Director, Reporting & Strategic Projects

Job description

Thank you for considering a career with the Research Foundation of The City University of New York (RFCUNY). The team at RFCUNY is made up of dedicated, talented professionals committed to providing the services that allow CUNY researchers, faculty, and staff to focus on their intellectual curiosity and scientific discoveries. We are pleased that you are interested in exploring opportunities to join RFCUNY. Primary Location: OFFICE OF SR. UNIV DEAN FOR ACADEMIC AFFAIRS Bargaining Unit: No MISSION The City University of New York’s (CUNY) Office of K16 Initiatives and Adult Pathways drives systemic change by building strong and innovative partnerships that advance educational equity. Our mission is to empower New Yorkers to envision, prepare for, and realize successful futures through programs that dismantle structural barriers and expand college and career opportunities. POSITION DETAILS Serving over 100,000 students annually, CUNY K16 Initiatives and Adult Pathways sits at the intersection of the nation’s largest public university and school system—CUNY and the NYC Public Schools (NYCPS)—providing a unique platform for impact. Reporting to the Strategic Advisor, the Director of Reporting & Strategic Projects serves as a key strategic leader responsible for coordinating program reporting, grant compliance, evaluation oversight, and cross-functional special projects across a diverse portfolio of initiatives. This role ensures that program teams have the systems, structures, and support needed to meet funder requirements, leverage data for continuous improvement, and communicate impact effectively to internal and external stakeholders. The Director will serve as the central point of coordination for foundation reporting and compliance, working closely with program leaders to track deliverables, synthesize program outcomes, draft high-quality funder reports, and manage reporting calendars across multiple grants and initiatives. The position also oversees data and evaluation coordination by supervising a staff member who oversees the unit's data and evaluation partnerships, ensuring programs receive timely data, evaluation support, and actionable insights to inform decision-making and program improvement. The ideal candidate is exceptionally organized, highly collaborative, and skilled at managing multiple priorities simultaneously. They are equally comfortable overseeing detailed reporting requirements and facilitating complex, cross-functional projects that advance CUNY’s equity-focused strategy to improve college access, affordability, and student success. WORK RESPONSIBILITIES Grant Reporting, Compliance, and Funder Stewardship ● Serve as the primary coordinator for programmatic reporting across a diverse portfolio of private foundation grants. ● Develop and maintain comprehensive grant tracking systems, reporting calendars, compliance documentation, and funder deliverable schedules. Ensuring all grant reporting and compliance requirements are completed accurately and submitted on time. ● Partner with program leaders to synthesize and translate program accomplishments, challenges, and lessons learned into compelling funder reports and renewal materials. ● Lead regular grant management meetings with program teams to monitor progress toward deliverables. ● Collaborate closely with the Director of Budget & Administration to coordinate financial reporting and ensure alignment between programmatic and fiscal grant requirements. ● Coordinate with the Strategic Advisor on funder communications, site visits, briefings, newsletters, and other stewardship activities. Data, Evaluation, and Continuous Improvement ● Supervise and support staff responsible for coordinating data requests, reporting, and evaluation activities across K16 and Adult Pathways programs. ● Oversee collaboration with external data teams to ensure programs receive the data and evaluation support necessary to measure program outcomes and support continuous improvement. ● Ensure programs have access to high-quality performance data and evaluation findings that can be leveraged for funder reporting, strategic communications, fundraising, and stakeholder engagement. ● Translate program data, outcomes, and evaluation findings into compelling, equity-centered narratives for philanthropic, institutional, and public audiences. ● Partner with the Assistant Director of Creative Strategy to elevate stories of impact across internal and external platforms. Strategic Projects and Portfolio Management ● Lead the planning, execution, and monitoring of special projects from concept through completion. ● Translate complex initiatives into clear scopes of work, timelines, milestones, and accountability structures. ● Develop and maintain project plans, status reports, and leadership-ready updates. ● Coordinate work across internal teams and external partners, including NYCPS, community-based organizations, and higher education partners. ● Facilitate project meetings that drive clarity, accountability, decision-making, and progress. ● Proactively identify risks, dependencies, and operational challenges and develop practical solutions. ● Support efforts to increase the visibility of the unit's work across CUNY, New York City, and the national education landscape. ● Perform other duties as assigned. QUALIFICATIONS Minimum Qualifications ● Bachelors Degree ● 8+ years of experience Preferred Qualifications ● Advanced degree in education, public policy, public administration, nonprofit management, data analytics, or a related field ● Exceptional organizational and project management skills, with a demonstrated ability to manage competing priorities, track complex reporting requirements, and ensure timely completion of multiple deadlines without sacrificing quality or accuracy. ● Experience synthesizing information from diverse stakeholders and translating program outcomes, data, and impact into compelling reports, proposals, presentations, and communications for philanthropic, executive, and public audiences. ● Experience developing and maintaining systems, workflows, and tools that support grant compliance, project management, reporting, and organizational accountability. ● Experience supervising and coaching staff and supporting cross-functional work related to data management, evaluation, continuous improvement, and organizational learning. ● Demonstrated ability to influence and coordinate work across teams without direct authority, building accountability and momentum in complex, matrixed organizational environments. ● Creative, solutions-oriented problem solver with strong judgment, flexibility, initiative, and follow-through. ● Strong collaborator with experience working across higher education institutions, K–12 systems, government agencies, private foundations, and community-based organizations. ● Exceptional written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills, with the ability to build relationships and navigate complex organizational environments. ● High level of technological fluency, including experience with project management tools, data dashboards, reporting systems, Google Workspace, Microsoft Office, and academic, administrative, or financial databases. ● Commitment to equity, inclusion, and anti-racist practices in education and organizational leadership. Pay Range: $106,343 - $113,745 RFCUNY Benefits RFCUNY Employee Benefits and Accruals Equal Employment Opportunity Statement The Research Foundation of the City University of New York is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action/Americans with Disabilities Act/E-Verify Employer. It is the policy of the Research Foundation of CUNY to provide equal employment opportunities free of discrimination based on race, color, age, religion, sex, pregnancy, childbirth, national origin, disability, marital status, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, domestic violence victim status, arrest record, criminal conviction history, or any other protected characteristic under applicable law.