What are the responsibilities and job description for the Director of Institutional Research position at Thomas More University?
Basic Purpose
The Director of Institutional Research provides strategic leadership for the University’s data, analytics, and reporting functions. The role oversees the collection, analysis, interpretation, and dissemination of institutional data to support planning, accreditation, external reporting, assessment, strategic initiatives, and evidence-informed decision-making.
The Director serves as the University’s chief data steward and a key advisor to the senior leadership team. The Director reports to the Vice President for Strategy and Impact and Chief of Staff
Core Values and Competencies
- Excellent communication skills, with the ability to translate complex data into clear, actionable insights
- Strategic thinking and systems‑level perspective
- High attention to detail and data accuracy
- Collaborative leadership and relationship‑building
- Attitude of service and passion for process improvements
- Strong analytical and project management skills
- Ethical judgement and commitment to data privacy
Principal Activities
- Data Leadership and Management
- Lead the development and execution of an institutional research agenda aligned with university priorities
- Advise executive leadership on trends, risks, and opportunities revealed through data
- Champion a culture of data literacy, transparency, and continuous improvement across campus
- Oversee the integrity, security, and quality of institutional data
- Partner with administrative and academic departments to ensure consistent data practices
- Collaborate with IT to develop and maintain data governance policies, definitions, and standards
- Collaborate with IT Services to acquire, train, and expand the use of analytic tools to make information and analysis more readily available to the university community
- Reporting and Compliance
- Direct preparation and timely submission of all mandatory federal, state, and accreditation reports (e.g., IPEDS, KPEDS, and SACSCOC)
- Maintain internal dashboards and reporting tools for campus stakeholders
- Operate a variety of software packages used for data management, statistical analysis, and visual display of data; learn and apply emerging technologies as necessary
- Research, Analytics, and Decision Support
- Conduct analyses to support enrollment, retention, student success, and other strategies
- Provide actionable insights to academic departments, administrative units, and governance committees
- Lead survey research efforts, including design, administration, and analysis
- Assessment and Accreditation Support
- Partner with academic and administrative departments on program review, departmental assessments, learning outcomes assessment, and accreditation self‑studies
- Provide data, analysis, and consultation to support continuous improvement processes
- Team Leadership and Collaboration
- Manage institutional research budget
- Supervise and mentor institutional work-study students and interns to foster their growth
- Build strong relationships across campus to understand data needs and deliver solutions
- Represent the university in state, regional, and national IR networks
- Chair and serve on committees as requested
Preferred Qualifications
- Graduate degree in relevant field, such as statistical analysis, research methodology, social sciences or related field, or any combination of education, training and experience that provides the required knowledge, skills and abilities of the position
- Experience in assessment, program evaluation, quantitative or qualitative research methods, research design, or statistical analysis, preferably in a higher education setting
Physical Job Requirements