Director, Optimization Analyst

Overview

This is a full-time remote role with optional in-office hybrid support for candidates who live near the organization’s offices (Tuesday and Wednesday in office). All employees are required to occasionally travel to meet in person for business purposes.

The Operations division supports millions of students and thousands of test centers annually through digital assessment delivery and customer engagement. Within Operations, Assessment Delivery Operations (ADO) is responsible for successful execution of digital assessments (e.g., SAT and Advanced Placement), working with partners across the education sector to improve testing technologies, customer experience, and outcomes. ADO’s analytics function delivers the data, insights, and decision support used to drive efficiency, cost savings, and improved customer experience.

Reporting to the Senior Director, Data Analytics, this role builds predictive and optimization models to improve how ADO delivers digital assessments. Responsibilities include hands-on development, validation, and deployment of forecasting, optimization, and decision-support models.

Responsibilities

Build and deliver analytics models and tools (40%)

• Own the demand-forecasting and capacity-optimization models end to end, from methodology choices through deployment, serving as the technical authority for these areas
• Develop, validate, and deploy forecasting, optimization, and simulation models that reduce operational cost and friction
• Build demand-forecasting pipelines for assessments, improving both accuracy and turnaround time
• Develop real options and capacity optimization models that minimize committed costs while preserving the ability to scale to student demand
• Build and validate models that estimate operational and fiscal impact of potential policy changes across programs

Drive continuous improvement and innovation (25%)

• Deliver analytics reporting and dashboards that provide stakeholders continuous visibility into key operational metrics to support faster decisions
• Research, evaluate, and adopt modern analytic tools and methods (e.g., AI-assisted coding, data synthesis) to increase the speed and scale of work
• Strengthen the reliability and reusability of models so analysis can be rerun and trusted as operational conditions change

Partner across functions to embed analytics (25%)

• Partner with Product, Program, Operations, and Technology colleagues to embed analysis in operational decisions and surface opportunities to reduce cost and friction
• Work with Program and customer-experience partners to model and reduce cross-program pain points in the customer flow
• Coordinate with Finance and Program on budgetary assumptions, cost drivers, and variance tracking so models reflect real fiscal constraints
• Translate analytic findings into clear recommendations that directly shape operational decisions in Product, Program, and Operations

Contribute to analytics strategy and direction (10%)

• Shape the analytics roadmap by identifying high-value modeling opportunities and advising the Senior Director on technical feasibility, sequencing, and tradeoffs
• Connect analysis to ADO’s broader priorities and the organization’s operational data ecosystem
• Translate ambiguous operational problems into structured analytic approaches where no established playbook exists
• Identify emerging analytic needs and propose new models or approaches to improve operational outcomes

Requirements

• Combination of education and experience equivalent to 5–7+ years of practical data analysis experience, including leading analytics work in a professional setting
• Undergraduate degree in business, engineering, economics, or another quantitative field (required)
• Master’s degree in a quantitative or equivalent field (preferred)
• Advanced data analytic skills in forecasting, statistical analysis, and cost assessment
• Experience with predictive modeling, statistical analysis, optimization, forecasting, cost assessment, or decision support is strongly preferred
• Proven track record of driving operational excellence and delivering measurable results
• Experience applying analytics to operational, customer experience, or process-improvement challenges in government, education, technology, or service-based industry
• Ability to travel 4–6 times a year to offices or on behalf of business
• Authorization to work in the United States

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree in a quantitative or equivalent field
• Experience applying analytics to operational, customer experience, or process-improvement challenges in government, education, technology, or service-based industry

Compensation & Benefits

• Hiring range: $88,000–$140,000
• Salary depends on location, experience, and how the background compares to others in similar roles.
• Annual bonuses and opportunities for merit-based raises and promotions

Location

Remote. Hybrid option (Tuesday and Wednesday in office) is available for candidates who live near the organization’s offices. Occasional business travel is required.