Vice President, Strategic Performance & Evaluation

About KIND 

Kids in Need of Defense (KIND) is a global leader in the protection of unaccompanied and separated children who are forcibly displaced from their countries of origin. Launched in 2008, KIND champions a world in which every child’s rights and well-being are protected throughout their journey to safety. 

Building on its extensive programming and successful model in the United States, KIND is expanding in the Americas and Europe to bring its experience to bear in working with unaccompanied and separated children. Our work focuses on addressing the legal and mental health needs of this population; building strong partnerships and engaging in training and capacity strengthening with governments, NGOs, and the private sector; and advocating for systemic and pragmatic reforms to advance the rights of unaccompanied and separated children.

KIND seeks KIND seeks a strategic and collaborative Vice President, Strategic Performance and Evaluation, to lead organization-wide efforts to deliver measurable impact, ensure compliance with diverse funder requirements, drive data-informed decision-making, and strengthen operational efficiency through innovation and technology. The incumbent will oversee the Global Strategic Performance and Evaluation Team and serve as a key partner to the Programs, Finance, Development, and Policy and Advocacy teams across regions.

This position is remote from any location in the U.S.

This position is contingent upon continued funding.

• Provide Strategic Leadership
• Works with senior leadership to align data reporting and program priorities with the organization’s aspirations.
• Provides senior management with technical assistance to design impactful programs; minimize organizational risk; devise thoughtful, forward-looking data strategies; and make decisions informed by reliable metrics.
• Informs staffing models, program design, and resource allocation using performance trends and strategic forecasts.
• Fosters a culture of continuous learning and improvement by identifying programmatic bottlenecks, prioritizing high-impact changes, and translating ideas into action.
• Advances programmatic innovation and efficiency by means of process improvements and technology investments, including AI-powered solutions.
• Develops a collaborative monitoring-and-evaluation approach that functions as a shared service across all programs.
• Helps KIND proactively shape donor expectations regarding metrics and measurement frameworks rather than simply respond to donor wishes and requirements.
• Foster cross-pollination of ideas and prevent siloing staff in specific regions or programs by (1)creating and reinforcing collaborative structures and habits; and (2) balancing specialization and versatility in team structure.

• Oversee Organization’s Data and Program Technology, Performance and Planning, and Monitoring and Evaluation Functions
• Leads the performance and planning, data and program technology, and monitoring and evaluation teams to (1) improve the clarity and quality of our data and performance metrics; (2) consistently reevaluate and improve existing standards, practices, resources, technology, and knowledge systems to support the organization’s mission; (3) support quantitative and qualitative analysis of the organization’s impact strategies; and (4) help the organization meet its obligations to its funders.
• Builds bridges among the three teams reporting to this role through regular cross-functional meetings and collaborative data-analysis sessions.
• Develops measurable indicators and frameworks to track KIND's performance against its strategic goals and help drive decision-making.
• Translates funder obligations into data capture and reporting requirements.
• Serves as the organization’s programmatic data domain owner to ensure that KIND’s teams are aligned, while promoting data integrity and adhering to the highest ethical standards.
• Delivers trend analyses to support KIND allocatee resources effectively and improve how we do our work.
• Develops standardized measurement approaches that create economies of scale while respecting unique program requirements.
• Implements "purposeful redundancy" in data management systems and staffing to mitigate risks born of staff turnover.
• Equips teams with tools and training to foster a culture of evaluation, learning, and data-driven performance.

• Ensure Contract Accountability
• Develops, helps negotiate, and oversees adherence to funder requirements.
• Manages federal- and state-accreditation funding relationships.
• Advises Development and Finance teams with respect to funding eligibility and resource allocation/planning.
• Employ consolidated monitoring-and-evaluation approaches to strengthen funding proposals and donor relationships.
• Partners with the Finance team to interpret budgets, conduct budget audits, support invoicing, and assess grant proposals.
• Designs and implements auditing tools, templates, and protocols to assess data integrity and grant compliance.
• In collaboration with the Chief Legal Officer, conducts risk assessments and prioritize monitoring activities based on organizational exposure and strategic focus.
• Partners with the Chief Legal Officer and the Finance team to mitigate compliance risks and maintain the trust of funders.
• Develops risk mitigation strategies related to data management and program evaluation.

• Promote Cross-Functional Collaboration
• Aligns with Programs, Development, and Policy and Advocacy teams to share priorities and information, and help the organization meet its obligations to its partners.
• Collaborates with the Development and program teams to ensure that funder reports and proposals are accurate, meet the funders’ expectations, and comprehensively illustrate KIND’s impact.
• Analyzes cross-cutting data to identify emerging trends and opportunities across different program areas.
• Cultivates a culture of collaboration and shared learning around data and evaluation practices.

• Communications Impact
• Uses cross-program insights to identify emerging needs and opportunities for organizational growth.
• Develops dashboards and impact reports for leadership, funders, and external stakeholders.

• Juris doctor (J.D.) degree.
• Fluent in English.
• Minimum of 7 years of experience in nonprofit program management, compliance, or data leadership, preferably in a legal services or NGO setting.
• Experience balancing standardization with program-specific needs in a multi-program organization.
• Proven success in strategic planning, data analysis, and cross-functional team leadership.
• Success in leveraging monitoring-and-evaluation capabilities for business development and managing donor relationships.
• Deep understanding of funder compliance, government contracts, and performance measurement frameworks.
• Strong analytical, communication, and project management skills.
• Possess the professionalism, discipline, and nimbleness to help KIND realize its mission of protecting children’s wellbeing and rights and ensuring that they have access to justice.
• Advanced knowledge of data systems (e.g., LegalServer) and demonstrated ability to translate strategy into measurable outcomes.
• Working knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite (such as Teams, Excel, etc.).
• Ability to work collaboratively and multi-task in our KIND environment, managing numerous priorities and emerging opportunities.
• Excellent organizational skills with the ability to work on multiple projects in a deadline-oriented environment; ability to prioritize tasks and delegate as appropriate.
• Ability to work effectively with people of diverse backgrounds, lived experiences, and communication styles.
• Demonstrate discipline and adaptability to effectively deliver on our core mission of ensuring access to justice and safeguarding children’s well-being and rights.
• Ability to multitask and work with a sense of urgency in a dynamic, fast-paced environment.
• Committed to practicing and supporting wellbeing and a work-home life balance. 
• Experience working and communicating in a remote environment preferred but not required. 

Our Benefits

- Medical, dental, and vision insurance with KIND paying 100% of the employee only portion of the premium for one of the three medical plan options, dental, and vision. 

- Pre-tax flexible spending account (FSA) for both medical and dependent care.  

- Pre-tax transit and parking spending account.  

- Employer-paid life insurance and accidental death and dismemberment insurance.  

- Employer-paid short and long-term disability insurance.  

For a complete list of benefits, please click here. 

Our Focus on Wellness

KIND recognizes that our ability to help our clients starts with helping our team members. KIND has prioritized wellness for employees through Mindfulness and Wellness Trainings, Wellness Platforms, Employee Assistance and Resilience Programs, Time Away and Office Wellness Activities. 

For more information regarding our Wellness initiatives please visit this link.  

Application Instructions

To be considered for this role, please submit an employment application at supportkind.org/join-the-team, along with your resume and cover letter.

Disclaimer: KIND is committed to an ethical recruitment and hiring process and maintains a firm “no fees” recruitment policy. We will never charge a fee or ask for money as part of the application process. KIND also conducts all interviews via telephone or video conference, and at no time will KIND engage in a text or mobile app-based application or interview process. For more information, please visit the following website: https://supportkind.org/join-the-team/kind-employment-practices/.