Lead Insights Consultant

Western Governors University • Salt Lake, UT

4d

About The Position

If you’re passionate about building a better future for individuals, communities, and our country—and you’re committed to working hard to play your part in building that future—consider WGU as the next step in your career. Driven by a mission to expand access to higher education through online, competency-based degree programs, WGU is also committed to being a great place to work for a diverse workforce of student-focused professionals. The university has pioneered a new way to learn in the 21st century, one that has received praise from academic, industry, government, and media leaders. Whatever your role, working for WGU gives you a part to play in helping students graduate, creating a better tomorrow for themselves and their families. The salary range for this position takes into account the wide range of factors that are considered in making compensation decisions including but not limited to skill sets; experience and training; licensure and certifications; and other business and organizational needs. At WGU, it is not typical for an individual to be hired at or near the top of the range for their position, and compensation decisions are dependent on the facts and circumstances of each case. A reasonable estimate of the current range is: Grade: Professional 314 Pay Range: $133,800.00 - $207,300.00 Job Description The Lead Insights Consultant is responsible for generating, synthesizing, and translating deep insights on labor markets, workforce transformation, and the lived experiences of students and workers to inform institutional strategy and ventures. This role operates at the intersection of research, strategy, and sensemaking, integrating quantitative data, qualitative research, and ethnographic understanding to surface patterns, implications, and forward-looking perspectives on the future of work. Serving as a trusted advisor to senior leaders, the role influences decision-making through rigorous analysis, clear frameworks, and compelling narratives rather than formal authority or people leadership. The position partners closely with cross-functional teams across the institution to align and synthesize insights, avoid duplication, and ensure research is applied effectively to strategic planning, innovation, and external thought leadership.

Requirements

• Ability to determine appropriate research approaches to address key strategic questions, leveraging internal capabilities and external partners across the full research lifecycle, including study design, method selection, instrument development, data collection, analysis, and reporting.
• Ability to synthesize diverse and sometimes conflicting data sources into coherent, credible insights and narratives.
• Skill in translating complex research findings into clear frameworks, visuals, and executive-ready communications.
• Ability to think systemically about labor markets, education, and work, connecting micro-level human experiences to macro-level trends.
• Ability to operate comfortably in ambiguity and uncertainty, particularly when examining emerging technologies and future-oriented topics.
• Ability to influence without formal authority across a complex, matrixed organization.
• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field (such as economics, social sciences, public policy, business, information sciences, human-centered design).
• 10+ years of relevant experience in roles focused on insight generation, strategic analysis, applied research, and sensemaking in complex environments.
• Demonstrated experience synthesizing qualitative and quantitative information into clear insights that inform strategic decisions.

Nice To Haves

• Professional experience in talent and workforce development or higher education sectors.
• This position requires occasional travel of up to 20%, including required attendance at designated company summits (typically one to two per year). Additional travel may include conferences, visits to company locations, and other business-related events as needed.
• Additional travel may be assigned as needed to support business requirements.

Responsibilities

• Labor & Workforce Insights Synthesize diverse data sources—including secondary research, primary studies, qualitative research, and social listening—to develop a comprehensive view of workforce dynamics, mobility, and opportunity.
• Analyze current and emerging career pathways, incorporating demographic, industry, and geographic variation to surface patterns, inequities, and points of intervention.
• Future of Work & AI Sensemaking Develop insight into task-level impacts of artificial intelligence, including skill erosion and emergence, changes in occupational structure, and patterns of human–machine collaboration.
• Examine how technological, economic, and social forces are reshaping the nature, meaning, and organization of work over time.
• Generate forward-looking perspectives that help the institution understand not just what is changing, but how and why those changes matter for talent and employers.
• Ethnography of Talent & Career Decision-Making Working with other partners across WGU, connect qualitative and ethnographic understanding of how individuals navigate career decisions, transitions, and key “buying” or enrollment moments to strategic frameworks and decisions.
• Examine employer decision-making at the human level, including hiring, upskilling, and credential valuation practices.
• Insight Translation and Coordination Partner with leaders within the Strategy & Ventures Group to ensure insights are appropriately applied across development and planning efforts.
• Partner with leaders conducting related research across WGU (e.g., Institutional Analytics and Research, Marketing, Schools & Colleges) to align perspectives and synthesize—not duplicate—function-specific research into WGU-wide insights.
• Adapt insights communication for diverse audiences, including senior leadership, cross-functional teams, and external stakeholders, balancing rigor with accessibility.
• Translate complex research into compelling frameworks, visuals, and narratives that surface key implications, tensions, and open questions.
• In coordination with Institutional Advancement, translate insights into public-facing narratives and thought leadership that enhance WGU’s credibility, brand, and positioning with partners and funders.

Benefits

• eligible for bonuses; medical, dental, vision, telehealth and mental healthcare; health savings account and flexible spending account; basic and voluntary life insurance; disability coverage; accident, critical illness and hospital indemnity supplemental coverages; legal and identity theft coverage; retirement savings plan; wellbeing program; discounted WGU tuition; and flexible paid time off for rest and relaxation with no need for accrual, flexible paid sick time with no need for accrual, 11 paid holidays, and other paid leaves, including up to 12 weeks of parental leave

What This Job Offers

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