Senior EVAAS Education Policy Specialist – Hybrid, Cary, North Carolina or US Remote

About the job   

The Education Visualization and Analytics Solution (EVAAS) provides educators with powerful analytics and visualizations for reflecting on practices and planning for students’ future needs and goals. Now more than ever, educators need reliable data and tools on students’ learning and future success.

The EVAAS team is a specialized division at SAS that focuses exclusively on education solutions, and we partner with state education agencies and districts across the country to support their analytic, consulting, and reporting needs. Our mission is to provide educators with information to make sound instructional choices and use resources more strategically to ensure that every student has the best chance to succeed.

EVAAS is looking for a Senior Education Policy Specialist to support EVAAS solutions in states, districts, and schools. In this role, you are part of the team delivering customer solutions as well as strategizing future needs through your knowledge of education and/or government policies. You will work with leaders in state agencies and districts as well as the client delivery, research and development, and user support teams within EVAAS and other internal teams at SAS.

As a Senior EVAAS Education Policy Specialist, you will:  

• Collaborate with state education agencies and districts to support their implementation of EVAAS solutions, including anticipating client perspectives in light of local policies and goals and contributing to discussions about strategic considerations related to reporting decisions and business rules.
• Represent SAS EVAAS in meetings, conferences, advisory groups, and stakeholder discussions, providing thought leadership on educational policy, accountability systems, data analytics, and evidence-based decision making. 
• Serve as a policy and industry subject matter expert, supporting the development of new analytics, reporting solutions, and product features by leading demonstrations of new and existing product offerings for state and district stakeholders, translating technical capabilities into practical applications and helping clients understand how solutions support their policy objectives and strategic priorities.
• Analyze outcomes-based data and summarize results for internal and external stakeholders.
• Support internal development of new analytics and web reports or features through industry knowledge.
• Embrace curiosity, passion, authenticity and accountability. These are our values and influence everything we do.

Required qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required, Masters/PhD degree preferred in public policy, public administration, education, statistics, computer science, advanced analytics, or related discipline.
• Minimum 8 years of experience in related field.
• Proven experience in education, government, analytics, or hosted web applications that includes substantial experience collaborating with senior leaders internally and externally.
• Experience working in state education agencies or other government agencies, districts or schools in a leadership position, assessment vendors, education non-profit or research organizations, or other jobs focused on education solutions.
• Excellent analytical and creative problem-solving skills as well as written and verbal communication skills are required for this position. Our customer base includes both technical and non-technical audiences.
• Equivalent combination of related education, training and experience may be considered in place of the above qualifications. 

Additional competencies, knowledge and skills 

• Customer focus – Ensuring that the internal or external customer’s perspective is a driving force behind strategic priorities, business decisions, organizational processes, and individual activities; crafting and implementing service practices that meet customers’ and own organization’s needs; promoting and operationalizing customer service as a value. 
• Communication – Conveying information and ideas clearly and concisely to individuals or groups in an engaging manner that helps them understand and retain the message; listening actively to others.
• Building Trusting Relationships – Using appropriate interpersonal styles to establish effective relationships with customers and internal partners; interacting with others in a way that promotes openness and trust and gives them confidence in one’s intentions. 
• Quality Orientation – Accomplishing tasks by considering all areas involved, no matter how detailed; showing concern for all aspects of the job; accurately checking processes and tasks; being watchful over a period of time. 

World-class benefits   

Highlights include... 

• Comprehensive medical, prescription, dental and vision plans.  
• Medical plan options include:
  • PPO with low annual deductible and copays.  
  • HDHP combined with a health savings account with a contribution from SAS (no access to on-site health care center).  
• Onsite Health Care Center (HQ) that’s free to employees and family members enrolled in the PPO plan. There’s a pharmacy too! Not local to HQ? The pharmacy will ship prescriptions for no additional charge!  
• An industry-leading 401k plan.  
• Tuition Assistance Program and programs and resources to support your development
• Generous time away including vacation time, a variety of paid holidays, and our much-loved U.S. Winter Wellness Break between December 25 and January 1.  
• Volunteer Time Off, parental leave and unlimited paid sick days.  
• Generous childcare benefits for all full-time employees.