Data Research Analyst

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Job Title: System of Care Evaluator \ Research Data Analyst

Job #: 167104

Client: Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF)

Location: 101 Friendship St, Providence, RI – Hybrid, in-person meetings can occur at the office and\or in community settings within Rhode Island.

Duration: 4-year contract – Extensions Possible

Work Week: 35 hours per week

Pay Rate: $45 - $55 per hour, W-2 (c2c available) - Depending on experience

Position Summary

DCYF is building a more coordinated, accessible, and effective behavioral health System of Care for Rhode Island's children, youth, and families. The System of Care Evaluator, Research Data Analyst will collaborate with the SOC Project Director, DPI administrator, Co-Qualitative Evaluators, DCYF Executive Leadership, state agency partner and community partners.

This role will include support of evaluation design and methodology, monitoring evaluation plan implementation, monitoring data collection, recommending any midcourse corrections, merging data from various data sources, engaging in data quality checks, conducting data analysis and developing regular data reports with data visualization for various audiences.

This position is supported by federal grant funding.

What You Bring to This Work

This role is for someone who believes public systems can work better for children and families, and who wants to be part of making that happen from the inside. You'll thrive here if you:

• Keep children, youth, and families at the center. You see the family behind every policy, contract, and data point, and you hold System of Care values (family-driven, youth-guided, community-based, trauma-informed, and culturally responsive) as working principles.
• Think in systems. You understand that children's behavioral health spans many agencies, funding streams, and providers, and you look for how the pieces connect rather than working in silos.
• Treat relationships as infrastructure. You know that trust with providers, partner agencies, and families is what makes change stick, and you invest in it consistently.
• Are comfortable building while moving. Much of this work is new or evolving. You can bring structure to ambiguity, make progress without a perfect roadmap, and adjust as you learn.
• Balance urgency with patience. You bring energy and follow-through, and you also understand how government works and can navigate process without losing momentum.
• Lead with curiosity and humility. You value the expertise of people with lived experience and frontline providers as much as your own, and you're open to having your assumptions challenged.

Key Responsibilities

Support of the Evaluation Plan and Methodology

• Guide the evaluation plan and methodology with understanding of various evaluation plan designs and methodologies
• Guide the Logic Model within the overall evaluation plan
• Ensure the evaluation plan is consistent with the SOC grant purpose and aims
• Monitor the fidelity to the evaluation design and methodology
• Ongoing monitoring of the evaluation plan implementation
• Make mid-course recommendations where necessary

Outcomes and Metrics

• Co-develop and refine the Evaluation\ Logic Model Outcomes
• Co-develop objective, measurable, realistic, attainable, outcomes consistent with the SOC aims
• Co-develop outcomes ranging from process to impact and complementary to the qualitative outcomes

Data Collection and Monitoring

• Co-develop a data collection process and protocol based on the evaluation plan design and the State’s SOC infrastructure
• Engage and educate data analysts within DCYF, State Agencies and community providers who are data contributors to the SOC evaluation on the data collection methodology and protocol
• Monitor the data collection process for timeliness, accuracy, validity, and reliability
• Provide any ongoing data collection support to the SOC grant

Data Management and Data Analysis

• Conduct data merging and data management of the various data sources
• Conduct data quality checks and provide feedback where issues arise
• Conduct data analysis from descriptive statistics to advanced statistics with various data types (i.e. categorical data, continuous data etc.)
• Conduct data analysis primarily in SAS

Data Reporting

• Develop regular and ongoing data reports for various audiences
• Develop data reports with various formats such as data briefs, and\or quarterly reports and\or annual reports
• Develop data reports to communicate the data inclusive of and not limited to various graphical, tabular, data visualization representation based on the nature of the data and audience
• Develop reports consistent with the SOC grant funder

Cross-Sector and Interagency Alignment

• Represent DCYF in interagency initiatives with State agency and community-based partners and organizations.
• Facilitate and participate in workgroups and advisory bodies that include providers, families, youth, and community stakeholders.

Required Qualifications

• Master's degree in a research data analytic field - Public Health, Social Sciences
• [3 ] years of progressively responsible experience in designing and conducting research, program evaluation, data merging, data quality, data analysis and reporting
• Demonstrated experience supporting and leading implementation of grants, contracts, and strategic planning initiatives.
• Ability to manage multiple complex initiatives at once with minimal supervision.
• Ability to travel within Rhode Island for meetings and site visits.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with federal grants, especially SAMHSA or other HHS awards.
• Knowledge of children's behavioral health, the System of Care framework, and child welfare.
• Experience engaging in research, data analysis in the areas of children’s behavioral health
• Experience in or with state government, or with Medicaid-funded services.
• Experience engaging families and youth with lived experience in policy and program design.

Funding Contingency

This is a federally grant-funded position. Continuation of the role, including its term, scope, and compensation, depends on the continued availability of federal funding and on grant renewal. If federal funding is reduced, delayed, or discontinued, the position may be modified or ended.