Data Manager

Overview

The Research Alliance for New York City Schools, an independent research center housed at New York University, invites applications for a full-time Data Manager. We conduct rigorous research to inform education policy and practice in New York City and beyond. We work closely with leadership of the NYC Public School system (NYCPS), as well as a variety of education-focused agencies and organizations, to ensure that the evidence produced by our studies is relevant to their needs and we share findings with the public to generate support for evidence-based decisions.

The Research Alliance data archive—one of the largest education databases in the country and the only one of its kind in NYC—central to our mission, links over 30 years of data from different sources, providing a rich picture of students’ experiences, opportunities, and outcomes, as well as information on teachers, administrators, and schools. This includes data from the annual NYC School Survey, which gathers feedback from teachers, students, and parents about their school learning environment.

The archive also houses data from other public agencies (e.g., the U.S. Census Bureau, the National Center for Education Statistics, CUNY), enabling study of how a broad range of factors shape students’ educational journeys.

Position Overview

We are seeking a highly motivated and entrepreneurial Data Manager to join our team. The Data Manager will work with the leadership team and play a critical role in managing complex educational data systems that support high-quality research and evaluation projects. This role combines technical data management expertise with strategic partnership development and community engagement responsibilities. The position involves stewarding and expanding our data archive, improving existing systems and protocols, and implementing new ones to enhance data quality and organizational efficiency.

The Data Manager will collaborate closely with researchers to produce rigorous research and provide technical leadership and support around using the archive to staff and affiliates. They will serve as a liaison with education agencies and community partners, and conduct targeted outreach to enhance data sharing and broaden participation in education research. The Data Manager is also expected to contribute to organizational sustainability by identifying grant opportunities, writing proposals, and exploring other innovative approaches to funding our data infrastructure.

Ultimately, this role will enhance the Research Alliance’s responsiveness to NYC’s education stakeholders and communities, enabling us to more fully deliver on our commitment to advance equity through meaningful partnerships and rigorous research.

Job Description / Key Responsibilities

The Data Manager will work with our team to develop and implement a strategic plan to improve our data archive infrastructure and expand its use to address a wider spectrum of pressing questions for policy and practice. The Data Manager will also supervise the work of 1-2 Research Analysts. Specific responsibilities include:

Data Systems and Infrastructure Management:

• Oversee and improve documentation, data processing and management, and data access protocols for the Research Alliance data archive
• Develop standardized processes for data cleaning, transformation, and analysis workflows, including data quality assurance procedures and automated validation checks
• Work with NYU's IT staff to monitor, maintain, and contribute to strategic planning for the organization's data systems
• Oversee data use agreements and manage relationships with partner agencies (e.g., NYCPS, CUNY, community-based organizations)
• Ensure compliance with data use agreements and IRB requirements and adherence to data security protocols and privacy regulations (FERPA, etc.)

Research Support and Technical Operations:

• Process or oversee and support data production specialists and analysts in processing data in SAS, including macro programming, and support/troubleshoot staff programming difficulties
• Provide technical assistance, training, and support to research staff on data management best practices
• Work closely…