"Associate Director of Institutional Effectiveness & Research"

The Associate Director of Institutional Effectiveness leads key institutional efforts related to strategic planning, accreditation, assessment, data governance, and continuous improvement. This role is responsible for designing and executing strategies that advance data-informed decision-making and institutional accountability across all units of the university. Reporting to the Vice Provost, the Associate Director collaborates closely with senior leadership, academic and administrative units, and external stakeholders to ensure compliance with accreditation standards (e.g., Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges [SACSCOC], Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology [ABET]), federal and state reporting requirements, and performance measurement goals. The position supervises a small team and provides leadership in institutional research, assessment, and strategic analytics that support student success, institutional performance, and academic excellence.

Responsibilities:

Strategic Leadership & Institutional Effectiveness

• Lead the development, implementation, and monitoring of institutional effectiveness strategies aligned with the university’s mission, vision, and strategic priorities.
• Serve as the lead advisor to executive leadership on matters of institutional performance, planning, and accreditation.
• Design and implement frameworks for continuous improvement across academic and administrative units.
• Supervise IE staff and student analysts; provide leadership in capacity-building across units.

Assessment, Accreditation & Compliance Oversight

• Direct academic and administrative assessment processes; ensure effective use of assessment findings for planning and improvement.
• Serve as the university’s primary accreditation liaison for institutional and programmatic accrediting bodies (e.g., SACSCOC, ABET); manage timelines, reporting, and site visit logistics.
• Oversee compliance with federal and state reporting mandates and coordinate submission of reports to governing bodies.

Institutional Research & Data Analytics

• Oversee the collection, analysis, and dissemination of data to support planning, budgeting, accreditation, and accountability reporting.
• Develop and maintain dashboards, scorecards, and analytics tools that visualize institutional performance metrics and key performance indicators (KPIs).
• Ensure data integrity and alignment with data governance standards.

Program Evaluation & Continuous Improvement

• Guide departments in developing evidence-based improvement plans through rigorous evaluation of academic programs and support services.
• Promote best practices in learning outcomes assessment and educational effectiveness.
• Lead the integration of program review outcomes into budgeting and strategic planning processes.

Collaboration, Capacity Building & Training

• Partner with faculty, staff, and leadership to align assessment and data practices with institutional goals.
• Design and deliver training sessions and consultations on accreditation, assessment, institutional research, and data literacy.
• Facilitate institutional conversations about performance, planning, and student success grounded in evidence and analytics.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in higher education administration, educational research, statistics, public administration, or a related field.
• Minimum of three (3) years of experience in institutional effectiveness, assessment, accreditation, or institutional research in a higher education setting.
• Familiarity with accreditation processes and compliance reporting (e.g., SACSCOC, HLC, ABET).
• Familiarity with data analysis, statistical software (e.g., SPSS, SAS, R), and visualization tools (e.g., Tableau, Power BI).
• Strong project management and analytical skills.
• In lieu of a degree, any appropriate combination of relevant education, experience, and/or certifications may be considered.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Master’s degree in a relevant field.
• Experience supporting strategic planning and institutional performance measurement.
• Knowledge of best practices in learning assessment and pedagogy.
• Familiarity with federal and state higher education policies and reporting requirements.
• Experience working with cross-functional teams in a higher education environment.

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities (KSAs):

• Strong project management and analytical skills.
• Higher education accreditation standards, assessment practices, and institutional research methodologies.
• Federal and state higher education reporting requirements.
• Data governance and best practices in data management.
• Data analysis, interpretation, and visualization for institutional decision-making.
• Effective project management and the ability to manage multiple priorities.
• Strong written and verbal communication, particularly in report preparation and presentations.
• Work collaboratively with faculty, staff, and senior leadership.
• Translate complex data into actionable insights for institutional improvement.
• Lead initiatives that support institutional effectiveness and student success.