Director, Institutional Research and Analytics

Widener University - Chester, PA

Full-time - Senior

Remote - Chester, PA

Educational Services

About the position

Widener University is seeking a Director of Institutional Research and Analytics to join the Library and Information Services unit. This full-time position reports to the Associate Vice President for Digital Transformation and is responsible for developing, implementing, and managing a comprehensive program of institutional research activities that support university-wide decision-making, compliance, accreditation, data governance, and research initiatives. The Director will play a crucial role in ensuring that the university's internal constituencies receive the necessary decision support and that accurate reporting of institutional data is provided to external stakeholders across all three campuses of the university. The successful candidate will be a data-savvy and collaborative leader with extensive experience in data management and reporting within higher education. They will be familiar with various data platforms and statistical tools, and possess a proven track record of effective communication and teamwork across complex organizational structures. The Director will collaborate with university leadership and key stakeholders to design, plan, and conduct research activities that inform strategic planning for student success and institutional decision-making. They will also share data-informed analyses and insights with university constituencies to support continuous improvement efforts. In addition to managing compliance reporting with state, federal, and external entities, the Director will design, implement, and lead a comprehensive data governance program. They will foster an analytics community of practice to promote self-sufficiency in data-driven decision-making and provide leadership for the office's work in alignment with institutional goals. The role includes managing one staff position and overseeing the office's operating budget. Secondary responsibilities involve engaging in relevant professional organizations, maintaining vendor relationships, and serving on governance or ad-hoc committees as needed.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with university leadership and key stakeholders to design, plan, and conduct research activities that inform strategic planning for student success and institutional decision-making.
• Share data-informed analyses and insights with university constituencies in support of continuous improvement.
• Manage compliance reporting with state, federal, and external entities.
• Design, implement, and lead a comprehensive data governance program.
• Foster an analytics community of practice to promote self-sufficiency in data-driven decision making.
• Provide leadership for the office's work and alignment with institutional goals.
• Manage self plus one staff position and an operating budget for the office.
• Actively engage in relevant professional organizations and encourage staff's participation in same.
• Remain current with regulatory reporting and data security requirements in higher education data trends.
• Maintain and manage vendor relationships in area of responsibility.
• Serve on governance or ad-hoc committees and task forces as befits the role.

Requirements

• Master's degree in social science, public policy, or other relevant discipline which includes research methods, design, and measurements.
• Progressive experience working at a higher education institution.
• Proficiency with survey methodology, including instrument design and effective administration techniques.
• Minimum five (5) years of proven ability in statistical and qualitative analysis in higher education.
• Proficiency with software products used in statistical analysis (e.g., SPSS, SAS), data manipulation (e.g., MS Access, SQL, Excel), reporting and visualization (e.g., Tableau, Power BI).
• Ability to translate complex technical findings into comprehensible insights for stakeholders across various departments.
• Minimum three (3) years of management and supervisory experience with the ability to inspire, motivate, foster, and work in a collaborative environment.
• Demonstrated ability to plan, prioritize, organize, and oversee complex work processes, process improvements, or projects.
• Demonstrated commitment to cultural inclusivity in the workplace and research activities.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, and the ability to work with people of all levels of technical ability.

Nice-to-haves

• Doctoral degree in a discipline of statistical focus strongly preferred.
• Experience with PowerBI.
• Experience with predictive analytics software.
• Experience managing an office of institutional research/institutional effectiveness in an educational setting.

Benefits

• Flexible work arrangements (hybrid) within commuting distance of the main campus.
• Opportunities for professional development and participation in relevant professional organizations.
• Commitment to fostering an inclusive community for faculty, staff, and students from diverse backgrounds.