Director of Rankings & Institutional Performance

Grand Canyon Education•Phoenix, AZ

About The Position

Grand Canyon Education (GCE) is seeking a highly strategic and detail-oriented Director of Rankings & Institutional Performance to lead and execute a comprehensive rankings strategy in support of Grand Canyon University (GCU). This role is responsible for ensuring GCU is accurately represented and competitively positioned across major higher education rankings and surveys (e.g., U.S. News, Wall Street Journal, Princeton Review, Niche, Times Higher Education, and others). This individual will own the end-to-end rankings process—from data collection and validation to submission and performance tracking—while partnering cross-functionally across GCE and GCU stakeholders to drive continuous improvement in ranking outcomes. The ultimate goal is to elevate GCU into Top 10 positions across key categories aligned with institutional strengths, particularly student outcomes, social mobility, and career readiness.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Business, Marketing, Data Analytics, Higher Education Administration, or related field
5–8+ years of experience in higher education, institutional research, data analytics, marketing strategy, or similar field
Strong project management skills with the ability to manage multiple deadlines and stakeholders
Exceptional attention to detail and data accuracy
Experience working cross-functionally in a complex organization
Strategic thinking with strong execution capability
Data-driven decision making
Cross-functional leadership and influence
Process development and operational rigor
High accountability and ownership mindset

Nice To Haves

Experience with higher education rankings or survey submissions (U.S. News, THE, etc.)
Familiarity with institutional data systems and reporting frameworks
Experience in data analysis, dashboards, and performance metrics
Understanding of higher education competitive landscape and rankings methodologies

Responsibilities

Rankings Strategy & Ownership Develop and execute a comprehensive rankings strategy aligned with GCU’s brand positioning and institutional priorities
Identify and prioritize ranking opportunities where GCU can achieve Top 10 or Top 5 placement
Maintain a master calendar of all ranking submissions, deadlines, and requirements
Data Collection & Cross-Functional Coordination Partner with departments across GCE and GCU—including Institutional Research, Finance, Career Services, Academics, Enrollment, and Student Affairs to gather required data
Ensure data integrity, consistency, and alignment across all submissions
Establish standardized processes for data collection, documentation, and validation
Submission Management Prepare, review, and submit all ranking surveys and data requests accurately and on time on behalf of GCU
Manage internal approval workflows across GCE and GCU to ensure data is vetted and approved by appropriate stakeholders
Serve as the central point of accountability for all external ranking submissions
Performance Tracking & Continuous Improvement Track GCU’s rankings performance year-over-year across all major surveys
Analyze results to identify strengths, gaps, and opportunities for improvement
Provide actionable insights and recommendations to GCE and GCU leadership to improve ranking outcomes
Reputation & Perception Management Collaborate with GCE Marketing, PR, and GCU Academic Leadership to strengthen GCU’s reputation among peer institutions and ranking bodies
Support initiatives that influence perception-based rankings (e.g., faculty visibility, thought leadership, employer engagement)
Reporting & Communication Develop dashboards and reports summarizing GCU rankings performance and trends
Present regular updates to GCE and GCU executive leadership on progress toward Top 10 goals
Translate complex ranking methodologies into clear, actionable insights for internal stakeholders