Assoc Dir of Institutional Research

About the Role

The Associate Director of Institutional Research and Strategic Analysis provides operational leadership, strategic oversight, and advanced analytical expertise to support the University’s values, mission, and objectives in decision-making. Operating with a high degree of autonomy, the Associate Director manages project schedules, coordinates cross-functional campus collaborations, and reports on progress toward strategic initiatives. This role acts as a primary bridge between raw institutional data and executive decision-making, overseeing key deliverables—including complex internal data analyses, predictive modeling, external compliance reporting, and ad hoc data requests.

This is an in-person position on the UMR campus with limited flexibility for remote work upon approval by the supervisor. Occasional on- and off-campus travel is required. Please note, this position is not eligible for H-1B or Green Card sponsorship and does not offer a STEM OPT training program.

Responsibilities

• Institutional Assessment and Advanced Analytics (40%)
  • Conduct in-depth, complex statistical analyses and diagnostic analytics to support leadership decision-making, institutional planning, and strategic priorities.
  • Analyze student progression and success outcomes to identify opportunities to improve retention, persistence, and degree completion while closing equity gaps among student groups.
  • Build, maintain, and refine advanced predictive models to drive early interventions and boost student retention and graduation outcomes.
  • Design, develop, and implement KPI dashboards and performance metrics to track progress toward institutional and unit strategic goals.
• Project Management & Operations (25%)
  • Manage a comprehensive project schedule to ensure all recurring, ad hoc, and sudden data requests are executed accurately, efficiently, and on schedule.
  • Ensure and document standardized business processes, data dictionaries, and workflows to ensure business continuity and analyst cross-training.
  • Represent UMR on system-wide committees, campus task forces, and workgroups; serve as an institutional liaison to system colleagues.
• External Compliance Reporting & Survey Administration (20%)
  • Manage and submit mandatory institutional data to federal, state, and accreditation bodies, ensuring absolute compliance with data governance policies and FERPA.
  • Act as the primary campus contact for external organizations and publishers (e.g., U.S. News & World Report, College Board, Peterson's, ACT, Wintergreen Orchard House) to accurately submit institutional data profiles.
  • Lead the compiling, verification, and publication of annual reporting resources, including the Common Data Set, Campus Data Book, and the All Student Profile.
  • Oversee the administration and downstream analysis of major campus-wide surveys, such as the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) and the Student Satisfaction Inventory (SSI).
• Data Extraction, Engineering & Business Intelligence (15%)
  • Design, write, and optimize complex SQL queries to extract multi-dimensional datasets from the University Data Warehouse, PeopleSoft, Slate, Canvas, and related transactional systems.
  • Clean, blend, and restructure large, unstructured, or disparate datasets using tools like SQL Developer, R, SPSS, Python, or Excel.
  • Design, publish, and maintain interactive business intelligence dashboards utilizing Tableau to democratize data access and display complex dimensional metrics clearly.
  • Translate complex statistical findings and research methodologies into clear, accessible, and actionable narrative briefs or presentations for non-technical stakeholders across the campus.

Requirements

• Required Qualifications:
  • Bachelor’s degree in Data Analytics, Statistics, Mathematics, Computer Science, Social Sciences, or a highly quantitative field plus at least six years of relevant institutional research experience in higher education.
  • Minimum of 5 years of progressive professional experience in data analysis, institutional research, or business intelligence within a higher education setting.
• Preferred Qualifications:
  • 8+ years of relevant institutional research experience in higher education, with at least 2 years of direct supervisory or team lead experience.
  • Experience working directly with enterprise higher education platforms, including PeopleSoft, Slate, Canvas, and OBIEE.
  • Advanced technical skills, including but not limited to:
    • Advanced SQL writing capabilities and experience with relational database extraction.
    • Proficiency in statistical programming languages (e.g., R, SPSS, Python, or STATA).
    • Demonstrated expertise in data visualization tools (specifically Tableau or Power BI).
  • Strong working knowledge of data governance, data privacy policies (FERPA), and federal/state higher education reporting standards.
  • Proven track record of developing functional predictive models and complex data-mining protocols.
  • Demonstrated ability to consult with senior campus executives, influence strategic policy changes through data insights, and foster collaborative environments that advance equity, diversity, and social justice.

Encountered situations are highly varied, complex, and frequently non-recurring. There are rarely pre-established routines for advanced analyses (such as equity gap or retention studies). The Associate Director must apply creative analytical methodologies, identify confounding variables, and design unique visual solutions to make complex data sets interpretable. Operates with a high degree of independence under broad guidance from the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs & Innovation.

About the Department

The University of Minnesota Rochester (UMR), located in downtown Rochester, serves nearly 1,200 students and recently welcomed its largest class ever. Faculty and staff are dedicated to innovative education, student development, and applying research to enhance learning every day. With a strong focus on health sciences and student-centered learning, UMR partners closely with Mayo Clinic and emphasizes research-driven teaching to meet the evolving demands of the health care industry. UMR’s Vision is to inspire transformation in higher education through innovations that empower our graduates to solve the grand health challenges of the 21st century.

Schedule

Full-time, 40 hours per week, 12 months per year. Monday through Friday, typical daytime hours. Some evenings and weekends are required to meet the needs of students.

Pay

Pay Range: $98,000 to $115,000 annually, depending on education, qualifications, and experience. Time Appointment: 100%. Position Type: Faculty and P&A Staff.

Benefits

• Competitive wages, paid holidays, and generous time off.
• Continuous learning opportunities through professional training and degree-seeking programs supported by the Regents Tuition Benefit Program.
• Low-cost medical, dental, and pharmacy plans.
• Healthcare and dependent care flexible spending accounts.
• University HSA contributions.
• Disability and employer-paid life insurance.
• Employee wellbeing program.
• Excellent retirement plans with employer contribution.
• Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) opportunity.
• Financial counseling services.
• Employee Assistance Program with eight sessions of counseling at no cost.

While our salary ranges provide a framework, it is important to note that most of the time, the initial pay may not reach the maximum of the range. This approach ensures that compensation reflects the value and unique contributions of each candidate while maintaining equity within our organization. As part of our commitment to fair and equitable compensation, the salary offered to incoming candidates will be based on their individual credentials and experience.