Program Evaluation Director

Career Guide

A Program Evaluation Director leads the design and delivery of evaluation work to understand whether programs are effective, how they can improve, and what outcomes they achieve. This role blends strategy, research leadership, stakeholder management, and clear communication to support better decisions and stronger results.

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Key Responsibilities

Set the evaluation strategy and annual priorities across programs
Define evaluation questions, success measures, and learning goals
Design evaluation approaches such as surveys, interviews, and outcome tracking
Oversee data collection processes and quality standards
Lead analysis and turn findings into practical recommendations
Create clear reports and presentations for executives, funders, and partners
Build monitoring and evaluation plans for new or expanding programs
Manage evaluation budgets, timelines, and external vendors
Coach and develop evaluation staff and cross functional partners
Strengthen ethical practices, privacy safeguards, and informed consent processes
Improve performance measurement systems and reporting routines
Support grant reporting and funder learning requirements

Top Skills for Success

Stakeholder Management

Strategic Planning

People Leadership

Program Design

Impact Measurement

Evaluation Design

Research Methods

Survey Design

Interviewing

Quantitative Analysis

Qualitative Analysis

Data Visualization

Report Writing

Ethics and Privacy

Budget Management

Career Progression

Can Lead To

Senior Director of Impact

Vice President of Impact

Director of Learning and Measurement

Director of Research and Insights

Chief Impact Officer

Transition Opportunities

Strategy Director

Policy Director

Program Director

Grants Director

Operations Director

Common Skill Gaps

Often Missing Skills

Advanced causal inferenceExperimental designQuasi experimental designData governanceChange managementExecutive storytellingVendor managementCost effectiveness analysis

Development SuggestionsBuild depth in one advanced evaluation approach, strengthen data governance and privacy practices, and practice translating findings into executive ready decisions. Pair this with hands on vendor leadership and budget ownership to show full end to end evaluation management.

Market Intelligence Report

Program Evaluation Director is part of the Marketing Strategy category.Explore our market intelligence report to see how AI and hiring demand are shifting for these roles.

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Salary & Demand

Median Salary Range

Entry Level85,000 to 115,000 USD

Mid Level115,000 to 160,000 USD

Senior Level160,000 to 220,000 USD

Growth Trend

Steady demand, with higher hiring in healthcare, social services, education, philanthropy, and public sector modernization. Growth is supported by funder requirements for measurable outcomes and increased focus on evidence based decisions.

Companies Hiring

Major Employers

Abt GlobalICFRTI InternationalMathematicaNORC at the University of ChicagoWestatRAND CorporationKaiser PermanenteUnitedHealth GroupKPMGDeloitteSave the ChildrenWorld VisionInternational Rescue CommitteeBill and Melinda Gates Foundation

Industry Sectors

GovernmentPublic HealthHealthcareEducationPhilanthropyNonprofitInternational DevelopmentResearch and ConsultingSocial Services

Recommended Next Steps

Review current program goals and map them to a short list of measurable outcomes

Create a simple evaluation framework with clear questions, measures, and data sources

Build a portfolio of two to three evaluation deliverables such as a learning agenda and an evaluation report

Strengthen one technical area such as experimental design or cost effectiveness analysis through a course and a project

Standardize reporting with a recurring dashboard and a quarterly insights memo

Develop an executive presentation that summarizes impact, risks, and recommended actions

Clarify ethical and privacy practices and document them in a lightweight evaluation policy

Network with evaluation leaders in your target sector and ask for feedback on your portfolio