Director of Data Services

Director of Data Services

Job ID: 295868
Location: Georgia College & State Univ
Full/Part Time: Full Time
Regular/Temporary: Regular

About Us

Georgia College & State University (GCSU) is the state's designated public liberal arts university, where students learn the essential skills to compete in a fast-paced and technology-driven global society. The university prepares students for successful careers, leadership in communities, problem solving and life-long learning through personalized attention in a residential setting with opportunities for a variety of transformational experiences through its award-winning, high-impact practices. One of only three selective universities within the University System of Georgia and a top 10 ranked public university in the Southeast, GCSU offers undergraduate degrees in more than 40 majors, more than 30 graduate programs, doctorates in education and nursing, professional certificates, and continuing education programs.

As a member of the prestigious Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges (COPLAC), GCSU is committed to fostering a liberal arts environment that values academic preeminence, interdisciplinary inquiry and an inclusive learning community. GCSU enjoys a strong reputation for academic excellence and nationally ranked programs according to US News & World Report, The Princeton Review and Colleges of Distinction - among other ranking sources.

Georgia College & State University takes great pride in combining the educational experience of a private liberal arts college with the affordability of a public university. Faculty and staff are dedicated to student engagement and experiential learning through high-impact practices such as internships, service- and community-based learning, leadership development, study abroad opportunities, mentored undergraduate research and a capstone project that fosters intellectual curiosity, reasoned inquiry and critical thinking.

The university's beautiful and historic campus is located downtown in Milledgeville, Georgia, a charming college town of approximately 19,000 residents in Central Georgia, and only 90 miles southeast of Atlanta. Milledgeville is also the home of noted American author and alumna, Flannery O'Connor, '45, and the college community enjoys many exciting literary arts programs at O'Connor's former home, Andalusia, a National Historic Landmark owned by the university. Milledgeville is located on the banks of beautiful Lake Sinclair and Lake Oconee, allowing faculty, staff and students to take full advantage of the environmental and recreational benefits of being part of a lake community. For cultural, educational and leisure opportunities beyond Milledgeville - Macon and Atlanta are located within easy driving distances.

Georgia College & State University is dedicated to protecting academic freedom in addition to supporting freedom of expression as outlined in the University System of Georgia's Freedom of Expression and Academic Freedom policy and its Ethics Code of Conduct. For more information, visit us online at gcsu.edu.

Job Summary

The Director of Data Services reports to the Chief Information Officer (CIO) and provides leadership in governing university data and information assets to ensure the availability of data for decision-making that supports the mission, goals, and strategic priorities of Georgia College & State University (GCSU). In partnership with Institutional Research, data custodians, and other units across campus, this position supports data integrity and security efforts which facilitate operational efficiencies, improve decision-making, and enhance reporting. Working with senior university officials, the Director of Data Services promotes the value of data as a shared institutional asset, advocates for the appropriate investment of resources, and directs processes that improve the quality, integrity, and availability of data.

Responsibilities

Support Data-Driven Decision Making - 25%
- Work with Institutional Research to determine and support a standard set of data access and reporting tools.
- Coordinate regular data quality checks and process audits to ensure compliance and ongoing suitability of operating processes and controls.
- As needed, help fulfill requests for dashboards, reports, analytical tools, and forecasting models.
- Champion the integration of data sources and develop increased access to data to advance the mission of the University.
- Work with Institutional Research to guide implementation of an institutional strategic plan for data collection, use and access.
- Champion digital transformation initiatives to achieve workflow efficiencies, improve data quality and enhance client experience.
- Facilitate data analysis as a strategic partner for leadership.

Project Management - 25%
- Serve as institutional project manager for large-scale efforts such as Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) implementations and the retooling of core operational processes.
- Provide high-level project and portfolio management support for Information Technology initiatives.

Institute and Manage Data Integrity and Quality Assurance Mechanisms - 20%
- Enforce existing policies and, when needed, establish new policies to align the institution with applicable regulations and reporting requirements.
- Partner with GCSU's Information Security officers to establish mechanisms ensuring data privacy and security.
- Establish processes to ensure institutional data are accurate, consistent, accessible and available in a timely manner.

Coordinate GCSU Data Governance Structures and Activities - 10%
- Establish guiding principles for institutional data governance.
- Define the qualifications, responsibilities and obligations of the various data governance roles.
- Develop operating standards and structured protocols for the collection, validation, protection, storage, use and dissemination of institutional data.

Establish Training and Professional Development Programs - 5%
- Educate the campus community on privacy, security, and the ethical use of data.
- Coordinate training for users of data management, access, and reporting tools.

Other Duties as Assigned - 5%

In Collaboration with Institutional Research, Curate the Institution's Data Dict - 10%
- Formalize and publish definitions of key terms, metrics, and key performance indicators (KPIs).
- Develop clear, non-technical definitions for all stored data elements, including sample queries and examples of appropriate use.
- Facilitate creation and maintenance of data standards, including data definitions, dictionaries and classification procedures for enterprise information systems.
- Ensure documentation of functional data quality and integrity requirements, making these available to appropriate end users.

Required Qualifications

Educational Requirements
Bachelor's degree in data science, information systems, statistics, computer science, business analytics, business administration, higher education administration, or a related field; OR 5-10 years of progressive experience in data management, analytics, institutional research, or information governance.

Preferred Qualifications

Additional Preferred Qualifications
- Relevant credentials such as Certified Data Management Professional (CDMP), CIPP, CIPM, CISM, PMP, or equivalent governance/security/project management certifications.
- Higher education domain knowledge

Preferred Educational Qualifications
Master's degree or higher in data science, information systems, statistics, computer science, business analytics, business administration, higher education administration, or a related field.

Preferred Experience
- Experience promoting data-driven decision-making in research, teaching, outreach and operational contexts.
- Experience with advanced analytics techniques such as predictive modelling and data mining.
- Experience with artificial intelligence and machine learning applications in data analytics.
- Proven leadership in large-scale projects such as ERP implementations and data governance portfolios, with strong milestone and risk management skills.

Proposed Salary

This position is a pay grade 11. The available salary range is $68,519.00 to $90,000.00. Starting salary within this range is based on relevant years of experience.

For more information about GCSU compensation practices, click here: https://www.gcsu.edu/humanresources/pay-grade-structure.

Required Documents to Attach

• Cover Letter
• Resume / CV

Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities

ABILITIES
- Familiarity with reporting and analytics methods such as KPI design, dashboarding best practices and statistical or forecasting concepts supporting institutional planning.
- Familiarity with data quality practices such as profiling, validation rules, reconciliation processes and use of metrics for accuracy, timeliness, and consistency.
- Hands-on technical experience with Power BI, Tableau, modern cloud data platforms (e.g., Snowflake, BigQuery, Azure Synapse), or enterprise ETL tools.
- Demonstrated ethical standards, professionalism and service-oriented interpersonal skills.
- Strong problem-solving and customer service skills.
- Strong judgment in prioritizing work, balancing stakeholder interests and adapting to shifting demands.

KNOWLEDGE
- Understanding of data governance and stewardship models, including metadata management, master data management, data lineage and stewardship roles.
- Familiarity with data warehousing concepts, data lakes, ETL/ELT patterns, data catalogs and integration of disparate source systems.
- Knowledge of legal and privacy frameworks relevant to student and employee data, including FERPA, HIPAA and applicable state and federal regulations.
- Understanding of role-based access controls and data classification models.

SKILLS
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to translate technical concepts for all audiences.
- Ability to guide evaluation and selection of BI platforms, integration tools, cloud platforms and analytics toolchains.
- Ability to build consensus, secure executive sponsorship and translate technical concepts into actionable institutional priorities.
- Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships, particularly with partners in Information Security and Institutional Research.
- Capacity to lead through organizational change, shifting priorities and evolving regulatory requirements with resilience and agility.
- Advocacy for data as a shared institutional asset and for embedding evidence-based decision-making across units.
- Skill in implementing durable quality controls to ensure accurate, consistent and timely enterprise data.
- Proficiency in operationalizing secure, role-based data access while enabling analytical needs for academic and administrative stakeholders.
- Ability to produce concise dashboards, narratives, and recommendations that influence policy and operational decisions.

Other Information
This is not a supervisory position.
This position does not have any financial responsibilities.
This position will not be required to drive.
This role is considered a position of trust.
This position does not require a purchasing card (P-Card).
This position will not travel
This position does not require security clearance.

Background Check

• Criminal Background Check
• Education Verification