Director of Institutional Research and Planning

SPALDING UNIVERSITY•Louisville, KY

4d•Onsite

About The Position

The Director of Institutional Research and Planning serves as a key resource responsible for supporting the University’s institutional research, assessment, reporting, and effectiveness efforts through the collection, analysis, interpretation, and communication of institutional data. Reporting to the President, the Director provides accurate and meaningful information to support institutional planning, decision-making, policy development, and continuous improvement. The Director coordinates institutional research and effectiveness activities, including internal and external reporting, institutional assessment, accreditation and regulatory support, and evaluation of progress toward University priorities. Working collaboratively with academic and administrative departments, the Director supports consistent data practices, helps translate institutional data into useful information, and promotes the accuracy and integrity of University data. The position also provides guidance and support to University leaders and departments in using data to inform decisions and improve institutional effectiveness.

Requirements

Knowledge of institutional research, institutional effectiveness, assessment, accreditation, and reporting practices within a higher education environment.
Knowledge of quantitative and qualitative research methodologies, statistical analysis, assessment practices, and program evaluation.
Ability to collect, analyze, interpret, and present complex institutional data and translate findings into clear, meaningful information for both technical and non-technical audiences.
Proficiency with data analysis, reporting, and visualization tools, including Microsoft Excel and Microsoft Access.
Demonstrated ability to retrieve, integrate, validate, and analyze data from multiple institutional systems and data sources.
Strong project management and organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities, meet established deadlines, and maintain attention to detail.
Strong written, verbal, and presentation skills with the ability to communicate effectively with faculty, staff, University leadership, and external constituencies.
Ability to work collaboratively across academic and administrative areas and provide guidance to stakeholders regarding data, assessment, reporting, and institutional effectiveness.
Ability to maintain the accuracy, integrity, security, and confidentiality of institutional information and exercise sound judgment when working with sensitive data.
Master’s degree in higher education, institutional research, research methodology, measurement and statistics, social sciences, data analytics, or a related field preferred.
Minimum of three (3) years of progressively responsible professional experience in institutional research, institutional effectiveness, assessment, data analysis, accreditation, or a closely related area required.
Experience using Ellucian Colleague for institutional data retrieval, reporting, and analysis preferred.
Experience using Microsoft Access to manage, query, analyze, and report data required.
Experience working with institutional data, statistical analysis, reporting systems, databases, and business intelligence tools required.
Higher education experience is strongly preferred.
Experience supporting accreditation, regulatory reporting, or institutional assessment preferred.

Nice To Haves

Experience using Ellucian Colleague for institutional data retrieval, reporting, and analysis preferred.
Higher education experience is strongly preferred.
Experience supporting accreditation, regulatory reporting, or institutional assessment preferred.

Responsibilities

Coordinate and oversee required institutional reporting to federal, state, accreditation, and other external agencies and organizations, ensuring information is accurate, complete, and submitted within established deadlines.
Maintain a comprehensive University accreditation calendar for SACSCOC and specialized accreditors, including review cycles, self-study due dates, annual and interim reports, monitoring reports, substantive change notifications, fee deadlines, and site visits.
Monitor accreditation timelines and communicate upcoming requirements and deadlines to the Provost, deans, program directors, and other appropriate stakeholders to support timely preparation and compliance.
Maintain a centralized repository of accreditation submissions, action letters, accreditor correspondence, and related documentation to ensure complete and accessible institutional records.
Provide regular updates to the President and Cabinet regarding accreditation timelines, status, and identified compliance concerns.
Collaborate with academic and administrative departments to collect, validate, and prepare institutional information required for external reporting, including IPEDS, the Common Data Set, and other institutional surveys and reports.
Maintain knowledge of reporting requirements, institutional research practices, accreditation standards, and applicable regulatory changes through professional development and engagement with appropriate professional organizations.
Collect, analyze, interpret, and communicate institutional data to support University planning, policy development, program evaluation, resource allocation, and operational decision-making.
Provide data, research, reports, and analyses to the President, Provost, University leadership, and other campus stakeholders as requested.
Analyze enrollment, admissions, financial, academic, student success, and other institutional trends using appropriate research and statistical methods.
Conduct institutional research studies and respond to recurring and ad hoc data requests, providing guidance on research design, methodology, data collection, analysis, and interpretation as appropriate.
Develop and maintain institutional reports, dashboards, data visualizations, and other business intelligence tools that provide timely and useful information to academic and administrative departments.
Collaborate with Information Technology, the Registrar, and other departments to improve access to institutional data and support the effective use of the University’s ERP/SIS, reporting platforms, and related systems.
Monitor institutional data for accuracy, consistency, and integrity; identify systemic data issues and work with appropriate departments to resolve discrepancies and improve data quality.
Research and recommend improvements to data collection, validation, reporting, security, systems, and processes to enhance the accessibility, accuracy, and usefulness of institutional information.
Support the University’s institutional effectiveness activities, including assessment of progress toward the University’s strategic plan and other institutional priorities.
Coordinate and support institutional and academic assessment activities, including the collection, analysis, and reporting of assessment results.
Provide guidance, training, and resources to faculty, staff, academic programs, and administrative departments regarding assessment practices, institutional data, reporting tools, and the use of results for continuous improvement.
Participate in committees, workgroups, and institutional initiatives related to assessment, accreditation, strategic planning, and institutional effectiveness.
Maintain accurate files, documents, and profiles for necessary paper files and in appropriate tracking systems.
Maintain a thorough working knowledge of and adhere to all Spalding policies and procedures.
Participate in meetings and provide feedback for improvement for the department.
Perform other related activities, as required, to ensure departmental and organizational success.