Role Description The Learning Science and Efficacy Manager is ZB’s embedded research translator—connecting the learning science literature to the day-to-day decisions made by our curriculum and product teams. Reporting to the Senior Manager, Learning Design and working in close partnership with the VP, Curriculum and Learning Design, this role ensures that every ZB program is built on a defensible, current, and clearly communicated research base. This is a practitioner-level role suited to someone who loves digging into research and loves even more the moment when that research clicks for a curriculum developer, a sales rep, or a district administrator. The Learning Science and Efficacy Manager will focus primarily on two areas: - Translating and communicating the research base to internal product and curriculum teams. - Supporting the planning, coordination, and documentation of efficacy studies in partnership with Learning Design leadership and external research partners. Key Responsibilities - Research Translation & Internal Communication - Monitor and synthesize current research in cognitive science, literacy acquisition, mathematics intervention, and the Science of Reading—maintaining an accessible, organized library of research that product and curriculum teams can draw from. - Translate findings from peer-reviewed research into clear, practical guidance for Learning Design, Editorial, and Digital team members who are building curriculum—not reading journals. - Develop and maintain research summaries, logic models, and annotated research bases for each ZB program, keeping them current as the literature evolves. - Establish and maintain consistent communication processes for sharing new research and transferring knowledge to internal teams, in collaboration with the Senior Manager, Learning Design. - Review curriculum and product materials from a learning science perspective, flagging misalignments with current evidence and recommending research-grounded alternatives. - Contribute a learning science lens to curriculum design work structured within ZB’s UbD (Understanding by Design) framework. - Efficacy Study Design & Management - In partnership with the Senior Manager, Learning Design and VP, Curriculum and Learning Design, coordinate and support efficacy studies that contribute to credible, ESSA-aligned evidence for ZB programs. - Coordinate with external research partners—including universities, independent evaluators, and consultants—to support rigorous, well-documented study execution. - Develop and maintain efficacy documentation for programs including Superkids, Spelling Connections, ZB Handwriting, and Kickstart, ensuring claims are accurate, current, and appropriately tiered per ESSA standards. - Track ESSA evidence requirements and state-level evidence expectations to ensure ZB products maintain competitive, compliant positioning. - Organize and maintain research and efficacy collateral, documentation, and archives; manage project timelines to meet multiple deadlines. - RFP & Sales Enablement Support - Author or contribute learning science and efficacy sections of RFP responses, alignment guides, and competitive proposals—translating research claims into language that resonates with district procurement audiences. - Develop evidence-based collateral (e.g., research summaries, efficacy comparison documents, Aha guides) that support Sales and Marketing in communicating ZB’s program quality. - Support alignment documentation projects connecting ZB programs to national and state standards with clear, research-grounded rationale. - Competitive & Market Awareness - In collaboration with Marketing, monitor the competitive landscape for research and efficacy claims made by programs such as i-Ready, UFLI Foundations, Bridges Intervention, and others; identify opportunities to strengthen ZB’s own evidence positioning. - Stay informed about developments in educational policy, state adoption requirements, and shifts in the Science of Reading and structured literacy fields. Qualifications - Master’s degree in Education, Learning Sciences, Literacy, Cognitive Psychology, or a closely related field (or equivalent demonstrated experience). - 3–5 years of experience in curriculum development, educational research, learning design, or a related field—with meaningful exposure to K–6 literacy and/or mathematics. - Working knowledge of the Science of Reading, structured literacy, and evidence-based instructional practices at the PreK–6 level. - Demonstrated ability to read, synthesize, and communicate peer-reviewed research to non-researcher audiences. - Familiarity with ESSA evidence tiers, research methodology, and efficacy documentation practices. - Strong written communication skills, including the ability to write clearly for multiple audiences (curriculum developers, sales teams, procurement committees). - Organized and detail-oriented, with the ability to manage documentation and deadlines across multiple concurrent projects. - Collaborative mindset and comfort working in a cross-functional environment alongside Editorial, Digital, Sales, and Marketing colleagues. Preferred - Experience in educational publishing, ed-tech, or a K–6 instructional materials context. - Background as a classroom teacher, instructional coach, reading specialist, or curriculum coordinator. - Familiarity with UbD (Understanding by Design) curriculum design framework. - Experience contributing to district RFP responses or state adoption submissions. - Knowledge of state curriculum adoption processes and evidence requirements. Competencies for Success - Research Translation — Converts complex academic literature into clear, usable guidance for curriculum developers and product teams. - Collaborative Partnership — Works effectively alongside senior learning design leadership; contributes expertise while aligning to product, learning design, and efficacy priorities. - Communication Clarity — Writes and speaks with precision and audience awareness across internal and external contexts. - Organized Execution — Manages multiple documentation and project threads simultaneously without dropping quality. - Intellectual Curiosity — Stays genuinely current in fast-moving fields and brings new findings proactively to the team. - Evidence Integrity — Upholds rigorous standards for accuracy, citation quality, and ESSA-aligned evidence claims. Benefits - Meaningful work at the intersection of learning science and curriculum that reaches students and educators nationwide. - A collaborative, mission-driven team that values research rigor, intellectual curiosity, and continuous learning. - Close partnership with senior learning design leadership invested in your professional growth. - Competitive compensation and benefits, including medical, dental, vision, and 401(k). - Flexible remote/hybrid work arrangements. - Professional development support, including conference attendance and continuing education.

Role Description The Learning Science and Efficacy Manager is ZB’s embedded research translator—connecting the learning science literature to the day-to-day decisions made by our curriculum and product teams. This role ensures that every ZB program is built on a defensible, current, and clearly communicated research base. This is a practitioner-level role suited to someone who loves digging into research and loves even more the moment when that research clicks for a curriculum developer, a sales rep, or a district administrator. The Learning Science and Efficacy Manager will focus primarily on two areas: - Translating and communicating the research base to internal product and curriculum teams. - Supporting the planning, coordination, and documentation of efficacy studies in partnership with Learning Design leadership and external research partners. Key Responsibilities - Research Translation & Internal Communication - Monitor and synthesize current research in cognitive science, literacy acquisition, mathematics intervention, and the Science of Reading. - Translate findings from peer-reviewed research into clear, practical guidance for Learning Design, Editorial, and Digital team members. - Develop and maintain research summaries, logic models, and annotated research bases for each ZB program. - Establish and maintain consistent communication processes for sharing new research with internal teams. - Review curriculum and product materials from a learning science perspective. - Contribute a learning science lens to curriculum design work structured within ZB’s UbD framework. - Efficacy Study Design & Management - Coordinate and support efficacy studies that contribute to credible, ESSA-aligned evidence for ZB programs. - Coordinate with external research partners to support rigorous study execution. - Develop and maintain efficacy documentation for programs ensuring claims are accurate and current. - Track ESSA evidence requirements and state-level evidence expectations. - Organize and maintain research and efficacy collateral, documentation, and archives. - RFP & Sales Enablement Support - Author or contribute learning science and efficacy sections of RFP responses and competitive proposals. - Develop evidence-based collateral that supports Sales and Marketing in communicating ZB’s program quality. - Support alignment documentation projects connecting ZB programs to national and state standards. - Competitive & Market Awareness - Monitor the competitive landscape for research and efficacy claims made by other programs. - Stay informed about developments in educational policy and shifts in the Science of Reading. Qualifications - Master’s degree in Education, Learning Sciences, Literacy, Cognitive Psychology, or a closely related field (or equivalent demonstrated experience). - 3–5 years of experience in curriculum development, educational research, learning design, or a related field. - Working knowledge of the Science of Reading, structured literacy, and evidence-based instructional practices at the PreK–6 level. - Demonstrated ability to read, synthesize, and communicate peer-reviewed research to non-researcher audiences. - Familiarity with ESSA evidence tiers, research methodology, and efficacy documentation practices. - Strong written communication skills for multiple audiences. - Organized and detail-oriented, with the ability to manage documentation and deadlines. - Collaborative mindset and comfort working in a cross-functional environment. Preferred - Experience in educational publishing, ed-tech, or a K–6 instructional materials context. - Background as a classroom teacher, instructional coach, reading specialist, or curriculum coordinator. - Familiarity with UbD (Understanding by Design) curriculum design framework. - Experience contributing to district RFP responses or state adoption submissions. - Knowledge of state curriculum adoption processes and evidence requirements. Competencies for Success - Research Translation — Converts complex academic literature into clear, usable guidance. - Collaborative Partnership — Works effectively alongside senior learning design leadership. - Communication Clarity — Writes and speaks with precision and audience awareness. - Organized Execution — Manages multiple documentation and project threads simultaneously. - Intellectual Curiosity — Stays current in fast-moving fields and brings new findings proactively. - Evidence Integrity — Upholds rigorous standards for accuracy and ESSA-aligned evidence claims. Benefits - Meaningful work at the intersection of learning science and curriculum. - A collaborative, mission-driven team that values research rigor and continuous learning. - Close partnership with senior learning design leadership invested in your professional growth. - Competitive compensation and benefits, including medical, dental, vision, and 401(k). - Flexible remote/hybrid work arrangements. - Professional development support, including conference attendance and continuing education. Company Description Zaner-Bloser (ZB), a Highlights for Children company, is a PreK–6 foundational skills educational publisher with a mission to help children become their best selves through literacy solutions that target foundational skills development and foster joyful, successful learning.

Role Description The Senior Manager, Fair Chance to Advance is an individual contributor role that sits within JFF’s Field Implementation Team (FIT) and is fully aligned to CJEA. This role will lead core project management, stakeholder engagement, and event coordination functions that support FC2A’s State Action Networks and State Readiness Networks, with a particular focus on onboarding new network members, managing steering committee operations, coordinating with external partners, and supporting in-person and virtual convenings. The Senior Manager will report to Lisa Durkin, FIT Cluster Director, and will collaborate closely with colleagues across CJEA, FIT, and external project partners. This role is well suited for someone who is energized by building strong cross-sector relationships, keeping complex state-based work-streams moving, and translating strategy into clear operational systems. The ideal candidate will bring strong project management skills, an ability to navigate ambiguity and is seen as a strong collaborator and connector. They will demonstrate subject matter expertise in engaging and supporting programs, initiatives and/or work-streams that impact people with histories of incarceration. Qualifications - Strong project management experience and a track record of coordinating complex, multi-stakeholder initiatives from planning through execution. - 5–8+ years of prior professional experience through a combination of full-time, part-time, internship, and/or freelance roles. - Subject matter expertise in engaging and supporting programs, initiatives and/or work-streams that impact people with histories of incarceration. - Comfortable navigating ambiguity and brainstorming creative solutions to challenges as they arise. - Highly organized with a strong instinct for building systems that improve reliability, clarity, communication, and follow-through. - Strong written and verbal communication skills. - Comfortable facilitating meetings, coordinating agendas and action steps. - Comfortable learning and navigating multiple technology systems in parallel. - Confident managing documentation, file organization, records, and communications with care and consistency. - Comfortable coordinating virtual and in-person event logistics and willing to travel. - High energy and passion for JFF’s mission and North Star. - Ability to apply JFF’s core values to all areas of work. - Value building positive and collaborative relationships with others. Requirements - Manage the onboarding of new State Network members, including hosting 1:1 onboarding meetings, tracking onboarding progress, and helping members understand how to engage effectively in the network. - Build and maintain strong relationships with state network stakeholders, helping surface priorities, questions, opportunities, and feedback. - Support strong communication channels across State Networks. - Coordinate closely with external project partners supporting FC2A workstreams. - Serve as a project manager for FC2A State Networks by maintaining work-plans and project plans in Asana. - Manage recurring meetings for each state network’s steering committee. - Track member engagement and participation trends. - Partner with state-based coordinators to maintain each network’s communications systems. - Co-own and co-manage the FC2A inbox and shared drive for external project partners. - Contribute to regular updates or newsletters circulated to keep affiliate network members informed. - Partner with state partners and JFF’s Events team on the planning, coordination, and documentation of annual state summits, site visits, and related FC2A convenings. - Serve as a key point of contact for communications, invitations, logistics, and follow-up tied to state summits and other FC2A events. - Travel as needed to support in-person meetings, summits, site visits, and relationship-building activities. Benefits - Competitive salaries and a comprehensive benefits program. - Flexibility and choice as core values to support people wherever they are in their lives and careers. - Office equipment provided as needed for new employees. - Work in-person, hybrid, or completely remote. To Apply As part of your application, please include your resume and a thoughtful cover letter, addressed to Lisa Durkin, outlining how your skills and experience meet the qualifications of the position. We are accepting applications through Friday, July 10th by 5pm ET. Applications submitted by that date and time will be reviewed and candidates will receive updates on their candidacy by the week of July 13th and 20th. If you are unable to complete this application due to a disability and/or have specific access/accommodation needs, please contact us at hiringaccommodations@jff.org. Positions at JFF are not eligible for employer-visa sponsorship or open to F-1 student visa holders.

• Establish a company-wide Business System as the standard for the organization’s operational processes • Create a self-reinforcing culture of continuous improvement • Ensure the system is scalable with growth and acquisitions and not dependent on individual employees • Define, document, and continuously develop the integrated set of tools, processes, leadership behaviors, and cultural norms • Implement strategy deployment (Hoshin Kanri) and translate the company’s strategic priorities into annual goals, quarterly initiatives, and measurable team objectives • Manage deviations and perform root cause analysis • Drive Kaizen and rapid improvement • Foster problem-solving capability