The Foundation We are the largest nonprofit fighting poverty, disease, and inequity around the world. Founded on a simple premise: people everywhere, regardless of identity or circumstances, should have the chance to live healthy, productive lives. We believe our employees should reflect the rich diversity of the global populations we aim to serve. We provide an exceptional benefits package to employees and their families which include comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage with no premiums, generous paid time off, paid family leave, foundation-paid retirement contribution, regional holidays, and opportunities to engage in several employee communities. As a workplace, we're committed to creating an environment for you to thrive both personally and professionally. The Team K-12 Education Today, the vision for the Foundation's K-12 Education team is to ensure that all students in the US have access to educational opportunities, from Pre-K to postsecondary, that enable them to develop the knowledge, skills, and agency needed thrive as adults and contribute to their communities. The team's goal is to make sure more students are on track to obtain a postsecondary credential with labor market value such that race/ethnicity and income are no longer predictors of student success. To this end, the K-12 team will be focusing investments on ensuring that all students can master, enjoy, and persist in mathematics. Over its history, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has invested heavily in research and development to provide educators with tools, strategies, and platforms that empower them to better serve Black and Latino students and students from low-income backgrounds. This work has included, but has not been limited to: 1. Developing and evaluating innovative curricular and instructional approaches to student learning needs 2. Exploring the interplay between social emotional learning and executive functions on student learning 3. Working with early-stage developers to test products in anticipation of scaling efforts, and 4. Exploring and developing research practice partnerships to support field- identified research priorities and better understand how students master academic content and thrive. Your Role Strategically develop and own the K-12 Team's work on research and development focused on teachers and teaching, using advanced educational technologies. Aligned with the K-12 Education theory of action, this role will own the (1) research into areas that might build promising insights for teaching and professional learning to support math outcomes (e.g. related to academic proficiency, motivation, engagement, and persistence) and (2) translation of extant and new insights from research into commercially viable solutions that serve students, particularly Black and Latino students and students experiencing poverty. As part of this work, this role will lead a portfolio of grants and contracts requiring investment management, monitoring, and evaluation skills. As a key advisor on strategy initiatives, this role will be encouraged to contribute to the continued development of the team's strategic vision, while partnering closely with team leadership to set the overall strategy and goals for the team. * This is a 12-month LTE with no relocation provided, remote work is an option if not located in Seattle or Washington DC. What You'll Do * Lead a strategic portfolio of investments that improve the quality of math and professional learning solutions to support teachers by supporting their research and development through rigorous gating of investments and the use of creative investment vehicles that position the products and organizations for ultimate success in the marketplace. * Analyze and synthesize emerging insights from both research and the product innovation landscape to identify and track emerging promising trends and products that have the potential to transform math outcomes for Black and Latino students. * Lead partnerships and collaborations (formal and informal) with other organizations, including philanthropic funders, who are conducting or investing in education research and development. * Participate in K-12 team-wide efforts to leverage advances in artificial intelligence and incorporate issues of equity, ethics, privacy, and bias into grantmaking. * Work closely with investment managers across teams to create and lead investments in common partners in order to improve product quality and dissemination of public goods that are useful to priority stakeholder groups (including solution developers, educators, and researchers) in priority focus states, as identified by the K-12 Strategy. * Engage with other entities (non-profit, for-profit etc.) seeking to translate insights from research into products and services * Negotiate, execute, and lead complex portfolio of grants or performance-based contracts. Review letters of inquiry and grant proposals and provide clear, concise and insightful written analyses and recommendations for funding. * Consult with grantees and other partners to enhance impact of projects and ensure grants are meeting strategy goals. This may include site visits, providing operational guidance and convening meetings of key partners. Your Experience * Advanced degree with 7+ years of experience, or equivalent experience. Experience in K-12 and/or higher education. * Experience with development of K-12 education technology products crafted for teachers, ideally using advanced technologies (e.g. artificial intelligence). * Recognized internally and externally by the professional community as a guide within a particular specialized field. R&D Team Core Knowledge & Expertise * Fluency with education research and data principles and equity considerations, including FERPA, data interoperability, and evaluation and research types * Knowledge of research and initiatives (e.g., major US education research funding streams, including Institute for Education Sciences and National Science Foundation) * Knowledge of inclusive R&D practices * Experience leading product and solution development and improvement cycles in core curriculum, interventions, and/or formative assessments * Able to facilitate cross-sector partnerships (research, practitioners, developers) * Adherence to thorough gating criteria for advancing work through the R&D pipeline K-12 Team Core Knowledge & Expertise * Exhibited commitment to and ability around inclusive design and equity-centered approaches to investing (using USP Equity Guiding Principles) * Exhibited dedication to and ability around engaging organizations and leaders proximate to the work * Math content and pedagogical knowledge or ability to access * Ability to remain focused on the long-term vision and invest in orgs that can execute on the mission (vs. us directing the day-to-day work) * Ability to run complex partnerships (internal and external) * Ability to synthesize large volumes of information into clear recommendations and decisions * Curious, continuous learner mentality that can build on the strengths of others to achieve optimal impact * Proven track record to lead and influence others in a constructive manner and to build and sustain collaborative relationships. * Excellent verbal and written communication skills, able to optimally synthesize information to reach diverse audiences and build consensus * Must be able to legally work in the country where this position is located without visa sponsorship. #LI-SC2 The salary range for this role is $182,600 to $283,100 USD. We recognize high-wage market differences in Seattle and Washington D.C., where our offices are located. The range for this role in these locations is $199,000 to $308,400 USD. As a mission-driven organization, we strive to balance competitive pay with our mission. New hires salaries are typically between the range minimum and the salary range midpoint. Actual placement in the range will depend on a candidate's job-related skills, experience, and expertise, as evaluated during the interview process. Hiring Requirements As part of our standard hiring process for new employees, employment will be contingent upon successful completion of a background check. Candidate Accommodations If you require assistance due to a disability in the application or recruitment process, please submit a request here. Inclusion Statement We are dedicated to the belief that all lives have equal value. We strive for a global and cultural workplace that supports ever greater diversity, equity, and inclusion - of voices, ideas, and approaches - and we support this diversity through all our employment practices. All applicants and employees who are drawn to serve our mission will enjoy equality of opportunity and fair treatment without regard to race, color, age, religion, pregnancy, sex, sexual orientation, disability, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, genetic information, veteran status, marital status, and prior protected activity.