An established leader in the Northeast Ohio civic landscape, College Now has been changing the lives of students in our region since 1967. We do this by providing college and career access advising, financial aid counseling, and scholarship and retention services to students from middle school through adulthood with a special focus on supporting those from low-income backgrounds and first-generation college students. An individual filling this position can expect to have a direct impact on Northeast Ohio students and families.
When you work for College Now, you are part of an innovative and visionary team, committed to College Now's mission, vision, and values as we are committed to creating a collaborative, inclusive workplace for team members. Offering superior benefits, ample opportunities for professional growth and development, and the chance to make an impact on the community, College Now is where careers are made and grown.
Position title: Chief Research and Impact Officer (CRIO)
Status: Full-time, Exempt
Standard Hours: Monday – Friday, 8:00 am – 5:00 pm
Location: Hybrid; generally, 3 days in office per week and 2 days remote. This may change based on business needs
Reports To: Chief Executive Officer
Overview:
The Chief Research and Impact Officer will provide visionary leadership, strategic direction, and operational oversight to establish and grow a Center of Excellence for Access and Success, as a national leader in advancing college and career access and success. This role and center will collaborate with internal and external stakeholders to design, implement, and evaluate innovative programs, drive data-informed decision-making, and promote best practices in the field.
The Chief Research and Impact Officer will have experience in higher education access and success— a visionary leader responsible for driving excellence and innovation within our programs and services, particularly focusing on addressing the evolving landscape of post-secondary education, gaps in access, persistence, retention and completion rates. The incumbent will report to the CEO and serve on the Executive Leadership team.
Strategic Leadership and Vision
- Design and grow College’s Now evaluation and research capabilities
- Lead knowledge management efforts in terms of documentation, tools and techniques to improve performance, program advancement, best practices integration, and continuous learning, and a robust research and dissemination agenda
- Serve as a thought leader by contributing to the national dialogue on education attainment through research, presentations, and partnerships
Compliance, Evaluation and Research
- Support program implementation with data and information— ensuring compliance with relevant regulations and standards
- Monitor and evaluate program effectiveness, providing regular reports to stakeholders.
- Establish key performance indicators (KPIs) and oversee the data analysis process to measure program effectiveness
- Analyze data to identify needs, track progress, and inform strategic decisions
- Review, analyze and share comprehensive research on current higher education trends, challenges, and gaps, particularly concerning marginalized populations
- Establish a research agenda in collaboration with the executive team
Program and Project Management
- Research and design innovative program pilots and strategies to address barriers and improve outcomes for underrepresented students
- Support the design, delivery, and evaluation of programs, ensuring measurable impact and sustainability
- Implement best practices in program and project management
Partnerships and Stakeholder Engagement
- Establish and nurture strategic partnerships with internal and external stakeholders
- Represent the Center in national and regional forums, advancing the organization’s thought leadership
- Convene advisory boards and working groups to ensure stakeholder input and collaboration
