Manager of Efficacy and Learning Research
Location: Remote US--Must live and work with in US.
Job Overview:
The Manager of Efficacy and Learning Research is a core strategic leader and member of the R&D leadership team at ExploreK12. This is a team that seeks empirical answers to crucial questions such as: are all students succeeding? under what conditions? How do we best communicate our ROI to stakeholders? What improvements should we make to our products and services to optimize student success? As a key cross-functional partner, this role drives the vision and execution of research across the organization.
This position will work in close collaboration with the SVP, Product Strategy to set the research roadmap for ExploreK12. The Manager will collaborate with cross-functional teams including Product Management, Data Analytics, Learning Experience Design, UX/UI Design, Product Marketing, Sales Enablement, Growth Marketing, and Customer Success to scope and lead research projects that generate actionable insights to guide product development, validate product effectiveness, and support sales and marketing efforts with compelling, evidence-based impact stories. This position also manages and mentors a growing team of researchers, developing efficient systems for research execution and impact across the company.
Qualified candidates will have deep expertise in designing, conducting and supervising education research and the demonstrated ability to successfully implement innovative studies to address strategic research objectives. This position calls for an education research expert with the abilities to think strategically, delegate responsibility, and communicate effectively.
Job Responsibilities:
Strategic Research Leadership
- Define and lead the company-wide research roadmap in alignment with product, sales, and marketing goals.
- Serve as the central research point of contact for internal stakeholders, scoping research needs and translating them into high-impact studies.
- Ensure that research efforts deliver clear value to internal teams and external audiences by turning data into compelling, actionable insights.
- Represent the research team in cross-functional planning, contributing research-informed perspectives to strategic decisions across the business.
Project Management
- Oversee all phases of research, including the design, planning, and execution of research projects that assess product efficacy, inform product design, and identify key conditions for success.
- Simultaneously manage several complex research projects from conception to completion.
- Ensure that research projects are conducted with methodological rigor and in alignment with industry standards, privacy laws, and internal priorities.
- Develop and refine efficient research processes, timelines, and reporting systems to support research scalability.
- Oversee technical outputs and provide hands-on support for study design, data collection, analysis, and reporting.
Team Leadership & Development
- Lead, manage and grow a high-performing team of researchers to execute on strategic priorities.
- Provide mentorship, coaching, and professional development support tailored to each team member’s career goals and growth areas.
- Guide resource allocation and task delegation across team members to meet strategic priorities efficiently.
Organizational Thought Leadership
- Collaborate with Marketing to translate research findings into accessible formats (e.g., blog posts, infographics, talking points, whitepapers) for external audiences.
- Represent ExploreK12’s research at conferences, webinars, and industry events, contributing to our visibility as a leader in edtech efficacy.
- Proactively identify gaps and opportunities in how research is integrated into product, sales, and customer success strategies.
Job Requirements:
- Proven track record of designing and leading impactful education research studies in the U.S. K-12 EdTech industry..
- 5+ years of experience in education research, data science, or analytics, preferably in applied or industry settings.
- Deep expertise in qualitative and quantitative research methodology, including study design, recruitment and data collection, and data interpretation.
- Excellent analytic skills, including expertise in statistical analysis and experience using tools for statistical analysis (SPSS, SAS, Python, or R)
- Demonstrated success turning research into actionable insights for cross-functional stakeholders.
- Exemplary project management, organizational, and prioritization skills
- Exceptional collaborative mindset and interpersonal skills to work across product, marketing, and sales functions.
- Excellent communication and writing skills for both technical and non-technical audiences
Preferred Qualifications:
- Experience with experimental design or program evaluation in the context of education or learning sciences and/or in EdTech
- Experience working closely with cross-functional teams, including product, marketing, sales, and customer success
- Experience working with external research partners or firms
- Experience with learning analytics, educational data mining, and/or evidence-centered design
- Track record of building systems that scale research insights across product and customer touchpoints.
- Master’s degree in education, learning sciences, social science, or closely related field; PhD degree
