Director of Impact and Evaluation

Career Guide

A Director of Impact and Evaluation leads how an organization measures, learns from, and improves its results. The role builds clear outcomes, selects practical indicators, runs evaluations, and turns findings into decisions that improve programs, funding, and strategy.

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Key Responsibilities

Define impact goals and outcome measures with program leaders
Build an organization-wide measurement and learning plan
Design evaluation approaches that match program needs and resources
Oversee data collection processes and data quality standards
Analyze quantitative data and qualitative insights to assess results
Create dashboards and reporting that leaders can act on
Communicate findings to staff, funders, partners, and boards
Lead learning sessions to translate results into program improvements
Manage evaluation vendors and research partners
Ensure ethical data practices and participant privacy
Develop budgets and timelines for evaluation work
Coach and manage impact and evaluation staff

Top Skills for Success

Impact Strategy

Program Evaluation Design

Outcome Measurement

Quantitative Analysis

Qualitative Research

Survey Design

Data Quality Management

Data Visualization

Stakeholder Management

Change Management

Executive Communication

Ethical Data Practice

Career Progression

Can Lead To

Impact Manager

Monitoring and Evaluation Manager

Learning and Development Manager

Research Manager

Data and Insights Manager

Program Director

Transition Opportunities

Senior Director of Impact

Vice President of Impact

Chief Impact Officer

Director of Strategy

Director of Programs

Head of Learning

Common Skill Gaps

Often Missing Skills

Evaluation PlanningIndicator SelectionCausal InferenceData GovernanceDashboard OwnershipVendor ManagementResearch TranslationFacilitation

Development SuggestionsBuild one end-to-end evaluation plan for a live program, define a small set of decision-focused indicators, and publish a leadership-ready impact report. Practice translating findings into concrete program changes, and set up simple data quality checks that teams can sustain.

Salary & Demand

Median Salary Range

Entry LevelUSD 90,000 to 120,000

Mid LevelUSD 120,000 to 160,000

Senior LevelUSD 160,000 to 220,000

Growth Trend

Steady demand, driven by funder expectations, accountability requirements, and the need to show measurable outcomes across nonprofit, philanthropy, healthcare, and social impact teams.

Companies Hiring

Major Employers

Bill and Melinda Gates FoundationFord FoundationWorld VisionSave the ChildrenInternational Rescue CommitteePATHFHI 360RTI InternationalKaiser PermanenteUnited Way

Industry Sectors

Nonprofit OrganizationsPhilanthropic FoundationsInternational DevelopmentHealthcare OrganizationsEducation OrganizationsGovernment AgenciesSocial EnterprisesCorporate Social Responsibility

Recommended Next Steps

Create a portfolio with two impact reports and one learning brief

Draft a measurement plan for a program with goals, indicators, and data sources

Strengthen analysis skills using a common tool such as Excel, R, or Python

Develop a dashboard that tracks outcomes and is reviewed monthly by leaders

Run a pilot evaluation with a clear question, method, timeline, and budget

Build a stakeholder map and a communication plan for funders and partners

Document data standards for collection, storage, and quality checks

Practice executive storytelling by presenting findings in ten minutes or less