Associate Director of Research and Evaluation

Reporting to the Executive Director of Applied Learning, the Associate Director of Research and Evaluation serves as the university's lead researcher and evaluator for the Applied Learning Experience (ALE) initiative. This position provides leadership for the design, implementation, and continuous improvement of a comprehensive university-wide assessment and evaluation framework that measures the impact of applied learning on student success, engagement, and institutional priorities.

The Associate Director operates with a high degree of autonomy and professional discretion, independently establishing research priorities, evaluation methodologies, data collection strategies, and reporting processes. As the university's primary subject matter expert on applied learning assessment, this position synthesizes complex institutional, qualitative, and quantitative data to inform strategic decision making by university leadership and guide the future direction of the ALE initiative.

The Associate Director collaborates extensively with academic colleges, faculty, institutional research personnel, student affairs professionals, and university administrators to ensure stakeholders engage in data-informed planning and continuous improvement efforts. Through research, scholarship, and evaluation leadership, this position advances institutional goals while contributing to national conversations regarding experiential and applied learning practices in higher education.

In addition, the Associate Director provides day-to-day leadership and oversight of graduate research assistants and other research personnel supporting evaluation and assessment initiatives.

Core Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership and Institutional Impact - 30%

• Lead the development and execution of the university-wide research, assessment, and evaluation strategy for the Applied Learning Experience initiative
• Independently identify emerging assessment needs, establish evaluation priorities, and recommend strategic improvements that strengthen institutional effectiveness and student outcomes
• Advise the Executive Director matters related to applied learning assessment, program effectiveness, and evidence-based decision making
• Develop recommendations for policy, practice, and resource allocation based on research findings and evaluation outcomes
• Represent the university in institutional, regional, and national conversations related to applied learning, assessment, and experiential education

Research, Assessment, and Evaluation Leadership - 30%

• Design, implement, and continuously refine comprehensive qualitative and quantitative assessment frameworks measuring the effectiveness and impact of applied learning initiatives
• Lead the creation of research questions, study designs, assessment instruments, and evaluation methodologies aligned with university strategic priorities
• Independently conduct sophisticated qualitative research initiatives, including focus groups, interviews, and thematic analysis involving faculty, students, alumni, and community partners
• Partner with Office of Data, Assessment and Institutional Research, data systems personnel, and analysts to establish effective data collection processes and ensure the integrity of university-wide ALE metrics
• Integrate and synthesize information from multiple data sources to identify trends, assess outcomes, and inform strategic planning efforts
• Produce comprehensive annual and multi-year evaluation reports used by university leadership, accrediting agencies, external stakeholders, and funding partners

Data Strategy and Decision Support - 15%

• Translate complex data into actionable recommendations that support institutional planning, continuous improvement, and strategic decision making
• Develop executive-level reports, dashboards, presentations, and summaries that communicate research findings to a variety of audiences
• Evaluate the effectiveness of current initiatives and recommend evidence-based enhancements to maximize program impact
• Serve as the primary authority for interpretation and application of ALE assessment data across the institution

Research Leadership and Scholarly Contributions - 15%

• Lead the execution of the institutional ALE research agenda and ensure all research activities align with university goals and best practices in the field
• Maintain a visible national scholarly presence through peer-reviewed publications, books, conference presentations, and invited speaking engagements
• Identify emerging trends and best practices in experiential education and recommend innovative approaches for institutional adoption
• Establish collaborative research partnerships with internal and external stakeholders to advance knowledge within the field

Personnel Leadership and Stakeholder Engagement - 10%

• Provide direct supervision, mentoring, performance management, and day-to-day oversight of graduate research assistants and student employees supporting research and evaluation activities
• Coordinate research activities across multiple academic and administrative units while fostering strong collaborative relationships with stakeholders throughout the university
• Serve as the primary liaison and recruiter for faculty and student participants, ensuring effective communication regarding research activities, assessment results, and continuous improvement efforts
• Provide support for adjacent faculty research projects to include data dashboards
• Facilitate a culture of evidence-based decision making through presentations, workshops, and consultations with campus partners

The Mary Lynn and Warren Staley School of Leadership at Kansas State University is a values-centered learning community that provides academic, co-curricular, and applied learning experiences to students across the university with the purpose of developing bold, curious, and connected learners to address our world's most complex challenges.

A focus on incubating new initiatives, and building and strengthening partnerships has allowed the Staley School to evolve in new and diverse ways - launching new academic programs and becoming home to additional university-wide programs and initiatives, committed to enriching learning both in and out of the classroom.

This position is On-site.

All employees must reside in the United States when they begin working to comply with state law. K-State is unable to provide remote or hybrid work opportunities for residents of the state of Idaho.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Requires a high school diploma (or equivalent) and nine years of relevant experience. Requirements may be met through a combination of work experience and education.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Ph.D. in Education, Educational Leadership, Higher Education, Assessment, Research Methods, or a closely related field
• Ten years of professional experience in experiential education, applied learning, educational assessment, institutional research, program evaluation, or a related field
• Five years of progressively responsible leadership experience, including strategic planning, project leadership, personnel supervision, or administrative oversight
• Demonstrated experience designing and leading complex qualitative and quantitative research initiatives
• Proven ability to synthesize large and complex data sets into actionable recommendations for organizational or institutional leaders
• Distinguished record of scholarly achievement evidenced through peer-reviewed publications, books, grants, presentations, or other recognized contributions to the field
• Experience leading university-wide assessment, accreditation, evaluation, or institutional effectiveness initiatives
• Experience supervising graduate assistants, professional staff, or research personnel
• Demonstrated success influencing organizational strategy through data-informed recommendations and assessment findings
• Expertise communicating complex research findings to executive leaders, faculty, and external stakeholders
• Active involvement in national organizations focused on experiential education, assessment, institutional research, or student success

Sponsorship eligibility:

Candidates must be legally authorized to work in the U.S. on an ongoing basis without sponsorship

Please submit the following documents:

• Cover Letter
• Resume
• List of 3 or more professional references

Applications close on: November 8th, 2026

$ 79,926.00 - $ 110,000.00