THIS IS A NON-CIVIL SERVICE POSITION

CITY OF BALTIMORE, MAYOR'S OFFICE OF PERFORMANCE AND INNOVATION

Data Scientist/Lead, Innovation Team, Grant Service Specialist III

OPENING DATE: January 29, 2024

CLOSING DATE: February: 19, 2024

The Baltimore Innovation Team (i-Team), within the Mayor s Office of Performance and Innovation, seeks a candidate experienced in designing and conducting short-term quantitative and qualitative research studies to embed robust analyses into all stages of the innovation process, while supporting our small team with generalist project responsibilities ranging from helping to coordinate workshops with residents to developing survey questions. We are a collaborative team that delivers results for Baltimore City through the synthesis of data and design in areas ranging from police recruiting to language access to equitable vaccination of Baltimore residents. We seek a data leader who can coordinate complex analytic projects across city government, conduct cutting-edge research into service improvement, and bring a critical, open mind to research collaboration.

The Data Lead will be a quick learner who can rapidly get up to speed on any subject, cultivate relationships, and coordinate stakeholders. Quantitative data in Baltimore often requires significant wrangling, and its collection and analysis requires a deep understanding of race and socioeconomic equity. During the Innovation Team s research phase, the Data Lead will scope and collect relevant quantitative datasets, conduct desk research, work with the Civic Design Lead to scope and collect relevant qualitative data sets, create effective research partnerships, exchange knowledge with team members, and produce rigorous analyses. The Data Lead will also support performance management of the team s prototypes and pilots and produce visualizations and performance reports to capture the Innovation Team s impact.

Core Duties

Serve as a key participant in each step of the Innovation Team methodology, providing a quantitative perspective to all projectsWork closely with the Civic Design Lead to plan, execute, and analyze qualitative researchSupport analogous research and literature reviewsProduce high-quality analytic deliverables and clearly and concisely communicate results to diverse audiences and stakeholdersIdentify key insights hidden in the data and champion those insights to the design team and project stakeholdersDevelop performance metrics for public safety, civic innovation, customer service, and other i-team projects and initiatives using various methods of data analysisDevelop relationships with stakeholders to create value for the organization and enhance understanding of business issuesInvent and quickly iterate novel solutions to challenging data-related problemsManage partnerships with external analytic partners and internsConnect data insights to design research and collaborate with the design team to conduct research sessions including focus groups, interviews, and user testingDesign surveys to collect data for project where there is limited or no dataCreate and manage project plans for data projectsSupport innovation team with the creation and management of team project plans as neededLead memo and report writing for the Innovation team

Who we re looking for:

This role combines analytic and operational leadership as we work to strengthen Baltimore s government. Good candidates could come from a range of backgrounds within and beyond government, so we encourage all interested candidates to apply. If you can help us make Baltimore s service delivery more equitable and effective as a data leader, we d love to talk!

Professional Qualifications:

Five to seven years of experience conducting operational research and collecting and using data to help organizations make operational decisions or improve service quality. Ideally, experience using data to understand civic challenges, assess service equity, and develop programs or policies.Graduate studies in a quantitative, policy, or operational field is a plus but not required.Project management experience, including successful coordination of complex projects involving varied and senior stakeholders.Experience working in government is a plus but not required.

Desired Professional & Technical Skills:

Social, organizational, and leadership skills to succeed at project scoping, management, and delivery. Familiarity with collaboration/management tools like Github, Asana, and the Microsoft and Google office suites.As the Data Lead, you will be expected to perform mapping, statistical, financial, surveying, qualitative interviewing, and other analyses with rigor and speed from day one. Common tools among staff include Python, R, SQL, ArcMap, and Power BI, but specific languages are not required.Understanding of how to connect data and analysis to management and operational decisions. Ability to determine and execute the appropriate analytical approach for the operational issue - including when to use more basic and more complex methods.Superb capacity to synthesize and communicate data in a digestible manner to senior leadership and operational staff.Ability to present data in visualizations, easy-to-digest content, and clear explanations that are meaningful to varied audiences.Excellent listening, interpersonal, written, and oral communication skills.Strong time management skills.Knowledge of various project management methodologies (e.g. agile, scrum) a plus but not required.Risk management skills a plus but not required.

Desired Mindset/Capacities:

Deep empathy and commitment to social equity for all Baltimore residents. Knowledge about geographic, demographic, and socioeconomic inequities in Baltimore and clear thoughts on how data and performance management can address these inequities.Humility with a wide range of collaborators and stakeholders.Clear understanding of the opportunities and limitations of data in making management and operational decisions. Ability to evaluate successes and failures with objectivity and make operational recommendations based on these evaluations.Resilience delivering important, challenging projects that make Baltimore healthier and more equitable. Able to pivot and keep going when encountering barriers.

About the Innovation Team:

The Baltimore Innovation Team was founded in 2017 as part of Bloomberg Philanthropies Innovation Teams network. The team uses deep research around data and human-centered design to iterate creative solutions to large-scale challenges in Baltimore City government. Since its inception, it has delivered on projects including police recruiting, youth justice reform, language access services, and the COVID-19 response. In 2019, it merged with CitiStat to form the Mayor s Office of Performance and Innovation, centralizing the city s data and design teams into a single office. In 2023, the city received new investment from the Bloomberg Foundation to expand the innovation team with a focus on Public Safety and Housing (Vacancy).

How to apply:

If this sounds like a good fit to you, we would love to hear from you!

Note: You could be a strong candidate even if your professional experiences differ from the qualifications we listed.

THE CITY OF BALTIMORE IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER#J-18808-Ljbffr