Senior Director, Measurement, Learning & Evaluation (MLE)

Reports To: Chief Strategy and Impact Officer

Location: Remote/home office

Start Date: January 2025

Status:  Full-time, regular, exempt salary

Travel: Travel for PCA events/meetings (4-7x/year)

Positive Coaching Alliance (PCA) is a national nonprofit organization working to unlock the life-changing power of sports for all kids, regardless of social or economic circumstance.

Our mission goes beyond mere participation—we aim to change the culture of youth sports so that every child can enjoy the benefits of a positive youth sports experience. We believe that sports done right changes lives. PCA leads this change by setting new standards for youth sports across the United States, partnering with school districts, youth sports organizations, and community-based organizations to provide them with the tools and training necessary to harness the power of sport for positive youth development and ensure that kids in under-resourced communities have access to the transformational benefits of sport participation. Headquartered in the San Francisco Bay Area, PCA’s footprint extends across all 50 states with 60 staff, 150 experienced trainers, an active and engaged governing board, and an alliance of advisory and local boards, leadership councils, and national and corporate partners. PCA is looking for people who are passionate about the power of youth sports to improve outcomes for young people to join our high-impact team.

The Senior Director, MLE plays a pivotal role in advancing PCA’s ability to understand, measure, and communicate its impact across all programs and community interventions and ensure the quality and impact are grounded in evidence and aligned with PCA’s mission to create a positive youth sports culture. This position leads the development and execution of PCA’s evaluation function: Owning the organization-wide MLE plan, validating and modernizing survey and observation tools, and linking training, partner, and participant data so staff can clearly see who we are reaching, what their experiences look like, and where outcomes differ across communities.

The Senior Director designs and oversees evaluations, assures data quality, and coaches teams and partners to use evidence for continuous improvement. The role develops evaluation tools, conducts mixed-methods research, analyzes data, and produces insights that strengthen program quality, inform strategic decisions, and support fundraising and partner relationships. Working closely with PCA’s internal teams and external partners and communities, the Senior Director drives learning cycles across the organization and ensures impact data is accessible, meaningful, and actionable.

Impact Measurement & Evaluation

• Lead PCA’s MLE strategy including defining success, measuring impact, learning from results, and using evidence to improve decisions.
• Design and implement logic models and tools to assess the effectiveness of PCA workshops, community strategies, digital content, curricula, and partnerships; and set a decision-focused learning agenda.
• Assess PCA’s current portfolio of evaluation tools, practices, and outcome indicators/metrics for efficacy and efficiency and to ensure evaluation approaches are rigorous and culturally responsive.
• Lead privacy/consent protocols; provide input on data-sharing MOUs; ensure accessibility and inclusion.
• Produce actionable insights and recommendations that help refine program delivery, curriculum design, and partner support.

Data Analysis & Reporting

• Develop standardized frameworks to compare outcomes across partners and training models; design and govern data collection and review processes to ensure consistency and rigor.
• Create clear, compelling impact reports, dashboards, and data stories for internal teams as well as external partners.
• Collaborate with Technology and Operations to support data governance, quality, and system improvements.
• Identify and coordinate with external research partners or consultants, as needed, to advance specific evaluation projects.
• Represent PCA’s impact approach to communities, partners, funders, and national youth sports stakeholders.

Organizational Learning

• Facilitate learning routines—such as quarterly program reviews, insight sessions, and reflection cycles—to help teams interpret and act on evaluation findings.
• Maintain documentation of methods, findings, and organizational learning to strengthen PCA’s knowledge base.
• Support staff training on evaluation practices, data interpretation, and the use of impact tools.

• Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree in evaluation, social sciences, public policy, education research, or related field preferred.
• 10+ years of experience in evaluation/impact measurement, with 5+ years leading org-wide M&E/MLE or research functions in youth development, K–12, ed-tech, public health, or adjacent fields.
• Working knowledge of Salesforce data models and an LMS environment; experience scoping integrations and dashboards with technical teams.
• Strong data analysis skills and proficiency with survey platforms, dashboards, and analytical tools (e.g., R/Python, Qualtrics, Tableau, Power BI, CRM systems); SQL familiarity a plus.
• Exceptional communication skills, with the ability to synthesize complex data for diverse audiences.
• Commitment to equity-centered and culturally responsive evaluation and ethical data practices; experience disaggregating and acting on inequities.
• Ability to act as a strategic systems thinker and practical doer, translating complex insights into clear data storytelling and visualizations.
• Experience with project management (roadmaps, milestones, on-time delivery) and cross-functional collaboration in a mission-driven environment.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience evaluating training, curriculum, workshops, or digital learning environments.
• Familiarity with youth sports systems, coaching education, and/or SEL frameworks.
• Experience supporting grant reporting or impact storytelling.

The Senior Impact and Evaluation Officer should embody the following personal characteristics:

• Deep alignment with PCA’s mission and belief in the power of positive youth sports experiences.
• Analytical, thoughtful, and detail-oriented with a strong learning mindset.
• Highly collaborative; able to influence across teams without positional authority.
• Curious, organized, and capable of managing multiple projects simultaneously.
• Strong ethical standards and commitment to responsible, equitable evaluation practices.
• Passion for sports, learning, and youth development.

We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. 

(eligibility details apply):

• Health Benefits: PCA offers a diverse catalog of medical, dental, and vision plans & pays 100% of employee-only health benefits premiums. We provide a generous subsidy for dependents;
• Retirement: Our retirement plan offers immediate vesting and 7% match!;
• Supportive Family & Wellness Benefits: PCA believes in work-life balance. We provide basic employee life and disability insurance, Paid family leave; Caregiver support benefits; Adoption assistance; Employee assistance program; Calm App for mental health added support; Generous time off, including 15 paid holidays;
• Want to invest in your skills & career?: PCA offers a robust professional development resource library, custom curricula, virtual classes, and management support;
• Maximize your income: Discount programs on wellness resources; Flex Savings Account; Retirement and financial counseling benefits; and
• Fun: All Staff retreat trips, connection games at monthly staff meetings, formal shout-outs of appreciation, sports event invites

How to Apply: Apply via Indeed.com or send your Resume and cover letter to careers@positivecoach.org. Enter Sr. Director MLE in the subject line.