Director of Institutional Effectiveness

University Of Lynchburg • Lynchburg, VA

3d • Onsite

About The Position

The University of Lynchburg, a private, regional university in the beautiful foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains in Central Virginia, is seeking applicants for a full-time Director of Institutional Effectiveness position in the Office of Institutional Effectiveness. This position reports to, is supervised by, and evaluated by the Vice President & Chief of Staff. The evaluation of work performance will be ongoing and will include the specific duties and responsibilities outlined in this position description, as well as employee attitude and general working behavior. The Director of Institutional Effectiveness leads the Office of Institutional Effectiveness (formerly University Data Analytics and Effectiveness) and is responsible for accreditation, institutional research, assessment, and data governance functions that support University of Lynchburg decision-making, planning, and compliance. The Director works closely with the Vice President & Chief of Staff and academic and administrative leaders across campus to ensure the University's data is accurate, well-governed, and used effectively to inform strategy.

Requirements

• Master's degree in a related field of study.
• 5–7 years of progressively responsible experience with data management, institutional research, or institutional effectiveness, preferably in higher education.
• Experience with accreditation processes and external compliance reporting.
• Proven ability to develop and maintain data architecture and dashboards across diverse institutional units.
• Familiarity with data visualization or query tools.
• Strong communication skills, with the ability to identify and use appropriate and compelling data to contribute to effective decision-making.
• Ability to analyze and leverage data to promote institutional effectiveness, and to explain the use of data for the non-technical user.
• Awareness of trends in higher education that assist in strategic decision-making.
• Familiarity with multiple research and assessment platforms; understanding of data governance and data quality practices.
• Demonstrated ability to lead teams and collaborate across university units.
• Strong organizational and project management skills, with the ability to manage multiple deadlines.
• Prolonged periods of sitting/standing and computer use.
• Frequent wrist and hand movement (typing, document handling).
• Ability to lift 15 lbs.

Nice To Haves

• Terminal degree (e.g., PhD. or Ed.D.) in a related field such as higher education administration, institutional research, data science, or educational leadership.
• Direct experience with The Commission on Colleges and Universities (formerly SACSCOC) or another regional accrediting body.
• Experience supervising staff and managing a departmental budget.

Responsibilities

• Coordinates and supports the University's regional accreditation processes, reporting, and documentation, working in partnership with the University's Institutional Accreditation Liaison.
• Oversees the collection, analysis, and dissemination of institutional data to support planning, assessment, and evaluation of academic programs and University effectiveness.
• Ensures timely and accurate completion of federal, state, and other external reporting requirements (e.g., IPEDS, SCHEV, NCAA).
• Supervises the Coordinator of Institutional Research and other Institutional Effectiveness staff; participates in the recruitment, selection, and performance evaluation of unit personnel.
• Partners with the University Chief Information Officer (CIO) on data governance standards, data definitions, and the integrity of data feeding institutional dashboards and reports.
• Coordinates the development of program goals, objectives, policies, and standards for institutional data and effectiveness.
• Manages and maintains institutional dashboards and reporting tools used by University leadership.
• Responds to ad hoc requests for institutional data from campus leadership and external constituents.
• Serves on appropriate University standing and ad hoc committees.
• Manages the budget and daily operations of the Office of Institutional Effectiveness.

Benefits

• Generous paid vacation, personal days, paid sick time and family leave, comprehensive insurance (medical, dental, vision, etc.) and retirement plans, flexible spending account, tuition remission, life and long-term disability insurance, and more.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director