Institutional Research Specialist

Job Duties

Performs data analysis and facilitates the long-range planning and program assessment processes of the university. In addition to data extraction, data visualization, and compiling information for reporting, provides analytical and statistical analyses to support assessment/evaluation of institutional programs, processes, and other institutional needs. Creates, maintains, and documents queries and analyses used to support the institution's research and planning efforts.

Supervision Exercised

May supervise professional and/or support staff and student workers.

Position Responsibilities

• Performs data analyses and identifies trends in support of institutional planning.
• Creates, implements, maintains, and documents statistical programs, indexed archives of information and reports suitable for responding to surveys, questionnaires, as well as federal and state data collection and accountability requirements.
• Queries databases such as census and live student and employee information systems, understanding when it is appropriate to use census or live, in support of institutional decision making and reporting requirements.
• Develops and maintains reports, dashboards, and visualizations using analytic and reporting tools.
• Collaborates with campus offices on data governance activities related to census files and institutional reporting by helping establish common data definitions and standards, assisting with the development and maintenance of data dictionaries and validation routines, and supporting efforts to improve data quality and integrity across systems for accurate, reliable, and reproducible reporting, research, and decision‑making.
• Reviews, audits, and verifies the accuracy of institutional data; reconciling data from multiple sources to create unified longitudinal datasets/databases.
• Designs and executes complex SQL queries to extract and manipulate data from large-scale relational databases, data blocks, and data cubes to create clear and accurate reports as well as compelling visualizations and dashboards using tools such as Power BI and Argos.
• Engages in both quantitative and qualitative research, analyzes data and shares the results and inferences with relevant faculty, staff, committees, and administrators.
• Prepares institutional studies, plans, and program assessments as directed.
• Collaborates with stakeholders across the institution, including planning bodies and committees, to support their data needs and institutional reporting requirements.
• Collaborates with other staff members to cross‑train as necessary and support a cooperative work environment.
• Performs other duties and responsibilities related to those above which do not alter the basic level of responsibility of the position.

Knowledge,

Skills and Abilities

Knowledge of and ability to use SQL, statistical packages (SPSS, R, SAS), Excel, and data visualization and reporting tools. Knowledge of and ability to interpret and apply federal and state laws and regulations as well as university and BOR/CSCU policies and procedures. Knowledge of and ability to analyze data, apply appropriate statistical methods, to support planning and assessment. Knowledge of and ability to manage, query, clean, and reconcile complex datasets derived from systems such as student and employee information systems.

Knowledge of and understanding of data within student/employee information systems. Knowledge of and ability to develop reports, dashboards, and queries to meet federal, state, and institutional reporting needs. Knowledge of and ability to effectively communicate and present data findings to diverse stakeholders. Knowledge of and ability to manage multiple large projects, that require data accuracy and integrity, in a fast‑paced environment with strict deadlines, while collaborating with others.

Knowledge of and ability to commit to upholding confidentiality and data governance standards. Excellent oral and written communication skills. Effective communication and presentation skills, including use of software such as Microsoft Suite, in the development of charts, graphs, and other data presentation models for various audiences.…