Manager, New Cities, What Works Cities

Organization : Results for America

Role : Manager, New Cities, What Works Cities (WWC)

Location : Flexible, within the United States

Organization Overview

Results for America (RFA) is the leading, national nonprofit organization helping policymakers at all levels of government harness the power of evidence and data to solve the world’s greatest challenges. Our mission is to make investing in what works the “new normal,” so that, one day, all government leaders use rigorous evidence and quality data to inform important policy and funding decisions. We believe that data-driven and evidence-based policy decisions should be used to increase the impact of the over $2 trillion that governments spend annually to open opportunities and advance economic mobility.

Team Overview

At Results for America, one of our flagship local initiatives is What Works Cities (WWC), a Bloomberg Philanthropies-funded initiative that helps city governments across the country improve residents’ lives by using data and evidence effectively to tackle pressing challenges. To accomplish this, we work directly with city leaders and staff through coaching and implementation support, a range of online and in-person learning opportunities, and a growing professional network. This support is guided by What Works Cities Certification, the first-ever international standard of excellence for data-driven, well-managed local government.

What Works Cities Certification assesses cities based on their data-driven decision-making practices, such as whether they are using data to set goals and track progress, allocate funding, evaluate the effectiveness of programs, and achieve desired outcomes from contracts with outside vendors. The program also measures whether cities are publicly and transparently communicating about their use of data and evidence. By aspiring toward Certification and implementing the best practices outlined in the program’s criteria, cities across the country are more effectively delivering results for residents. What Works Cities Certification also serves as an international recognition program, which celebrates and accelerates the use of data and evidence in local governments by rewarding achievements and providing a clear path to excellence. Since our launch in 2015, we have helped more than 300 cities make progress on their most pressing issues, from health and public safety to homelessness and blight.

Scale Overview

With the upcoming 10-year anniversary of What Works Cities, the initiative is entering an exciting phase. The initiative will continue to scale throughout North, Central, and South America, adding to the milestone of 100 Certified cities total, while exploring other regional markets. The initiative is designing new and innovative ways for cities to engage and build capacity within the WWC network, from starting their path towards Certification to deeper engagement with Certified cities. The focus will be on how to ensure the What Works Cities Standard and its corresponding Criteria and best practices related to good, well-managed local government are elevated globally, embedded into key institutions, as well as continue to refine its model based on consistent research and evaluation.

Position Overview

Results for America is seeking a dynamic professional with a passion for improving the performance of city government with strong research, analytical, and interpersonal skills to join the WWC City Experience team. The Manager will play a crucial role in guiding a portfolio of cities through the assessment process, evaluating cities’ practices against the What Works Cities Standard and supporting cities’ progress towards achieving Certification. This position will also support the development of WWC content to help cities advance on the Standard of Excellence in consultation with WWC leadership and, where needed, outreach and recruitment efforts (i,e pitching or attending conference) to bring cities into the WWC Initiative and efforts to scale WWC throughout target regions.

Travel up to 30-40% annually will be required for city visits and/or attendance at external convenings.

This is a full time, exempt position, based in a home office anywhere within the U.S.

Position Reporting Relationship

The Manager, New Cities, What Works Cities reports to the Associate Director, New Cities, What Works Cities.

Position Responsibilities

The responsibilities of the Manager include, but are not limited to:

Program Implementation and Support (70%)

Assessment

Manage a portfolio of cities through the What Works Cities Certification process, including onboarding, assessment reviews, and ongoing progress tracking toward Certification

Conduct and complete detailed reviews of city assessment submissions, analyzing supporting documentation and benchmarking practices against the What Works Cities Standard

Lead city engagements such as briefing calls and site visits; guiding cities through the assessment and Certification process; debriefing on practices, and co-developing customized action plans

Collaborate with city staff and executives during site visits to identify data-driven impacts and outcomes and contribute to public recognition efforts for Certified cities

Monitor trends and patterns across cities, assess their implications, and use insights to inform and strengthen support across the broader portfolio of cities

Technical Assistance

Lead a portfolio of new cities through a coaching model designed to support cities with building strong data practices, including on their path towards Certification

Actively engage and connect a portfolio of cities with WWC resource supports

Support the development of content for the WWC Community Forum to help cities advance on the WWC Standard

Relationship Management

Routinely connect with an assigned portfolio of cities on status updates

Support a high-quality experience for all cities participating in the Certification program, including proactively engaging with cities and responding in a timely manner to all city inquiries and assessment submissions

Team-wide Contributor (30%)

Outreach, Scaling and Growth

Support outreach and recruitment efforts to bring cities into the WWC Initiative, including sending emails and/or conducting information sessions and meetings with city staff

Assist with a diagnostic of cities that are un-networked and research city “readiness factors” to prioritize outreach

Attend conferences to meet with city practitioners and staff to promote the What Works Cities initiative and support recruitment efforts

Impact, Data Management, & Administration

Manage data and tracking performance of local governments participating in Certification, mainly through Salesforce and the assessment platform

Support the What Works Cities team with administrative work as requested

Experience, Competencies, and Qualifications

The ideal candidate will have the following qualifications, as well as an alignment with Results for America’s mission and organizational values:

Experience & Qualifications:

6 - 8 years of general work experience and college degree (or equivalent practical experience)

Experience working with local governments, a knowledge of their structures and constraints, and a commitment to driving innovation and improvements in the effectiveness of local governments

Experience with customer service and relationship-management

Tech stack: Salesforce, Tableau, Google Suite, MS Office, Asana, Slack, WhatsApp, Ramp; bill.com ; ChatGPT; Gemini; Claude

Demonstrated track record of successful project completion and results from production even in ambiguous environments, taking initiative to solve problems, and cultivating strong, mutually beneficial partnerships

Experience in successfully managing relationships with key internal and external stakeholders

Experience working in the nonprofit/philanthropic sector is a plus

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