Behavioral Health Senior Data and Evaluation Manager

The Department of Community and Human Services (DCHS) values diverse perspectives and life experiences. The Department encourages people of all backgrounds to apply, including people of color, immigrants, refugees, women, LGBTQ, people with disabilities, veterans and those with lived experience.

DCHS has a tremendous opportunity for a seasoned manager of evaluators and/or data analysts to partner with one of the county’s largest human services departments in advancing a cutting-edge collaborative model supporting behavioral health and recovery in King County! 

DCHS’s Behavioral Health and Recovery Division (BHRD) is a leader in behavioral health across the country. Their portfolio includes: 

DCHS’ Performance Measurement and Evaluation (PME) unit has been integral to many of these innovations. As our next Behavioral Health Senior Data & Evaluation Manager, you’d be responsible for creating a robust data-informed culture that supports the cutting-edge work of BHRD. 

This position leads an extremely talented team of data evaluators, data scientists and data engineers with deep subject matter expertise and technical skills in SQL, R, and Tableau. The team sits within the larger PME unit that supports the entire department and is comprised of professionals skilled in quantitative and qualitative evaluation methods, data resource development and management, and data visualization. PME supports DCHS’ program staff and management with developing comprehensive evaluation frameworks and performance metrics, including managing data collection and quality control, monitoring continuous quality improvement, and conducting in-depth analyses to inform decision making and improve service delivery. PME disseminates research and evaluation findings and promotes organizational learning through published reports and dashboards.

To be considered minimally qualified applicant must demonstrate a background that provides the knowledge, skills and ability to: 

Advance Strategic Direction for Measurement and Evaluation Work 

• Direct and coordinate the performance measurement, business intelligence, and evaluation activities of King County’s Behavioral Health and Recovery Division. 
• Work closely with BHRD to ensure a vision for measurement and evaluation across BHRD is integrated into broader divisional strategy and work planning. 
• Systematically identify measurement and evaluation needs within BHRD, and advocate for appropriate projects and methods to address those needs. This could include activities like generating and aligning on learning agenda questions; identifying opportunities for evaluations or pilot studies; supporting translation of strategic measurement priorities into implementation. 
• Expand opportunities to conduct evaluative work, including exploring and understanding different models for evaluation such as in-house evaluation, contracts with external vendors, or academic-public partnerships.
• Identify opportunities for greater system-level measurement and aggregation that spans the entire BHRD portfolio of programs, including alignment with departmental products (such as the DCHS Dashboard). Identify opportunities to align with a standard approach that uses a Results-Based Accountability framework. 
• Develop and hold broad-ranging subject matter expertise about the publicly-funded behavioral health system, to identify synergies and opportunities for measurement coordination and collaboration across the team and execute systems-level projects that do not narrowly fit into a single body of work. 
• Manage procurement and oversight of evaluation partners / vendors, exercising delegated contracting and budget authority to a set threshold and coordinating with BHRD and DCHS leadership for investments exceeding that threshold.
• Drive towards the application of racial equity and social justice lens across a wide variety of projects and work products.

Deliver High Quality Performance Measurement and Reporting 

• Oversee the development and maintenance of dashboards, blog posts, white papers, and other data products to monitor performance and equity impacts and engage providers and program staff in data-informed continuous quality improvement.
• Direct the analysis and interpretation of quantitative and qualitative data using appropriate methods and data manipulation tools. Provide leadership and guidance (or delegation) as needed, including guiding study design, selecting analytic approaches, and advising on the interpretation of complex mixed-methods findings.
• Identify key findings, interpret results, and develop/maintain data visualizations that highlight meaningful data to inform strategic decision-making, continuous quality improvement, and evaluations.  
• Oversee production of briefing papers, presentations, and reports from technically complex analyses that effectively communicate results to a wide variety of stakeholders.

Lead and Support a Highly Technical Team

• Manage a team of 15–20 staff, including 3 manager-level direct reports (who supervise evaluators, data engineers, and data scientists). Oversee task delegation, ongoing staff development, and performance management for the full team, whose work is primarily in SQL, R, Tableau, and Git/GitHub. 
• Manage the HR and administrative activities needed to sustain a strong and adaptable team, including recruitment and backfilling, refining team structure and role responsibilities, managing performance appraisals and timesheet approvals, and supporting staff with HR processes and problem solving.
• Ensure team capacity and workflow alignment to meet immovable audit, reporting, and Council-mandated deadlines. As needed, advocate for more resources / staffing to meet business needs and/or re-prioritize team workload in partnership with BHRD. 
• Foster a team culture that both delivers high-quality work products and upholds core team values, including: creating a supportive person-centered environment, fostering learning and growth, operating with candor and respect, supporting individual autonomy, fostering collaboration and teamwork, and orienting our work to the mission and context.
• Facilitate and develop team processes and procedures to create systems that support efficient, reliable, replicable, and collaborative workflows (both technical, such as code reviews, and operational, such as work planning or cross-training). Ensure all team members are equipped with the skills, knowledge, and tools to adopt common strategies. 

• Contribute to the development of a cohesive unit-wide culture and shared work processes in the Performance Measurement and Evaluation Unit, as a member of the PME Senior Leadership Team.

Develop and Maintain Key Relationships and Partnerships 

• Work in partnership with BHRD Leadership to understand strategic vision and direction and support the PME team in proactively anticipating and meeting needs.  
• Participate in regular BHRD meetings, including the BHRD Management Team, BHRD-PME work planning and prioritization meetings, and coordination with the BHRD data systems leadership and teams. This may also include periodically attending committees or meetings specific to certain workstreams, and other ad hoc workgroups as assigned. Some committee involvement may be delegated as appropriate.
• Identify opportunities for cross-unit collaboration, learning, or synchronization of measurement and evaluation projects within the Performance Measurement and Evaluation unit, as a member of the PME Senior Leadership Team.
• Stay abreast of changes and developments within King County, DCHS, and BHRD and anticipate their impact on performance measurement and evaluation needs.
• Coordinate with other DCHS divisions, other King County partner agencies, and external researchers and evaluators regarding evaluation, data analysis, and data integration activities.
• Other duties as assigned.

WE ARE LOOKING FOR CANDIDATES WHO HAVE:

• Demonstrated direct work experience (typically 5+ years) in performance measurement and evaluation. 
• At least three years of increasingly senior experience managing, recruiting, and promoting accountability within diverse staff teams, including recent experience supervising staff, leading technical professionals, and/or providing matrix management.

• Demonstrated knowledge of quantitative and qualitative analysis principles and methods; principles and practices of applied research and human subjects privacy; methods, tools and techniques of applied research; study design and advanced analytic procedures; data collection methods, including surveys; and computerized database systems.

• Fluency in using Microsoft Office products to complete daily assigned tasks, and current or past proficiency with data analysis and visualization tools that enables effective oversight of the work of staff using SQL, R, Tableau, and other analytical tools, including understanding methodological choices and technical tradeoffs.
• Ability to translate complex data into accessible insights and facilitate productive conversations with partners who have varying levels of comfort with data, supporting data-informed decision-making and continuous quality improvement.
• Strong critical thinking and analytical capabilities, including the ability to synthesize complex information, anticipate implications, and guide data-informed decision making.
• Strong oral and written communication skills. This includes technical work, such as the ability to present findings clearly to a variety of non-technical stakeholders. This also includes leadership work, such as the courage to communicate openly and honestly with staff. 
• Demonstrated skill in collaborating and maintaining effective working relationships with a variety of individuals, including community members, agency representatives, and partners. 
• Deep knowledge of equity and social justice principles and practices and understanding of the effects of place, race and policy and systems-based inequities on marginalized communities and populations.

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS:  

• Experience working with publicly funded behavioral health services; experience working within the behavioral health delivery system as a provider / clinician; or, lived experience with behavioral health system services. Lived experience includes (but is not limited to) managing one’s own behavioral health needs or supporting someone’s behavioral health needs, including navigating access to care, advocating for needed supports, interacting with social service systems and coordinating care, and managing the impacts of behavioral health needs.
• At least 5 years of experience leading design and implementation of policy-relevant performance measurement and/or evaluation processes within health care, behavioral health or human services.
• Experience setting strategic direction for measurement, evaluation, analytics, or performance systems at a program, division, or organizational level.
• Experience leading through layers and within matrixed management structures (e.g., supervising managers or senior technical leads who oversee staff, or guiding work across teams you do not directly supervise).
• Demonstrated ability to lead organizational change, build new systems or processes, and influence decision-making across diverse stakeholder groups.
• Understanding of the Results-Based Accountability (RBA) framework in performance measurement work.

ADDITIONAL POSITION INFORMATION:

• This position has been designated Non-Mission Critical. Unless otherwise directed by the County Executive, department director or agency head, all employees, regardless of designation, are expected to report to work or request leave during an emergency or inclement weather. For more detailed information, please visit HR Policy County Operations During Emergency Situations and the King County Guidelines for Workforce Management in an Emergency.
• The DCHS team works in a hybrid model, with days in the office as well as telecommuting. The ratio of remote to onsite work will be dependent on business needs and is subject to change. The primary onsite location is Chinook, 401 5^th Ave, Seattle, WA 98104. Employees must reside in Washington state and within a reasonable distance to their King County worksite to respond to workplace reporting requirements.

King County has a robust collection of tools and resources to support working remotely. The individual selected for this opportunity will join an innovative and progressive team that is redefining how we work as we transition to the department's hybrid environment. Employees will be provided with a County-issued laptop and must maintain a home workspace with an internet connection where they can reliably perform work and remain available and responsive during scheduled work hours.

• This position is exempt from the provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act and is not eligible for overtime. Typical hours are Monday - Friday, 8am - 5pm.
• This position is not represented by a union.
• Classification: Data and Evaluation Senior Manager
   

WHO MAY APPLY:
This position is open to all qualified candidates that meet the minimum qualifications. Interviews for this selection process will take place on or around July 7, 2026. Candidates who wish to be considered for this position must submit an online King County application and respond to the supplemental questions. Your application may be rejected as incomplete if you do not include the requested and relevant information in the online application and supplemental questionnaire. Applications and/or supplemental questionnaires that state, "see my resume" are considered incomplete and will not be considered to be competitive. If you have any questions, please contact Alicia Larsen, [email protected].

This selection process will fill our current vacancy but also create a pool of qualified candidates should additional Senior Data and Evaluation Manager positions open up within the next 6 months.

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Guided by our "True North", we are making King County a welcoming community where every person can thrive. We value diversity, inclusion and belonging in our workplace and workforce. To reach this goal we are committed to workforce equity. Equitable recruiting, support, and retention is how we will obtain the highest quality workforce in our region; a workforce that shares and will help advance our guiding principles - we are one team; we solve problems; we focus on the customer; we drive for results; we are racially just; we respect all people; we lead the way; and we are responsible stewards. We encourage people of all backgrounds and identities to apply, including Native American and people of color, immigrants, refugees, women, LGBTQ+, people living with disabilities, and veterans.

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No person is unlawfully excluded from employment opportunities based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex (including gender identity, sexual orientation and pregnancy), age, genetic information, disability, veteran status, or other protected class. Our EEO policy applies to all employment actions, including but not limited to recruitment, hiring, selection for training, promotion, transfer, demotion, layoff, termination, rates of pay or other forms of compensation.

To Apply

If you are interested in pursuing this position, please follow the application instructions carefully. If you need this announcement in an alternate language or format, would like to request accommodation or assistance in the application or assessment process or if you have questions please contact the recruiter listed on this job announcement.