Director of Institutional Effectiveness at Roberts Wesleyan University – Rochester, New York

JOB OBJECTIVE: The Director of Institutional Effectiveness serves a key role in supporting the mission of the university by 1) leading and coordinating institutional assessment efforts to ensure we are accomplishing our mission and intended outcomes, 2) reporting critical institutional data to external agencies to ensure regulatory compliance, and 3) conducting research and analyzing data to drive continuous improvement and data-informed decision-making. The Director of Institutional Effectiveness collaborates and works cooperatively with many offices and departments across the University to support the student experience, operational excellence, and overall institutional effectiveness.

JOB RESPONSIBILITIES:

ASSESSMENT - Lead and coordinate all assessment efforts to ensure that the institution is accomplishing its mission and intended outcomes.

• Serve as the primary assessment liaison to all academic and administrative units to ensure robust assessment processes are in place and executed on a timely basis.
• Learning Outcomes Assessment: Provide technical and administrative support to the departmental and institutional-level assessment process, including such things as conceptualizing assessment models, data analysis and the development of assessment instruments for academic departments.
• Administrative Assessment: Provide technical and administrative support to administrative units throughout the university, including such things as conceptualizing assessment models, data analysis and the development of assessment instruments for administrative units.
• Coordinate the annual assessment roll-up process.
• Ensure alignment of academic and administrative unit goals and intended outcomes with institutional goals and intended outcomes.
• Periodically assess all assessment processes to ensure effectiveness and efficiency.
• Drive the use of relevant assessment data to inform planning and decision-making.
• Align assessment practices with accreditation standards and expectations.
• Serve as the lead for Middle States assessment efforts and support specialized program accreditation and assessment efforts.
• Co-chair the Institutional Assessment Council with the CAO.

COMPLIANCE REPORTING - Report critical institutional data to external agencies to ensure regulatory compliance.

• Collect, maintain, and disseminate core institutional data for the purposes of meeting required data-reporting requirements of external agencies. Examples include IPEDS, MSCHE, Title IX, and Equity in Athletics Disclosure Act (EADA) reporting.

INSTITUTIONAL RESEARCH - Conduct research and analyze data to drive continuous improvement and data-informed decision-making.

• Coordinate institutional surveys, such as the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE), Student Satisfaction Inventory (SSI), the Adult Student Priorities Survey (ASPS), the Thriving Quotient Survey, the Higher Education Research Institute (HERI) Faculty Survey, the Staff Employee Satisfaction Survey, and the Campus Climate Survey.
• Respond to external surveys such as Peterson's Guide, US News and World Report Rankings, and America's Best Colleges Survey.
• Support Student Success by analyzing student retention data.
• Provide data to the Office of Advancement for grant development and reporting.
• Coordinate 360 evaluations for administrators and distribute results.
• Provide customized research support to academic and administrative units as requested.
• Drive the use of relevant research data to inform planning and decision-making.
• Actively seek new data sources and best practices that can improve institutional effectiveness.
• Coordinate with other data repositories (e.g., Registration and Finance) and systems (e.g., student information system and financial platform) and IT to develop a data warehousing strategy that maximizes access, coordination, and use of data to support decision-making.

OTHER

• Strategic Planning Support: Provide longitudinal data to help members of the college community review the past and chart the future of the institution. These data include a wide variety of internal measures as well as data reflecting trends in the external environment.
• Marketing Input: Identify and share research results that can inform institutional marketing and branding.

Qualifications:

• Education - Master’s degree in a relevant field required (e.g., social sciences, business, education, data analytics), Doctorate preferred
• Experience

Minimum of five years of experience in institutional research, assessment, or data analytics in a higher education context, experience as a faculty member preferred

1. Expertise in student learning outcomes assessment, coordination of program review in higher education, evaluating degree program effectiveness, developing guidance materials and training faculty, and preparing reports for university and accreditation bodies preferred
2. Experience working effectively and collaboratively in a university setting
3. Experience constructing and disseminating surveys and processing results

• Skills
  1. Strategic thinker who can develop, implement and coordinate assessment and research efforts to support the institutional mission
  2. Ability to analyze data to identify strategically important themes and communicate important implications to relevant constituents to support decision-making
  3. Collaborative leadership style with a strategic and creative approach to issues, exceptional problem-solving and decision-making abilities required
  4. Ability to manage multiple priorities; project management experience preferred
  5. Strong organizational, interpersonal, communication skills, and persuasion skills
  6. Proficiency in Google and Microsoft Office programs and statistical software; strong spreadsheet skills; ability to leverage Generative AI tools for data analysis
  7. Ability to work independently, with minimal supervision and direction
• Strong resonance with the mission and vision of Christian higher education