Director, Applied Analytics

The Analytics team at CSGF is building a world-class data ecosystem and analytics capability to equip organizational leaders with the insights needed to make high-quality decisions on behalf of students and school networks. As part of a restructured analytics team for Fund V, CSGF has created dedicated "translator" roles that bridge data and business functions. The Director, Applied Analytics will own key analytical workstreams for a dedicated portfolio of internal CSGF teams while driving the strategy for how the Applied Analytics function delivers value across all business teams. This senior individual contributor role combines deep, relationship-driven analytics partnership with strategic leadership, shaping how CSGF uses data to drive critical decisions.

Responsibilities

• Cross-Functional Strategy & Function Leadership
  • Inform the strategy for CSGF’s Applied Analytics function in partnership with the VP, Analytics, including defining department norms, refining scopes and workflows, and making iterative adjustments as the team matures.
  • Support the establishment of clear working rhythms between Applied Analytics and peer Analytics departments, surfacing and resolving friction points.
  • Proactively identify complex issues across the function and CSGF-wide, owning the development of process-level solutions.
  • Own AI strategy for leveraging AI as an analytical capability, including ad hoc analysis and rapid prototyping, in coordination with the Data Products & Engineering team.
  • Serve as an informal mentor and thought partner to the Manager, Applied Analytics, sharing analytical judgment and modeling standards for the function.
• Embedded Team Support & Translation
  • Own the analytics relationship for a dedicated portfolio of internal CSGF teams, developing deep knowledge of each team’s goals, workflows, and data needs.
  • Manage and execute ad hoc analysis and rapid prototyping using SQL, BI tools, and AI-assisted analytics to support data-informed decision-making.
  • Design and implement interim analytical solutions while long-term engineering builds are underway, maintaining data integrity and stakeholder trust.
  • Gather and manage requirements from business stakeholders, validate use cases, and prototype self-service tools before handing off to engineering.
  • Exercise independent judgment in prioritizing analytical requests, communicating tradeoffs and timelines to stakeholders.
  • Manage the full project management cycle from end-to-end.
• Insights & Data Storytelling
  • Thought-partner with teammates to advise on analytical approach, helping identify the best framing and methodology for questions.
  • Own the delivery of analyses from data pull through final communication, presenting findings in clear, user-friendly formats for non-technical audiences.
  • Collaborate with the Data Science team on complex analyses, contributing to problem framing and storytelling of results.
  • Produce insights that directly support CSGF’s work with portfolio members, informing school network decisions and student outcomes.
  • Set clear expectations for high-quality analytical communication across the function, modeling excellent data storytelling.
• Data Quality & Product Stewardship
  • Direct QA standards for data products from the stakeholder lens, ensuring systematic review processes catch issues missed by automated back-end processing.
  • Spot and report data anomalies, investigate root causes, and manage stakeholder communications to flag or explain issues.
  • Drive implementation and adoption of self-serve analytics tools, including onboarding, coaching, and ongoing support.
  • Identify gaps where business questions cannot be answered with existing data or tools, developing recommendations for data warehouse additions or tool improvements.
  • Maintain active working knowledge of CSGF’s full data stack to credibly advise business teams and inform infrastructure decisions.
• Capability Building & Self-Service
  • Coach business team members on data literacy, self-service tool usage, and AI-assisted analytics to increase independence and confidence.
  • Design and implement process-level solutions to help teams use data more effectively over time, proactively addressing recurring friction points.

Requirements

• Skills and Characteristics
  • Ability to motivate and influence peers, senior leadership, and external partners through excellent communication and compelling data narratives.
  • Strong strategic thinking and problem-solving: independently identifies complex issues and develops cross-functional solutions.
  • Comfortable navigating ambiguity, structuring unclear requests into actionable next steps.
  • Demonstrated ability to build and maintain strong relationships across internal stakeholders, trusted to exercise sound judgment.
  • Viewed as a leader by others: facilitates team discussions, raises difficult questions constructively, and models collaborative behaviors.
  • Exceptional quantitative and qualitative analysis skills with a track record of deriving actionable insights.
  • Advanced proficiency in SQL, business intelligence tools (e.g., Tableau, Looker), data analysis, and storytelling.
  • Proven track record of staying at the cutting edge of AI-assisted analytics, translating emerging capabilities into scalable workflows.
  • Familiarity with AI-assisted analytics approaches and curiosity to develop new technical skills.
  • Natural mentor and informal coach: elevates peers’ work through thought partnership and feedback without formal authority.
  • Demonstrated working knowledge outside of core technical expertise; contributes to cross-functional strategy discussions.
  • Deep commitment to CSGF’s mission and passion for K–12 education.
• Educational Background and Work Experience
  • Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree in data science, statistics, public policy, or a related field a plus.
  • 10+ years of relevant experience in analytics, data strategy, business intelligence, or a related field.
  • Demonstrated experience driving strategy for an analytics function, major workstream, or cross-functional initiative.
  • Track record of translating complex data into strategic insights and recommendations for senior, non-technical audiences.
  • Experience designing and scaling data literacy or self-service analytics programs preferred.
  • Experience working in or closely with education, nonprofit, or social-impact organizations strongly preferred.

Benefits

• Health, life, disability, and dental insurance coverage.
• Vacation, holidays, and parental leave.
• Participation in CSGF’s 403(b) plan.

Pay

The target salary range for this role is $110,000–$130,000 annually, commensurate with experience and education.

Candidates must have permanent authorization to work in the U.S. CSGF is seeking candidates who can start as soon as possible, with flexibility for the ideal candidate.