Institutional Research Analyst

Aurora University (AU) is committed to the transformative power of learning by creating a student-centered environment and an equity of experience and opportunity, to ensure that students, faculty, and staff of all backgrounds feel welcome and included. Our culture of collaboration, generosity, and belonging make it a special place for students, faculty, and staff. AU is grounded in the transformative opportunity it provides to a diverse student body. As a private university with a public mission and a commitment to making a difference in peoples’ lives, AU has a long history of resilience and of providing access to an education that values innovation, focuses on continuous improvement, and has a positive impact on the communities we serve. We are proud of our service to and economic impact on the state of Illinois, where over 80% of our students stay to live and work, where 90% of our students come from, and where we foster strong community partnerships to develop the workforce in areas such as nursing, education, business, technology, and social work. We are looking for passionate and purposeful individuals who represent the full diversity of Aurora and who demonstrate a sensitivity to and understanding of the diverse academic, socioeconomic, cultural, ability, identity, and ethnic backgrounds present in our community. When you join the team at AU, you can expect to be part of an inclusive, innovative, and equity-focused community that approaches higher education as a matter of social justice requiring broad collaboration among faculty, staff, students, and community partners. At AU we believe that continuous learning is a fundamental part of working life, and our goal is for all colleagues on our campus to feel supported and equipped to realize their full potential. We actively support our community by providing all employees with opportunities to engage in professional development activities, as well as a range of tuition and employee benefits that can be found Position Purpose The Institutional Research Analyst will support Institutional Effectiveness and Decision Support’s core purpose by providing data support and analytical functions for university-wide accreditation, compliance, reporting, planning, and decision-making. The analyst performs advanced quantitative analyses, develops and automates repeatable reporting processes, contributes to data warehouse and analytics solutions, and translates complex findings into clear, actionable insights for university leaders and campus partners. Core Competencies Represents Aurora University in the most positive manner with prospective, former and current students, clients, suppliers and the community we serve. Interacts effectively with a diverse group of faculty, staff, students and other customers of our service, learns and uses operating practices of the department and Aurora University.Upholds the Mission Statement: Aurora University is an inclusive community dedicated to the transformative power of learning. As a teaching-centered institution, we encourage undergraduate and graduate students to discover what it takes to build meaningful and examined lives. Our singular goal is to empower our students to achieve lasting personal and professional success. Handles all information with tact and discretion and recognizes the confidential nature of university business. Supports learning through performance of essential job functions and performing other duties and functions as necessary or as assigned, including voluntary participation in university committees, activities and events. Essential Job Functions Collect, validate, maintain, analyze, and report institutional data from enterprise systems and external sources to support university-wide planning, decision-making, assessment, and accountability. Lead or independently complete complex recurring and ad hoc analyses related to enrollment, retention, persistence, completion, student outcomes, academic programs, and other institutional priorities; interpret results and communicate actionable findings to varied audiences. Coordinate and prepare assigned federal, state, accreditation, association, and other external reports, including IPEDS, the Common Data Set, NCAA reporting, and related compliance submissions; maintain a calendar of requirements, definitions, documentation, and changes.Monitor changes to reporting requirements and data definitions, assess institutional impact, and partner with the Senior Director and relevant stakeholders to implement timely updates. Develop, document, test, and improve reproducible data processes, queries, data models, dashboards, and reports using SQL, visualization tools, and other analytics technologies.Assist in developing, updating, and automating data warehouse solutions and reporting workflows, including source-to-target logic, business rules, validation procedures, and scheduled outputs.Perform advanced data quality assurance by reconciling sources, investigating anomalies, validating calculations, documenting findings, and coordinating issue resolution with data owners and technical partners. Translate complex data into accessible reports, visualizations, executive summaries, and presentations that clearly communicate trends, implications, limitations, and recommended next steps.Consult with university offices to clarify analytical questions, define measures, select appropriate methods, and ensure that results are interpreted and used responsibly. Contribute to institutional research studies, survey analyses, accreditation evidence, program review, strategic planning, key performance indicators, and evaluation of institutional initiatives. Maintain clear technical and procedural documentation, including data definitions, query logic, report specifications, quality-control steps, and version history.Support campus data literacy and responsible data use by providing guidance, documentation, and training to colleagues and report users. Apply FERPA, human-subjects research requirements, data governance standards, and university privacy and security practices in all work. Provide analytical guidance and peer review for less complex reporting or analysis work and contribute to a collaborative, cross-functional team environment. Education Essential Job Requirements: Bachelor’s degree in research, social science, educational research, mathematics, information systems, or another field with a strong quantitative or research-methods emphasis required. Master’s degree in a related field preferred. Experience and Skills: At least three years of progressively responsible experience in institutional research, higher education analytics, business intelligence, data analysis, or a closely related field required. Skills Advanced ability to query, combine, validate, analyze, and interpret complex data using SQL and one or more analytical tools or languages such as R, Python, SAS, or SPSS. Demonstrated experience developing clear reports, dashboards, or data visualizations using tools such as Power BI, Tableau, or comparable platforms. Strong knowledge of quantitative research methods, descriptive and inferential statistics, data-quality practices, and responsible interpretation of results. Ability to understand relational data structures, translate business questions into analytical specifications, and document data definitions and transformation logic. Ability to manage recurring compliance work and multiple analytical projects with accuracy, sound judgment, and attention to deadlines.Excellent written, verbal, and visual communication skills, including the ability to explain technical findings to nontechnical audiences. Strong consultation, collaboration, organization, and documentation skills.Advanced proficiency with Microsoft Excel and working proficiency with Word and PowerPoint. Ability to work independently, identify risks or inconsistencies, recommend solutions, and appropriately escalate issues. The pay range referenced in the job posting is the budgeted amount the university reasonably expects to pay for this position. The final pay rate will not be below the lowest pay rate listed herein. Benefit-eligible positions offer excellent benefits including health, dental, life, vision, long term disability, a 403(b) retirement plan through TIAA, and tuition remission. Aurora University is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Aurora University offers competitive, flexible benefits to eligible employees. Health Insurance Choice of HMO or PPO offered through BlueCross BlueShield of Illinois.Dental and Vision Insurance Choice of two dental plans and vision insurance offered through Blue Cross Blue Shield.Life Insurance and AD&D 1.5 times annual salary, dependent on age. Additional life insurance also may be purchased for self, spouse, and children.Long Term Disability 60% of salary, taxable and nontaxable options.TIAA Retirement Account The University offers a 403b retirement plan, administered by TIAA. Matching contributions offered first day of employment to eligible employees, at the discretion of the University and Board of Directors.Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA) FSAs are available for medical costs and dependent care costs.Paid Time Off Vacation, personal, and sick leave are provided to eligible employees.Holidays The university observes nine major holidays where the university is closed.Tuition Assistance Tuition assistance for AU undergraduate courses is available to eligible employees and eligible family members beginning the term following one (1) year of regular, full-time employment. Tuition assistance for graduate programs paid at 60% for employee following Senior Leadership approval.Tuition Exchange Consortiums AU is a member of the Tuition Exchange (TE) and the Council of Independent Colleges Tuition Exchange Program (CIC-TEP) enabling full-time employees and eligible family members to be eligible for tuition assistance at more than 600 universities nationwide. Eligibility for the CIC-TEP and TE programs is one (1) year of regular, full-time employment as of 8/31. To see more benefits details and breakdowns please see our benefits guide 01 Do you have a Bachelor’s degree in research, social science, educational research, mathematics, information systems, or another field with a strong quantitative or research-methods emphasis, or a Master’s degree in a related field? YesNo 02 Do you have at least three years of progressively responsible experience in institutional research, higher education analytics, business intelligence, data analysis, or a closely related field? YesNo Required Question