Fast Facts

Join CredLens as the Director of Operations & Strategic Projects to lead initiatives that enhance operational excellence and strategic planning in delivering verified outcomes for non-degree credentials.

Responsibilities: Oversee strategic operations, project management, and applied research, ensuring alignment with organizational goals while managing cross-functional initiatives and partnerships.

Skills: Strong analytical skills, exceptional communication, project management proficiency, and experience with data visualization tools are essential for success.

Qualifications: Candidates should possess a bachelor’s degree and 8+ years of relevant experience in operations or strategy, with demonstrated success in managing complex projects and applied research.

Location: This position is based in Washington, DC.

Compensation: $115000 - $130000 / Annually

As the Director, Operations & Strategic Projects at CredLens, you will play a pivotal role in driving operational excellence, applied research, and strategic projects across the organization. This role blends research analysis, project management, and organizational strategy to accelerate the growth and impact of CredLens — a national data trust committed to delivering verified outcomes for non-degree credentials.

You will serve as a connector between research, strategy, and operations, ensuring projects are effectively scoped, executed, and aligned with the organization’s mission. The ideal candidate thrives in a startup environment, balances analytical rigor with hands-on execution, and brings exceptional communication and organizational skills to a rapidly evolving team.

CredLens is building a nonprofit national data trust focused on verified outcomes for non-degree credentials. The effort is an initiative launched by the Strada Education Foundation in 2024. CredLens will deliver actionable insights and power ongoing research for industry-based, professional, and workforce credentials.  

CredLens is designed to fill the data gap for non-degree credentials. The attainment of these credentials is growing, but there is little to no data tracking their outcomes. CredLens will offer tailored data analytics and visualizations to credential issuers, workforce training providers, philanthropic funding partnerships, and state system partnerships to support the continuous improvement of credential quality and to support informed funding and scaling decisions. 

The Director, Operations and Strategic Projects has four core responsibility areas, listed below with the approximate time required.

Area 1: Strategic Operations & Project Management (40%)

• Lead cross-functional initiatives that align with organizational priorities — including state data collaborations, workforce policy research, and operational improvement projects.
• Develop project plans, manage timelines, and ensure accountability across teams.
• Build and refine organizational processes and systems to improve efficiency and scalability.
• Support internal reporting, dashboards, and KPIs to track progress against strategic goals.

Area 2: Strategic Planning & Special Projects (30%)

• Support leadership in developing strategic frameworks, business plans, and growth initiatives.
• Coordinate high-priority initiatives and partnerships — including philanthropic funders, state systems, and postsecondary institutions.
• Serve as a thought partner to senior leaders on research translation, communications, and stakeholder engagement.

Area 3: Research & Analysis (20%)

• Conduct applied research on topics such as workforce Pell, credential quality, and outcomes measurement.
• Translate complex data into actionable insights and narratives for internal and external audiences.
• Partner with the research and data teams to design and execute studies that inform national credentialing policy and practice.
• Produce briefs, memos, and presentations synthesizing findings and policy implications.

Area 4: Collaboration & Communication

• Represent CredLens in cross-sector conversations with education, workforce, and data partners.
• Draft high-quality materials for funders, partners, and executive communications.
• Facilitate collaboration across internal teams and external stakeholders, ensuring consistent messaging and follow-through.

Education & Experience

• Education: Bachelor’s degree or equivalent progressively responsible experience.
• 8+ years of experience in operations, or strategy in education, workforce development, or related sectors.
• Proven track record managing complex, multi-stakeholder projects from conception to completion.
• Strong applied research skills: data interpretation, policy analysis, and translating findings into actionable insights.
• Demonstrated ability to thrive in a fast-paced, startup or early-stage environment.

Skills Required

• Exceptional verbal and written communication skills.
• Analytical, detail-oriented, and intellectually curious.
• Strong time management, prioritization, and follow-through.
• Skilled in Google Workspace, Excel, data visualization, and project management tools (e.g., Asana, Monday, or Smartsheet).
• Comfortable navigating ambiguity and building structure where none exists.
• Mission-driven, collaborative, and grounded in values of inclusion, learning, and innovation.

$115,000 - $130,000 a year

The pay range listed is based on national compensation benchmark data and may vary depending on skills, experience, job-related knowledge, variations in cost of labor, and in some cases, geographic location. The exact job offer will be determined based on several factors such as the candidate’s individual skills, qualifications and experience relative to the requirements of the role. The range displayed with the job posting represents the minimum and maximum target for new hire salaries for the position across the U.S.  

The company also reviews and considers internal equity (current employee salary) when hiring new employees to the organization. The range is the expected starting base salary for someone hired into this position with room to grow professionally, including increased earning potential beyond the starting pay range. Beyond a new hire’s base salary, Strada also offers all full-time employees a comprehensive employee benefit package.

Mission and Values Alignment:

Committed to providing equitable pathways to opportunity through PSET, particularly for individuals who have faced significant barriers. Demonstrated alignment with CredLens' guiding values, commitment to building a strong and healthy workplace culture, and working in a collaborative environment.    

Strategy and Innovation Leadership:

Adept at operationalizing strategy and effectively communicating strategic endeavors within the organization and in external contexts, both verbally and in writing. Particular skill in designing annual plans, monitoring progress, and refining plans as needed. Adaptable with tolerance for ambiguity. Able to problem-solve and navigate varied viewpoints. Capacity to refine efforts based on evidence that change is needed. Ability to lead efforts to visualize and monitor change. Capability to see and support innovative ideas and opportunities across the organization, and to embed innovation within operational plans. Capabilities in taking the perspective of others and adapting an agenda and approach – toward a shared aim - accordingly.   

Strategic Problem Solving: 

Ability to effectively utilize a hypothesis-driven approach to problem solving, with effective quantitative and communication skills. Ability to take on broad-reaching and sometimes ambiguous questions while working collaboratively and cross-functionally with Strada team members across the organization.  

Execution and Operations Leadership:

Ability to translate innovative, strategic ideas into tangible, actionable steps, as well as to effectively monitor progress and partner with others on identifying improvements during implementation to increase the likelihood of successful execution.  

DEI Commitment:

Commitment and professional experience advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion within and organization, including incorporating stakeholder perspectives in the design, implementation, and evaluation of strategic efforts.    

Relationship Building and Collaborative Capabilities:

Demonstrated ability to cultivate, grow, and manage positive, mutually beneficial relationships at all levels of an organization and with partners outside the organization. Strong communication, interpersonal and relationship management skills—including identifying and working through challenges—underscored by strong judgment and emotional intelligence. Proven collaborator, able to work with colleagues at all levels in the organization. 

Diversity, equity, and inclusion are central to CredLens' organizational vibrancy, employee experience, and mission. We strongly encourage applicants from people of color/the global majority, immigrant, bilingual, and bicultural individuals; people with disabilities, members of the LGBTQIA2S+ and gender nonconforming communities; and people with other diverse backgrounds and lived experiences. We believe every member on the team enriches our workplace by exposing us to a broad range of ways to understand and engage with the world, identify challenges, and discover, design, and deliver critical insights and solutions.