Director of Institutional Research

About the role

The Director of Institutional Research is a pivotal leadership role responsible for providing foundational data, analytics, and strategic thinking to advance the university's priorities. This position serves as the primary architect and steward of the university's continuous improvement efforts, ensuring that data informs decision-making, supports mission alignment, and demonstrates institutional effectiveness to internal and external stakeholders, including the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU).

Responsibilities

• Directs and manages the university's Institutional Research (IR) function, including the collection, analysis, interpretation, and dissemination of institutional data to support strategic planning, operational effectiveness, and external reporting.
• Oversees the comprehensive collection and analysis of all enrollment data, including applications, admissions, matriculation, retention, progression, and graduation rates, providing timely reports and predictive models to inform enrollment management strategies.
• Manages all federal, state, and other external reporting requirements, including WICHE, SARA, NWCCU, HECC and the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) surveys, ensuring accuracy, timeliness, and compliance.
• Develops and maintains a robust data infrastructure, including data definitions, data dictionaries, and data governance policies, in collaboration with IT and other relevant departments.
• Responds to ad-hoc data requests from university leadership, academic departments, administrative units, and external agencies, providing accurate and insightful analyses.
• Conducts institutional studies and analyses on key topics such as student success, faculty workload, resource utilization, and peer comparisons to support decision-making and continuous improvement.
• Utilizes advanced analytical and statistical methods to identify trends, forecast outcomes, and provide actionable recommendations.
• Presents complex data and analytical findings clearly and effectively to diverse audiences, including executive leadership, faculty, and staff.

Requirements

• Master's degree from an accredited institution in a relevant field such as Higher Education Administration, Educational Leadership, Public Policy, Statistics, Social Sciences, or a related quantitative discipline.
• Minimum of three (3) years of progressively responsible experience in institutional research or institutional effectiveness.
• Demonstrated experience with regional accreditation processes, preferably with NWCCU, including direct involvement in self-study preparation and reporting.
• Proven experience in collecting, managing, analyzing, and reporting complex institutional data, including enrollment, student success, and operational metrics.
• Experience with IPEDS reporting and other federal/state compliance reporting.
• Experience supervising and developing professional staff.

Preferred Requirements

• Doctorate (Ph.D. or Ed.D.) in a relevant field.
• Experience as an Accreditation Liaison Officer (ALO) for NWCCU.
• Experience with data visualization tools (e.g., Tableau, Power BI).
• Familiarity with the unique characteristics and challenges of regional public universities.
• Proficiency with SPSS, R, SAS and/or advanced Excel for data analysis.
• Proficiency with Banner or Workday systems and business intelligence tools or assessment within a higher education setting.

Skills, Knowledge, And Abilities

• Strong analytical and research skills; demonstrated ability to gather, evaluate, and to develop well-reasoned conclusions and recommendations.
• Demonstrated ability to proactively assess work operations and anticipate potential problems; ability to develop and implement strategies for preventing/resolving problems.
• Great ability to effectively perform work of a highly sensitive and confidential nature that requires access to information.
• Must be able to exercise sound judgment and discretion, tact, and diplomacy.
• Demonstrated ability to work with a high level of productivity and accuracy/attention to detail.
• Excellent organizational and time management skills with the demonstrated ability to set own priorities to coordinate multiple assignments and meet deadlines in a fast paced time-sensitive environment.
• Excellent computer skills and proficiency with a variety of computer applications including word processing, spreadsheets, databases, online systems, social media platforms, Internet as well as online calendaring and email.
• Demonstrated ability to initiate, establish, and foster communication and teamwork by maintaining a positive, cooperative, productive work atmosphere in and outside the University with the ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships within a diverse population and with those from various cultural backgrounds.
• Working knowledge or ability to quickly learn, university infrastructure, policies, and procedures.
• Deep understanding of higher education trends, institutional effectiveness principles, accreditation standards (NWCCU), and best practices in institutional research.
• Analytical Thinking: Ability to interpret complex data, identify patterns, draw logical conclusions, and translate findings into actionable recommendations.
• Communication: Exceptional ability to communicate data and analytical insights effectively through written reports, presentations, and verbal discussions.
• Project Management: Strong organizational skills to manage multiple priorities, projects, and deadlines.
• Collaboration and Influence: Ability to work collaboratively with diverse stakeholders, build consensus, and influence data-informed decision-making.
• Problem-Solving: Proactive and creative approach to identifying and solving complex institutional challenges.
• Technical Proficiency: Advanced skills in data manipulation, statistical analysis, and reporting tools.
• Ethical Conduct: Commitment to data integrity, confidentiality, and ethical research practices.

Special Conditions

• Must be willing to travel and attend training programs off-site for occasional professional development.
• Must be able to work additional hours and adjust working hours to meet special jobs.
• May be called back periodically to perform work as needed on an emergency basis.
• Must be able to successfully pass a pre-employment background check.

Special Instructions To Applicant

To apply, each applicant is required to provide (as attachments to the online application) the following supplemental documents: (1) a letter providing some detail of the applicant’s qualifications and interest in the position; and (2) current resume/CV. - PLEASE NOTE - during the application process, you will be prompted to attach these documents in the area titled "Resume." Please either combine ALL documents into ONE attachment, OR upload each item separately in this section. Failure to upload ALL of the required documents may disqualify application from consideration.