EXCITE Evaluation Specialist (Buyout or Contractor)
EXCITE Evaluation Specialist (Buyout or Contractor)
Arrangement: University buyout or independent contractor
Estimated Effort: about 35 to 45 percent of a buyout applicant's time, or about 15 to 17 hours a week for a contractor
Location: remote, with occasional travel
The Extension Foundation (EXF) is a well-established non-profit organization providing a range of services to over 100 public universities across the United States. EXF is a membership-based 501(c)(3) non-profit operating foundation formed in 2006 by Extension Directors and Administrators. EXF partners with university-based Cooperative Extension Services to increase their capacity and offers exclusive professional development to its members. EXF has multiple funding sources, including memberships and federal awards.
The Extension Foundation seeks an Evaluation Specialist to play a key role in the national evaluation of EXCITE. EXCITE, the Extension Collaborative on Immunization Teaching and Engagement, is a national Cooperative Extension effort, funded by USDA's National Institute of Food and Agriculture and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, that builds adult immunization education into Extension health and wellness programs.
The Evaluation Specialist will support systematic data collection, analysis, and use to strengthen program effectiveness and document programmatic outputs and outcomes, coordinating evaluation activities across funded projects and working with the EXCITE Program Team to communicate outcomes and impacts to stakeholders.
This position is open to two arrangements: a buyout of a university employee's time, or an independent contractor. The work is defined by the deliverables below, and the EXCITE Program Team reviews and accepts each one. In your cover letter, tell us which arrangement you are applying under.
Scope of Work & Deliverables
Evaluation Plan & Implementation: Coordinate, implement, and update the national EXCITE evaluation plan, with measures, data sources, and timeline, that supports program accountability, team learning, and impact. Coordination includes implementation across funded projects and updates as needed to improve evaluation activities.
Data Collection Tools: Develop and/or update data collection tools and instructions to document programmatic outcomes and impacts, as called for in the evaluation plan.
Monthly Monitoring Summaries: Develop reports that summarize EXCITE activities, program progress, trends, and data quality issues, with implications for program improvement and technical assistance needs, prepared with the EXCITE data management coordinator.
Funder Report Sections: Develop evaluation sections, data tables, and impact statements for progress reports to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and USDA's National Institute of Food and Agriculture, on the funder schedule.
Technical Assistance: Participate in up to 4 hours per month of virtual technical assistance to EXCITE team members to support accurate, complete, and on-time reporting, with a log of sessions.
Evaluation Resources: Provide up to 4 guidance documents or training resources per year on evaluation and quality improvement, developed with other team members.
Outcomes Synthesis & Products: Synthesize program activities, outcomes, impacts, and lessons learned, developed with the EXCITE Program Team, plus up to five presentations, publications, or other products drafted with select team members.
Coordination Meetings: Participate in up to four EXCITE Program Team planning, coordination, or strategy meetings per month to coordinate evaluation work with EXCITE leadership.
Qualifications
Education & Experience: Master's degree in public health, human sciences, Extension education, research and evaluation, or a related field, with 3+ years of experience in program evaluation. A terminal degree in one of these fields and 5+ years of program evaluation experience are preferred.
Evaluation Management: Strong evaluation management and organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple tasks. Demonstrated leadership of complex evaluation projects preferred.
Data Collection & Analysis: Experience with data collection platforms and data management and analysis software, such as Excel or SPSS.
Communication: Excellent verbal and written communication skills and the ability to communicate evaluation results.
Extension Training Preferred: Expertise in training Extension professionals in evaluation procedures.
Arrangement: Either current employment at a land-grant university or other institution able to enter into an agreement with EXF, or the ability to work as an independent contractor.
Option A: University Buyout
Agreement: EXF will issue an agreement, most likely a subaward, to the applicant's institution for the agreed share of the applicant's time.
Effort: This covers about 35 to 45 percent of the applicant's time, depending on salary and institutional rates.
Institutional Approval: The applicant's supervisor or department head and the institution's sponsored programs office must approve the time commitment.
Invoicing & Effort: The institution invoices EXF for actual costs and certifies the time the applicant spends on EXCITE.
Employment: The applicant remains an employee of their institution, keeps its benefits, and follows its policies.
Systems Access: EXF will provide access to Google Workspace and Adobe Acrobat Pro for EXCITE work.
Option B: Independent Contractor
Independent Work: The consultant sets their work location, provides their own equipment, software, and internet service that supports video meetings, and may serve other clients, disclosing any work for EXCITE partners or other potential conflicts of interest. EXF provides access to its Google Workspace and Adobe Acrobat Pro accounts as needed for EXCITE work.
Effort: This is about 15 to 17 hours a week on average.
Authority: The consultant cannot sign for or bind EXF. EXF staff review and accept all deliverables.
Federal Requirements: The consultant must not be suspended or debarred from federal awards. The agreement includes required federal provisions and records access for audit.
Application Materials
All Applicants: A cover letter highlighting experience related to the position and naming the arrangement you are applying under, a résumé with a minimum of 3 references, and an example of your work, such as an evaluation analysis or report.
Selection: based on related experience and the work sample, with total cost considered for both arrangements.
Equal Employment Opportunity
The Extension Foundation is an Equal Opportunity Employer and considers all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other legally protected characteristic. Reasonable accommodations are available to applicants with disabilities upon request.
Equal opportunity requirements may vary for buyout and contractor arrangements. The Foundation’s general policy applies wherever allowed for the type of arrangement. Applicants who need a reasonable accommodation during the application process may contact Ashley Griffin at agriffin@extension.org.