Manager, Efficacy Research

Savvas is committed to advancing evidence-based practices that demonstrably improve outcomes for educators and students. The Manager of Efficacy Research oversees the design, execution, and governance of rigorous research initiatives that generate credible, actionable evidence demonstrating the impact of Savvas Learning's products in K-12 settings.

In addition, this role also serves as the internal authority on educational efficacy, providing high-level guidance on evidence quality, product impact, and trends in student outcomes to support strategic decision-making and positioning.

The Manager partners closely with Product, Marketing, Sales, and senior leadership to ensure evidence is effectively leveraged to support adoption, differentiation, and continuous improvement.

SCOPE AND IMPACT OF JOB

• Leads and develops a team of research professionals (minimum of three direct reports), including oversight of research design, statistical analysis, and structured quality assurance (QA) review processes.
• Accountable for the rigor, defensibility, and strategic alignment of efficacy research supporting Savvas products and services.
• Directly responsible for planning research timelines, managing budgets, and overseeing internal and external research execution.
• Shapes and advances Savvas' portfolio-level evidence strategy to strengthen ESSA alignment, mitigate risk, and enhance competitive positioning in the marketplace.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Develop and execute Savvas' portfolio-level evidence strategy aligned to ESSA, What Works Clearinghouse standards, and evolving federal and state requirements, including research for digital and AI-enabled products.
• Design, implement, and oversee rigorous research studies-including randomized controlled trials, regression discontinuity designs. quasi-experimental designs, correlational analyses, descriptive studies, and mixed-methods research-to evaluate product impact in K-12 settings.
• Serve as internal subject matter expert on educational efficacy research trends, analyzing competitor studies, published meta-analyses, national performance data (e.g., NAEP), and broader industry student outcome trends to provide strategic guidance on product impact, positioning, and evidence-based decision-making.
• Establish and oversee research governance and quality assurance processes to ensure methodological rigor, statistical integrity, regulatory compliance (including FERPA), and defensible, audit-ready evidence across all studies.
• Translate complex research findings into clear, compelling, customer-facing evidence and communications-including RFP responses, public inquiries, marketing and sales materials, and thought leadership outputs such as briefs, blogs, and white papers-to support product adoption, ESSA positioning, and strategic decision-making.
• Analyze and synthesize state and district assessment data to develop customer-facing research summaries and evidence materials
• Manage and mentor internal research staff while overseeing external evaluators and vendors, ensuring high-quality execution, adherence to timelines and budgets, and cultivating strategic partnerships to advance Savvas' research capabilities.
• Maintain and continuously update an organized, comprehensive repository of efficacy research for all products

REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE

Related Work Experience:

• Minimum of 5 years of experience in designing and executing research studies for the purposes of establishing efficacy evidence for products.
• Five years of experience in data management and analysis, including advanced statistical software (e.g., R, Python, SAS or SPSS) and SQL for querying and analyzing large data sets.
• At least 2 years of management experience required
• Demonstrated experience aligning research to ESSA evidence levels and What Works Clearinghouse standards
• Experience evaluating and interpreting published research, competitor evidence claims, and large-scale assessment data to inform strategic decision-making preferred.
• Experience managing multiple priorities and deadlines, including adapting in response to change in work priorities and processes

Knowledge

• Deep understanding of experiment and quasi-experimental research methods in K-12 education
• Deep knowledge of education measurement principles, including reliability, validity, measurement error, psychometric considerations, and the use of assessments to evaluate educational products
• Knowledge of research review organizations and standards.
• Familiarity with data privacy regulations and responsible data use in educational settings
• Understanding of digital, adaptive, and AI-enabled learning technologies and their impact on instruction.

Formal Education or Equivalent

• A Master's or Ph.D. in Educational Research or related field

Skills

• Excellent interpersonal, verbal, and written communication, including the ability to present complex findings to diverse audiences.
• Ability to translate technical statistical analyses into clear, actionable insights for non-technical stakeholders.
• Proven record of delivering high-quality research on time and within budget.
• Ability to manage multiple high-priority initiatives simultaneously.
• Must be able to motivate others to meet deadlines, if necessary for project execution and completion
• Demonstrated ability to collaborate, influence, and build trust across functions and leadership levels.
• Commitment to rigor, integrity, and continuous improvement in research practices.