail
• Ability to move forward multiple time-sensitive projects all taking place at the same time
• Strong written communication skills
• Ability to work autonomously and as part of a team
• Proficient with Microsoft Suite, especially Excel
• Demonstrated analytical experience
• Bachelor’s Degree and at least two years fulltime work experience in the fields of Marketing, Research, Analytics, Measurement/Evaluation, or other related; graduate degree preferred
• Experience with survey research and basic statistical analysis programs and platforms, such as Survey Monkey, Survey Gizmo, SPSS and/or Tableau a plus
• Experience with qualitative analysis software packages like NVivo a plus

Physical Requirements 

Prolonged periods sitting at a desk, concentrating, and working on a computer.

Must be able to lift up to 15 pounds at mes.

Compensation 

$65,000 - $75,000

Benefits 

• Health Insurance
• Vision & Dental Insurance
• Flexible Spending Plan
• Short Disability Insurance
• Long Term Disability Insurance
• 401(k) Plan with Employer Match
• Flexible work schedule policy
• Paid Sick, Holiday, Vacation, and Personal Time