Manager of Data & Evaluation

Responsibilities

Program Evaluation & Impact Measurement

• Design, implement, and review evaluation frameworks and metrics that capture the impact of High Line programs, which include but are not limited to public events, educational initiatives, and park operations.
• Conduct regular assessments of program effectiveness and provide actionable recommendations for continuous improvement.
• Develop data collection methodologies and administer tools that support both formative and summative program evaluations, ensuring alignment with funding timelines and funder reporting needs.
• Create compelling data-driven narratives and visualizations that communicate program impact to diverse audiences, including donors, board members, institutional funders, and the public.
• Collaborate with the Development team to translate program evaluation findings into fundraising materials, grant proposals, and impact reports.
• Establish benchmarks and key performance indicators (KPIs) aligned with organizational goals and contemporary urban park management standards.

Data Systems & Infrastructure

• Work from within the Administration Division to identify and develop solutions for organization-wide data and evaluation needs, ensuring sustainable, data-driven cross-division support.
• Collaborate with internal stakeholders to design data collection and analysis frameworks that reflect contemporary program evaluation and public space research.
• Lead efforts to standardize data reporting methods and establish sound principles of data governance appropriate for an urban park stewardship nonprofit in a manner that:
  • Reflects best practices in contemporary urban research methodologies
  • Provides actionable insights for park management and urban design strategies
  • Implements comprehensive data quality standards and validation procedures
  • Establishes metadata standards for spatial and non-spatial data
  • Maintains data retention policies

Technical Systems Management

• Support the implementation and management of FHL’s databases, including but not limited to:
  • Administering enterprise-grade geospatial information systems (GIS) including but not limited to Esri’s ArcGIS Enterprise
  • Monitoring and possibly managing the implementation of people counting sensors throughout the park
  • Selecting and leveraging self-service systems for organization-wide metrics retrieval and analysis
  • Participating in needs assessments, facilitating data reviews, opening support tickets, and coordinating updates as needed
  • Maintaining documentation of FHL information systems, working in tandem with the IT department to ensure sound data governance practices
  • Collaborate with the Digital Transformation and IT functions to ensure that software and accompanying systems/services fulfill and align with organizational data and evaluation needs
  • Work with the Planning, Design & Construction department to interpret construction drawings, as-builts, and project documentation, generating advanced geospatial visualizations of landscape, infrastructure, and operational dynamics

Cross-Departmental Collaboration & Leadership

• Lead the Data Working Group, a cross-departmental unit of engaged internal stakeholders who provide regular strategic insights and thought partnership on key data and evaluation needs.
• Partner with program staff across departments to build evaluation capacity and foster a culture of learning and continuous improvement.
• Maintain an openness to creative, technology-oriented cross-departmental support and collaboration in pursuit of the organization’s purpose of being a civic connector on the Far West Side of Manhattan.

Skillset

• Bachelor’s degree in Urban Planning, Program Evaluation, Public Policy, Data Science, Geospatial Information Systems, or an equivalent field, plus five (5) years of experience in program evaluation, impact measurement, and data analytics.
• A master’s degree or higher in a comparable field may be considered as an acceptable substitute for some of the work experience requirements above.
• Demonstrated experience developing program evaluations and impact metrics to support fundraising efforts, grant applications, and organizational storytelling.
• Proven ability to translate complex data into clear, compelling narratives for non-technical audiences.
• Demonstrated expertise in:
  • Program evaluation methodologies and frameworks
  • GIS platforms such as ArcGIS (including ArcGIS Field Maps and ArcGIS Enterprise) or QGIS
  • Programming languages (e.g. Python or R) for data analysis
  • Data visualization tools such as ArcGIS Dashboards, Google Looker Studio, Microsoft PowerBI, or Tableau
  • Survey design and administration tools
• Strong understanding of urban spatial dynamics, public space design principles, and nonprofit program management.
• Familiarity with outcome measurement frameworks and logic models.
• Proven foundations in both qualitative and quantitative data analysis and evaluation methods.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with the ability to present data findings to diverse stakeholders.
• Experience working in nonprofit, philanthropic, or mission-driven environments preferred.