Director of Institutional Research

Eastern University•St. Davids, PA

About The Position

The Director of Institutional Research provides strategic and operational leadership for Eastern University’s institutional research and required reporting functions. Reporting to the Vice President for Strategy and Effectiveness and Chief of Staff, the Director leads the IR team, establishes standards for reporting and analysis, and promotes responsible use of institutional data. The role works within the Office of Strategy and Effectiveness and partners with institutional effectiveness and strategic data analysis colleagues so reliable evidence informs assessment, planning, decision-making, and continuous improvement. The Director oversees official institutional reporting, including serving as the University’s IPEDS Keyholder, and leads applied research and decision support across enrollment, persistence, retention, completion, student outcomes, and academic program performance. The role also oversees survey operations, supports accreditation and institutional effectiveness work, contributes to data governance and data quality, and builds institutional data literacy through consultation, training, and documentation. The position supports Eastern University’s Christian mission, vision, and values. Applicants should have a Christian commitment compatible with the University’s mission and be willing to support its mission and vision. Applicants must be authorized to work in the United States; the University is unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment visa. Employment is contingent on successful completion of the applicable background screening.

Requirements

Master’s degree in higher education, social or behavioral sciences, statistics, data analytics, or a related field, with substantial preparation in research methods and quantitative analysis.
At least five years of progressively responsible experience in institutional research or closely related higher education research, reporting, or decision support.
Direct responsibility for IPEDS or comparable mandated institutional reporting.
Demonstrated ability to supervise and develop staff, manage complex projects, and coordinate work across academic and administrative areas.
Expertise in applied research, quantitative and qualitative analysis, institutional data quality, cohort construction, survey methods, and benchmarking, with the ability to translate findings into actionable information.
Experience with Workday or a comparable student information system, Qualtrics or a comparable survey platform, and Tableau or Power BI.
Proficiency in SQL, relational data concepts, and advanced spreadsheet tools.
Experience using at least one statistical application such as R, Python, SPSS, SAS, or Stata.
Knowledge of higher education data definitions, reporting requirements, and institutional research practices.
Sound judgment in protecting confidential information and presenting findings accurately and impartially.
Strong written, oral, visual, and interpersonal communication skills, including the ability to explain complex findings and limitations to varied audiences and provide effective consultation.
Strong organizational and problem-solving skills, including the ability to prioritize competing demands, meet deadlines, maintain rigorous quality standards, and support Eastern University’s mission, vision, and values.
Christian commitment compatible with Eastern University’s mission and willingness to support its mission and vision.
Authorization to work in the United States; visa sponsorship is not available.
Successful completion of the applicable employment background screening.

Responsibilities

Develop and manage the institutional research work plan in consultation with the VP for OSE/CoS; prioritize requests, allocate resources, and set timelines.
Supervise, mentor, and evaluate IR staff; assign and review work, support professional development, and ensure cross-training and continuity.
Manage assigned IR budget, systems, software licenses, and reporting resources; represent IR on University committees and in relevant professional organizations.
Direct accurate, timely, and consistent reporting to federal and state agencies, accreditors, and other authorized recipients; serve as the University’s IPEDS Keyholder and coordinate validation, approvals, submissions, and corrections.
Oversee the Common Data Set, institutional fact book and fast facts, external surveys and rankings, and recurring reports; maintain reporting calendars, definitions, review procedures, and submission records.
Monitor changes in reporting requirements and communicate their implications to responsible offices.
Reconcile discrepancies across submissions and published information, documenting differences in populations, time periods, or definitions.
Partner with the Office of Strategy and Data Analysis to conduct research on enrollment, persistence, retention, completion, student outcomes, and academic program performance using appropriate research methods.
Maintain peer and aspirant comparison groups and use external datasets for benchmarking; prepare reports, briefs, and visualizations that communicate findings, limitations, and implications.
Lead IR data stewardship within University data governance processes and collaborate with OSE, Information Technology, the Registrar, Finance, Human Resources, Enrollment Management, and other data stewards to improve data quality and consistency.
Promote appropriate data access, confidentiality, documentation, and responsible data use in accordance with University policy and applicable requirements.
Evaluate emerging analytical tools and AI-assisted methods for appropriate institutional research use.
Partner with the Director of Institutional Effectiveness on the institutional survey calendar, instrument design, sampling, administration, analysis, dissemination, and coordination of timing to minimize respondent burden.
Oversee IR survey operations and survey platform stewardship; delegate routine administration and user support as appropriate and provide consultation and training on sound survey practice.
Provide validated datasets, analysis, and methodological consultation for accreditation, program and administrative review, strategic plan metrics, and continuous improvement.
Coordinate data contributions with the Director of Institutional Effectiveness, who supports accreditation and leads institutional effectiveness processes and state authorization activities.
Partner with the Associate Director of Strategic and Data Analysis to translate institutional questions into coordinated research and analytics projects.
Supply validated definitions, research context, and quality review for predictive models, executive dashboards, and automated data products.
Coordinate reporting improvements with the Associate Director’s leadership of divisional automation and data infrastructure strategy; agree on ownership, deliverables, and review responsibilities to avoid duplicated work or conflicting metrics.
Build institutional data literacy through consultation, training, and accessible documentation; help users formulate questions, interpret results, and use authorized reporting and self-service tools effectively.
Model and support the University’s mission, vision, and core values, and treat community members with fairness, dignity, and respect.
Maintain current knowledge of higher education research, reporting, and analytical practice; participate in University meetings, committees, and professional development; perform other related duties as assigned.