Position: Director, Institutional Research and Effectiveness
Department: President / Institutional Research

Position Description:
Reporting to the President, the Director of the Office of Institutional Research and Effectiveness is a senior position that is responsible for supporting institutional assessment efforts by contributing useful and accessible information and analyses related to the University’s effectiveness in achieving its Mission and institutional priorities.  The Director also supports externally driven accountability/assessment initiatives mandated by various levels of government agencies, other funding sources, and accrediting agencies.  The Director provides information to support university decision-making through a variety of analytic activities, data gathering tasks, and research projects. 

Principal Duties and Responsibilities:

  • Decision and Data Support
    • Ensures appropriate data are available for institutional decision-making at various levels across the University; includes but not limited to development of annual Fact Book, oversight of survey development, implementation and analysis.
    • External academic program review data support.
    • Ad hoc reporting in response to numerous departmental requests.
    • In-depth research projects on topics related to institutional priorities such as retention, institutional space, and faculty credit hour production.
    • Produces enrollment projections for budgeting and planning.
    • Supports strategic planning and resource allocation decisions.
  • External Reporting and Regulation Compliance
    • Strict monitoring of all required external reporting and regulation mandates which includes, but is not limited to U.S. Dept of Education (IPEDS), PA State Department of Education, accreditation, professional organizations and college guide publications.
  • Accreditation Process Support
    • Plays a key role in supporting accreditation efforts, i.e., the Middle States Commission on Higher Education regional accreditation process, as well as other discipline-based accreditation processes.
  • Institutional Effectiveness Assessment Tracking
    • Responsible for collaborating with Provost and administrative units to track continuous and systematic processes for institutional assessment and improvement; also responsible for tracking and reporting on key performance indicators that develop out of planning processes.
  • Committee Service and Office Management
    • Service on designated University committees and councils. 
    • Office management which includes, in part, monitoring shifts in institutional priorities and the impact of those shifts on office work flow/production.
    • Oversight of department budget.

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work performed by the incumbent; they do not purport to describe all functions.  Incumbent may be assigned other duties, and the essential functions may change from time to time as necessary. 

Education:

  • An earned Master’s degree in an area of study appropriate to the position, such as higher education administration, behavioral sciences, social science, mathematics, etc.
  • At least two years of direct work experience in a research or planning position at a post-secondary educational institution.

Knowledge/Skills/Abilities/ Competencies:

  • Experience working with large data sets and a working knowledge of SPSS statistical analysis software or equivalent technical capabilities.
  • Demonstrated ability to write research reports and make presentations appropriate for a senior management audience as well as other audiences across the institution.
  • Familiarity with Ellucian Colleague and front-end data query tools preferred.
  • Experience leading or providing significant support of higher education accreditation processes a plus.
  • Demonstrated ability to write formal research studies and make presentations appropriate for a senior management audience.
  • Detail-oriented with an unfailing commitment to accuracy.
  • Curiosity & the predisposition to generate follow-up questions based on initial question & preliminary data discovery.
  • Excellent analytical, organizational, critical thinking & quantitative skills.
  • Outstanding problem identification & problem solving skills.
  • Achieves results through partnership & collaboration in a team-work environment.
  • Self-motivated, resourceful individual who manages time well and follows through.
  • Ability to coordinate and manage multiple projects simultaneously and work effectively under tight deadlines.
  • Demonstrated ability to access and analyze data for effective decision-making.
  • Proficiency in using Microsoft Office suite.

ABOUT THE UNIVERSITY:
The University of the Arts—a leader in developing visual and performing artists and writers since 1876—is the only university in the United States that offers all the arts and only the arts, expanding lives by connecting the performing, visual and communication arts, in both the classroom and the community. UArts is made up of unconventional thinkers and doers from around the world who want to impact society in an era of unprecedented change. The University has developed an innovative, flexible approach to developing artists, designers and writers—a curriculum that champions both exploration and collaboration. Our nearly 1,900 students are enrolled in 26 undergraduate and 23 graduate programs on our campus in the heart of Philadelphia’s Avenue of the Arts.

TO APPLY: Interested qualified applicants should submit a letter of application/cover letter and a resume via email to jobs@uarts.eduPlease include salary expectations in your e-mail and ensure job title is in the Subject line.

In compliance with the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act, The University of the Arts publishes its Annual Safety Report at the following link for your reference: http://www.uarts.edu/about/campus-crime-fire-reports

THE UNIVERSITY OF THE ARTS IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER