Senior Data Analyst, Office of Institutional Research and Analysis - UT System Administration

University of Tennessee•Knoxville, TN

About The Position

The Senior Data Analyst serves in the Office of Institutional Research and Analysis, providing analytical, research, and reporting support for decision-makers and strategic initiatives. Under the general direction of the Director of Institutional Research, the position leads complex data requests and analytical projects, develops and applies appropriate research methodologies, and delivers accurate, timely, and actionable information to university stakeholders. The role also produces polished, accurate, audience-appropriate reports and analytical briefs that translate complex data into clear findings for leadership. It conducts benchmarking and environmental scanning, maintains documentation and data standards, and advances efficient and reliable institutional research and reporting practices.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in higher education, research, business analytics, statistics, computer science, or a related field.
Five years of experience creating and analyzing large, complex datasets and interpreting research findings.
Advanced knowledge of institutional research principles, analytical methods, and the use of data to support decision-making in higher education.
Advanced SQL skills, including script writing, joins, queries, data validation, and query optimization.
Ability to manage data requests from intake through delivery, including requirements gathering, analysis design, validation, interpretation, and communicating results.
Knowledge of data quality practices, documentation standards, and process standardization.
Ability to conduct research and benchmarking on higher education trends, peer institutions, and best practices.
Strong project management and organizational skills, including prioritizing work, managing multiple deadlines, and estimating realistic timelines.
Strong written and verbal communication skills, including translating complex data into clear, concise, audience-appropriate information.
Strong data literacy and analytical reasoning, including identifying patterns, discrepancies, and implications in complex datasets.
Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite.
Ability to work independently, exercise sound judgment, and manage ambiguity in a dynamic environment.
High degree of accuracy, attention to detail, and commitment to data integrity and confidentiality.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree.
Seven to ten years of experience in an Institutional Research office.
Experience conducting research or data analysis, preferably in an institutional research or similar higher education setting.
Ability to effectively deal with ambiguity and changing project requirements.
Ability to collaborate successfully with others and be responsive in working relationships.

Responsibilities

Lead complex ad hoc and recurring data requests and analytical projects; clarify scope, define data needs and methodologies, and establish realistic timelines and deliverables with requesters.
Synthesize analytical findings and identify meaningful trends to support decision-making.
Extract, validate, and analyze student information system data using complex SQL queries and scripts; integrate data from multiple sources and validate results against official data sources.
Develop efficient, repeatable approaches to data extraction, transformation, and reporting.
Research and benchmark higher education trends, peer and aspirational institutions, and best practices using internal and external data sources; summarize findings and comparative analysis into narratives and recommendations for leadership.
Develop accurate, polished, audience-appropriate reports and analytical briefs that communicate findings, trends, and implications clearly and support informed decision-making.
Develop and maintain documentation for data definitions, methodologies, query logic, reporting processes, and workflows.
Promote standardization in practices and recurring reports, and identify opportunities to improve efficiency, consistency, and transparency in institutional research processes.