Director, Qualitative Research & Insights | Research, Data, & Insights Team

About the Role Good Reason Houston is seeking a leader to serve as the Director, Qualitative Research & Insights. This role is essential in driving the organization’s mission to advance Houston as a leading education city through the production and strategic use of data, research, and evaluation. The Director leads the production of high‑quality, timely, relevant and rigorous qualitative research and data analysis that can be shared across stakeholders, including policymakers, school district leaders, and community members, to accelerate and amplify our impact. This experienced professional collaborates across the organization to augment quantitative analyses with insightful qualitative storytelling to illuminate the context behind the numbers. Primary Responsibilities Research & Analysis (50%) Manage capacity (staff and contractors) to conduct recurring and ad‑hoc qualitative data analysis that maximizes Good Reason Houston’s impact and aligns with strategic objectives. Lead planning and execution of a portfolio of research projects with a significant qualitative analysis component, including refining research questions, developing and codifying research methods, accessing and/or collecting data, analyzing data, surfacing insights, and creating visualizations, presentations, and reports. Collaborate with the Director, Quantitative Research & Data on integration of qualitative and quantitative research and creation of mixed‑methods studies. Ensure timely and accurate delivery of initial and final findings from research projects. Collaborate with cross‑functional leaders and external partners to develop research questions and data collection instruments, and coordinate research activities and dissemination. Serve as lead consultant on publicly available state‑ and national‑ data sources on education and data requirements and access. Build staff capacity to interpret and leverage data by developing training and workshops, providing coaching, and serving as a consultant to internal teams. Facilitate collaboration across communications, advancement, and client service teams to integrate qualitative insights into broader business strategies. Maintain expertise on relevant research topics and methods, encouraging innovation in qualitative methodologies through continuous learning and knowledge sharing. Data Storytelling (20%) Surface insights from data analyses and create visualizations, presentations, memos, and reports that communicate key insights to various audiences. Present findings internally and externally and ensure staff and partners understand methodology and results. Collaborate with leadership teams to develop presentations that center data in support of key messages and organizational objectives. Manage development of deliverables (reports, presentation slides, one‑pagers, etc.) that support cross‑departmental goals and key messages. Data Management (15%) Oversee district data relationships and data sharing agreements and respond to data requests from partners and internal teams. Coordinate IRB and ensure documentation of informed consent with research participants. Lead ethics oversight. Create and maintain systems for organization of data inputs and deliverables that streamline access and collaboration while ensuring consistency, accuracy, and compliance with data sharing agreements and privacy laws. Serve as liaison between Good Reason Houston and other local and national organizations focused on education research. Develop and maintain dashboards or databases to share frequently requested data from stakeholders. People Management (15%) Lead and mentor a team of qualitative researchers, strategists, and analysts, fostering a culture of curiosity, collaboration, and methodological rigor. Provide clear guidance, coaching, and performance feedback to support professional growth. Manage performance evaluations, career progression plans, and succession planning for key research talent. Manage resource allocation, workload balancing, and project assignments to optimize team efficiency and well‑being. Champion best practices in qualitative research design, analysis, and storytelling through active mentorship and peer review. Support recruitment, onboarding, and ongoing training of researchers. Promote a positive, inclusive team culture that values diverse perspectives and approaches to insight generation. Qualifications & Skills Who are you? The right candidate is an experienced researcher with knowledge in at least one area of education policy. You believe research insights should extend beyond a white paper—findings and research products should be applied to better policies, practices, and outcomes on the ground. You inspire and motivate people around big ideas while being a detailed executioner and project manager. Successful candidates will be able to clearly articulate how they are drawn to our mission and demonstrate how their past professional and academic experiences lend themselves to the skills, mindsets, capabilities, and knowledge critical to this role. Experience/Background Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field required, advanced degree preferred* 5+ years of professional experience* Expertise in an area of education policy required Prior experience independently leading qualitative research projects required; experience conducting quantitative or mixed methods research preferred Demonstrated experience organizing and leading interviews, focus groups, and community listening sessions with diverse populations and stakeholders Survey research experience a plus Demonstrated project management experience Excellent written and verbal communication skills. Demonstrated experience writing research reports and insights for diverse audiences a plus Advanced Microsoft Office skills, including PowerPoint Experience managing a team or playing leadership roles within project teams Deep experience with qualitative data analysis software (e.g., NVivo, Dedoose, MaxQDA, ATLAS.ti) Some experience with data visualization software (e.g., Tableau) Experience working in an organization or on a team that requires flexibility, a high degree of responsiveness, and comfort with ambiguity *Will consider an equivalent combination of relevant education and experience. Skills Ability to produce quality work under tight deadlines Ability to translate complex data outputs into meaningful insights Ability to set targets aligned to measurable results and outcomes and lead others to achieve them Ability to simplify and visually present findings to a variety of audiences and stakeholders Ability to internalize feedback with open demeanor and adapt quickly based on changing information Strong data visualization skills Strong relationship management Strong written and verbal communication skills, with ability to synthesize and accurately present relevant research findings to various audiences Self‑starter with strong sense of ownership and initiative Extremely strong organization skills and attention to detail Benefits Good Reason Houston offers a competitive salary commensurate with experience. The starting salary for this position is $115,000, with offers commensurate with candidate experience. New hires are offered a salary based on qualifications, internal equity, and the budgeted amount for the role. Good Reason Houston also has a 401(k) (automatic 3% employer contribution), life, medical, dental and vision insurance packages. Each employee accrues 35 paid time off days per calendar year in addition to the 19 paid holidays per year. This role is based in Houston. Good Reason Houston is an office‑based organization but allows for virtual work on Mondays and Fridays. Due to the nature of this position, candidates should expect to work the occasional weekend and evening. Candidates must reside in the Houston metro area or be willing to relocate. #J-18808-Ljbffr Good Reason Houston