Director of Institutional Research & Data Analytics
Application Procedure:
Job Functions
- Statutory compliance, State/Federal reporting, & Survey management (30%)
- Serve as the university's primary coordinator and keyholder for all mandatory state and federal reporting, including IPEDS and NYSED (New York State Education Department)
- Lead the completion, validation, and submission of major external guidebook and benchmarking surveys (e.g., U.S. News & World Report, Princeton Review, College Board, NSSE)
- Institutional analytics, Dashboards, & Decision support (30%)
- Build and maintain a sustainable institutional census data model using Entrinsik Informer, creating automated snapshot workflows to capture, freeze, and archive point-in-time enrollment and related data.
- Design, build, and maintain interactive business intelligence (BI) dashboards and self-service data tools for executive leadership, deans, and department heads using modern visualization tools
- Translate complex quantitative data into clear, compelling narratives, visualizations, and executive summaries to inform university strategy and policy
- Execute ad-hoc analytical queries and specialized research studies in response to emerging institutional priorities and leadership requests
- Enrollment, Retention, & Student Success analytics (20%)
- Conduct longitudinal cohort studies, predictive retention modeling, and student success research to identify drivers of persistent student retention and graduation outcomes
- Partner with individual academic and administrative departments to build program-level retention and outcome models tailored to support specialized program reviews, grant reporting, success initiatives, and localized operational decision-making
- Assessment, Accreditation, & Strategic Planning support (10%)
- Provide necessary data sets, trend analyses, and benchmarking evidence required for university accreditation (MSCHE) and specialized academic program accreditations
- Supply core performance metrics, KPI tracking, and comparative peer group data to support the University's strategic planning workflows
- Assist academic and administrative departments with survey design, methodology, and statistical analysis for core institutional surveys
- Data governance, Quality assurance, & Systems integration (10%)
- Collaborate with Information Technology (IT) and other stakeholders to ensure data integrity, consistent definitions, and robust data hygiene across enterprise systems
- Contribute to institutional data governance initiatives, establishing standard data definitions, data dictionary documentation, and single-source-of-truth reporting protocols
- Maintain absolute confidentiality and compliance regarding student (FERPA), employee, and proprietary institutional data
Job Qualifications
REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:
- Technical & Analytical capabilities
- Statistical Analysis: Demonstrated expertise in statistical analysis, modeling, and software tools (e.g., SPSS, R, Python)
- Data extraction & Manipulation: Demonstrated expertise in constructing and manipulating large datasets, creating repetitive reporting workflows
- Data visualization: Demonstrated expertise in designing user-friendly dashboards
- Enterprise systems: Experience working with enterprise software (e.g., Ellucian Colleague, Slate, Canvas) and underlying data structures
- Professional competencies
- Autonomous execution: Proven ability to manage competing priorities and complex projects independently
- Data translation & Storytelling: Ability to communicate technical, statistical, and complex findings clearly to non-technical audiences to facilitate understanding and decision-making
- Collaborative mindset: Strong interpersonal skills to build positive cross-departmental relationships at all levels of the organization
- Accuracy & Discretion: Exceptional attention to detail, commitment to data precision, and a strong track record of maintaining confidentiality
QUALIFICATION STANDARDS:
- Master's degree in a relevant field
- Minimum 4-5 years of progressive experience in institutional research, data analytics, business intelligence, or decision support, preferably in higher education
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:
- Experience in a solo or small-team institutional research environment
- Experience with compliance reporting
- Experience with Entrinsik Informer
Institution Description
Founded by the Vincentian community in 1856, Niagara University is a comprehensive institution, blending the best of a liberal arts and professional education, grounded in a values-based, Catholic tradition. Niagara's colleges of Arts and Sciences; Holzschuh College of Business Administration; Education; Nursing; and Hospitality, Sport, and Tourism Management offer more than 80 majors, nearly 60 minors, and six pre-professional programs at the baccalaureate level, in addition to 30-plus master's degree programs and a doctoral program. Niagara University operates as a binational university granting degrees recognized in the United States and in Canada. Its main campus in Lewiston, New York, overlooks the scenic Niagara River Gorge and is located just four miles from Niagara Falls. The university also has a campus in the city of Vaughan in the Greater Toronto Area. As the first Vincentian university established in the United States, Niagara prepares students for personal and professional success while emphasizing service to the community in honor of St. Vincent de Paul. Undergraduate and graduate students participate in service learning, research, study abroad, cooperative education, and internships. Those types of real-world learning opportunities help Niagara alumni translate their practical education into top jobs within their career fields.
Benefits
Low-cost health benefits, 403b employer contribution, affordable tuition at Niagara University for you and eligible immediate family members, tuition exchange at other designated universities for eligible dependent children, generous holidays (20 days annually), PTO, and ½ day Fridays throughout the summer. Niagara University is also an approved employer for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program. Campus life is vibrant and offers free parking, on-site dining options, and fresh coffee at Tim Horton's and Starbucks, all in a beautiful park-like setting.
Application Due Date: 01/31/2027
Salary: $57000 - $65000
City: Lewiston
State/Province/Region: New York
Institution: Niagara University
Reports To: Assistant Vice President, Institutional Effectiveness, Strategy, and Student Success
Staff # Reporting to Position: 0
Reports In Office: Institutional Effectiveness, Strategy, and Student Success
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