VPD Government Solutions is a rapidly growing, employee-centric professional services company providing Strategic Communications & Stakeholder Engagement, Acquisition and Grants Management, PMO, IT PMO, and Data Analysis & Governance support to our federal clients.  Our employees proudly serve as trusted advisors and innovative problem solvers for our clients. We are seeking a Data Analyst to join our diverse and talented team.

The DATA ANALYST will provide support for the Division of Data and Improvement (DDI) in the Administration for Children and Families’ (ACF) Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation (OPRE), which is a part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). OPRE oversees contracts and grants to study ACF’s social services programs, their grantees, and the low-income and at-risk children and families they serve. Programmatic areas of focus include Head Start, childcare, welfare, employment and self-sufficiency, child abuse and neglect, responsible fatherhood and healthy marriage, home visiting, youth services, disaster human services, and refugee resettlement. Operational areas of focus include grants management, data governance, performance measurement, and process improvement. OPRE includes approximately one hundred federal and contracted staff, primarily research and evaluation specialists. The Office oversees a portfolio of approximately $200 million in grants and contracts.

• Information on ACF is available at https://acf.hhs.gov. 
• Information on OPRE is available at https://acf.hhs.gov/opre

POSITION OVERVIEW:

The DATA ANALYST will support federal staff in DDI by carrying out responsibilities related to research, evaluation, and data-use activities with a particular focus on supporting the use of data to improve the effectiveness, efficiency, and equity of human services programs.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Coordinate collaborative efforts among federal staff, grantees, contractors, and other researchers in the field to promote development of expertise and capacity to support using data to improve the effectiveness, efficiency, and equity of human service programs
• Provide support to OPRE and ACF Programs by:
  • Developing an understanding of existing data capacity and resources. Examples include attending meetings, reviewing existing data sources and documentation, conducting environmental scans, and documenting findings.
  • Accessing quantitative and qualitative data and preparing data for analysis. Examples include linking and formatting data, removing corrupted data and fixing coding errors and related problems, writing and sharing code and documentation, and performing analysis to assess the quality and meaning of data.
  • Using appropriate research and statistical tools to identify, analyze, and interpret patterns and trends in quantitative and qualitative data sets. These data range in complexity and could be helpful for the diagnosis and prediction of issues in policy and operational contexts.
  • Preparing reports, memos, briefs, and/or presentations for federal staff that enable them to understand analysis steps, results, and considerations and enable them to be able to make important decisions.  
  • Conducting work exclusively through approved ACF software and technical solutions while complying with all data security and privacy rules.
• Provide consultations, technical support, and analysis for ACF program offices on data/research-related issues, as well as performance measurement/evaluation.
• Work with federal staff and existing grantees and contractors in identifying areas where additional capacity needs to be developed to support using data to improve the effectiveness, efficiency, and equity of human services programs.
• Assist federal staff in oversight of research contracts and grants from inception through completion of satisfactory reporting and dissemination of results
• Work with federal staff and existing grantees and contracts in identifying emerging issues and questions in need of new research, analysis, synthesis, or interpretation for policy and/or operational decision-making
• Contribute to a variety of position papers, issue analysis, written comments, briefing documents, and fact sheets concerning data, research findings and program operations
• Identify opportunities for collaborative activities across program areas and agencies
• Perform other related duties needed to achieve VPD and/or customer mission success

REQUIREMENTS:

• Master’s degree in Public Administration, Public Policy, Public Health, Sociology, Social Work, Psychology, Organizational Behavior, or a related field OR a Bachelor’s degree in one of the referenced fields with 2 or more years of substantive work experience performing data collection, analysis, and/or interpretation is required
• Knowledge of policies and programs affecting children and families served by ACF
• Demonstrated quantitative research methodology skills, including data collection and analyses
• Demonstrated data handling and preparation skills
• Proficiency with at least one quantitative data analysis software package (R and/or Python)
• Strong written and oral communication skills with technical and non-technical audiences
• Ability to work both independently and within a team environment
• Strong organizational, time-management, and prioritization skills
• Detail-oriented and driven to perform high-quality work
• Ability to obtain and maintain a public trust clearance
• U.S. Citizenship required

DESIRED:

• Familiarity with data systems related to ACF human services programs, preferred
• Demonstrated skills in qualitative data handling and preparation

WHY WORK FOR VPD?

• VPD is proud to be a certified Great Place to Work in 2022-2023! See more about what our employees think! Working at VPD Government Solutions | Great Place to Work®
• Robust employee benefits package beginning on 1st of the month following hire date including health, dental, vision, life, and disability insurance
• 401(k) with 5% employer matching- immediate vesting!
• Flexible time off program including 3 weeks of paid time off
• Tuition reimbursement program
• Opportunities for professional development
• Employee-centric work culture including company sponsored events, happy hours, and team-building opportunities, frequent communications/information sharing from Leadership, supportive and positive teamwork environment, “open door” policy, etc.

WORK LOCATION: REMOTE - HHS/ACF CLIENT BASED IN WASHINGTON, DC 

VPD is Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) and is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

• VPD Uses E-Verify - Right to Work Poster
• VPD Uses E-Verify - Participation Notice

Applicants have rights under Federal Employment Laws:

• EEOC Know Your Rights: Workplace Discrimination is Illegal
• EEO is the Law - Federal Contractors/Subcontractors
• Employee Polygraph Protection Act
• Pay Transparency Nondiscrimination Provision