Director of Institutional Research

Position Summary

Director of Institutional Research – responsible for providing foundational data, analytics, and strategic thinking to advance the university’s priorities. The director will serve as the primary architect and steward of 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). Priority Final date to receive applications:
April
20,2026. Anticipated appointment:
May
18,2026.

• Institutional Research Operations – Direct and manage the IR function; collect, analyze, interpret, and disseminate institutional data to support strategic planning, operational effectiveness, and external reporting.
• Oversee all enrollment data (applications, admissions, matriculation, retention, progression, graduation rates) and develop timely reports and predictive models for enrollment management.
• Manage all federal and state reporting requirements (WICHE, SARA, NWCCU, HECC, IPEDS) ensuring accuracy, timeliness, and compliance.
• Develop and maintain data infrastructure, including definitions, dictionaries, and governance policies in collaboration with IT.
• Respond to ad‑hoc data requests and conduct institutional studies on student success, faculty workload, resource utilization, and peer comparisons.
• Utilize advanced analytics to identify trends, forecast outcomes, and provide actionable recommendations.
• Present complex data and findings clearly to executive leadership, faculty, and staff.
• Leadership & Strategic Support – Collaborate with Provost, President’s Cabinet, and other leaders to align IR activities with institutional priorities.
• Stay current with best practices in institutional effectiveness, assessment, accreditation, and research.
• Provide data‑driven insights to strategic planning and foster a culture of data‑informed decision making.
• Supervise, mentor, and develop IR staff and student workers.

• Minimum Requirements – Master’s degree in Higher Education Administration, Educational Leadership, Public Policy, Statistics, Social Sciences, or a related quantitative field.
• Three (3) years of progressively responsible experience in institutional research or effectiveness.
• Experience with regional accreditation processes, preferably NWCCU, including direct involvement in self‑study preparation.
• Proven experience collecting, managing, analyzing, and reporting complex institutional data (enrollment, student success, 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.
• Proficiency with data visualization tools (Tableau, Power BI) and statistical software (SPSS, R, SAS, advanced Excel).
• Familiarity with Banner or Workday systems and business intelligence tools in a higher education setting.

• Willingness to travel and attend off‑site training.
• Ability to work additional hours and adjust schedule to meet operational needs.
• May be recalled on an emergency basis for required work.
• Must pass a pre‑employment background check.

SOU is an equal access AA/EOE committed to achieving a diverse and inclusive workforce. In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Southern Oregon University will provide, if requested, reasonable accommodation to applicants in need of accommodation to provide access to the application, interviewing, and selection process. Applicants are not required to note the presence of a disability on the application.

Southern Oregon University is a welcoming community committed to inclusive excellence and the celebration of diversity. We encourage those who share in our commitment to diversity to join our community, and we expect all employees to demonstrate an ability and desire to create an inclusive campus community.