Director of Data-Informed Practice

Role Description

The National Adoption Association (NAA) is seeking a Director of Data-Informed Practice to lead an anticipated area of national child welfare work focused on helping agencies turn data and evidence into practical improvements. This is a hands-on Director I role for an experienced child welfare leader who can:

• Guide strategy and facilitate virtual technical assistance.
• Strengthen workforce practice and supervise a Data-Informed Practice Advisor.
• Keep complex work moving from planning through implementation.
• Work directly with participating child welfare agencies on improvements related to foster and kinship family recruitment, licensing, training, support, retention, placement, and matching.
• Coordinate workplans, deliverables, budgets, reporting, and relationships with stakeholders.

Qualifications

• Master's degree in social work, public administration, public policy, nonprofit management, organizational development, child welfare, or a closely related field; an equivalent combination of education and relevant experience may be considered.
• At least 8 years of progressively responsible experience in public or private child welfare, including experience related to foster and kinship family recruitment, licensing, training, support, retention, placement, or matching.
• At least 3 years of experience leading programs, systems-change initiatives, or technical assistance and coordinating work across multiple partners or jurisdictions.
• Experience supervising professional staff and managing project workplans, budgets, deliverables, performance expectations, and partner relationships.
• Demonstrated experience translating research, data, and analytic findings into practical program, workflow, policy, or practice improvements; advanced statistical analysis is not required.
• Experience designing and facilitating virtual technical assistance, workforce development, adult learning, or structured improvement processes with varied audiences.
• Experience with federal grants or cooperative agreements and national child welfare initiatives is preferred.

Requirements

• Hands-on virtual technical assistance, learning sessions, implementation planning, touchpoints, and follow-up with participating sites.
• Workforce development for managers, supervisors, and staff across the foster family lifecycle.
• Translation of research and data into practical strategies, tools, workflows, policies, and program improvements.
• Readiness assessment, process mapping, implementation support, and continuous improvement.
• Supervision and coaching of a Data-Informed Practice Advisor.
• Project workplans, budgets, deliverables, documentation, quality, and reporting.
• Coordination with participating agencies, external stakeholders, NAA leaders, and internal subject-matter experts.
• The translation of complex gold standard research evidence into practical application for middle managers of child welfare systems.
• The ability to generate and report on new research evidence from constituents who are affected by the child welfare system.
• Collaboration with existing NAA staff so family and community perspectives inform implementation and learning.

Benefits

• Competitive salary ranging from $95,000 to $120,000.
• A generous benefits package that includes a gold health plan.
• Dental and vision insurance that is 100% employer-paid for employees.
• Employer retirement contributions.
• Professional development opportunities.

Additional Information

• This is a remote position with occasional evening or weekend work and periodic travel, expected approximately two times per year, for organizational and partner meetings.
• Employment is contingent upon successful completion of required background checks.
• NAA is recruiting in anticipation of final funding approval; the position, any offer of employment, and the anticipated start date are contingent upon final funding approval and organizational needs.

How to Apply

Please apply online at with a resume and cover letter by August 21, 2026. Applications without a cover letter will not be considered. The target start date is October 5, 2026.