Executive Director for Institutional Research and Planning

SUMMARY

Southern University at Shreveport, Louisiana (SUSLA) is accepting applications for the Executive Director for Institutional Research and Planning SUSLA is a comprehensive community college serving Shreveport, Bossier City, and surrounding areas in Northwest Louisiana. It is one of five campuses constituting the Historically Black Southern University System. The University serves approximately 3,000 undergraduate students and offers 32 undergraduate degrees and certificate programs in a variety of fields including Allied Health, Nursing, Aerospace Technology, Business Studies, Behavioral Science/Education and Science & Technology.

Responsibilities

The Executive Director for Institutional Research and Planning is responsible for providing leadership for institutional research including the development, implementation and updating of the institutional research master plan. Plan, organize, design, coordinate, supervise and implement comprehensive institutional research and planning projects to provide information about SUSLA’s organizational functions, students and programs. Support and coordinate the development and maintenance of an institutional strategic planning process; plan, design and conduct research to meet compliance with state, federal, university and Southern University System requirements; ensure the accuracy of state and federal reports on student outcomes to facilitate continued and enhanced funding.

Reporting to the Office of the Chancellor, the Executive Director must be able to provide visionary and effective leadership with reliable, complete and understandable information to apprise decision-makers regarding future trends as well as the current performance of programs and services. The incumbent must work with individuals, groups and committees to create and implement efficient and effective strategies that support the mission of the university. The Executive Director supervises a team comprised of an Assistant Director for Strategic Planning, Evaluation, and Policy Development, a Director of Outcomes Assessment and Quality Management, a Data Analyst, and a Research Analyst.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Direct and supervise the activities and services of the Institutional Research and Planning department. Organize and prioritize the workflow, staff assignments, office budget management to attain department and divisional goals. will develop means to evaluate workflow, productivity, and communication efficacy and use those tools to regularly assess and improve team performance.
• Manage institutional research and assessment processes through data standards, validation, integration, protection and governance; direct and prioritize research requests.
• Design and oversee the infrastructure needed for accurate data collection and analysis to support high priority institutional projects and requests, external requests and to meet the regulatory, reporting, and public relations needs of the University.
• Elevate the use of information to enable data-informed decision-making across every level of the institution.
• Work collaboratively with faculty, staff and administrators to develop, maintain and support the research and planning needs that facilitate student access and success.
• Maintain a research oriented, web-based, data warehouse system containing multiple, customized views suitable for extracting information to respond to federal, state and local surveys / questionnaires and to comply with federal, state and local data collection / accountability requirements.
• Prepare and deliver written and oral presentations on the findings, results, implications and recommendations of research studies for student service programs, instructional programs, and policies, etc.
• Manages assigned financial resources in compliance with federal, state, and university policies and procedures.
• Maintains competency and professional currency through self-directed professional reading, developing professional contacts with colleagues, and attending other professional development activities.
• Serve as a member of ongoing and ad hoc leadership groups, taskforces, and other University committees.
• Enhances contributions of the Institutional Research and Planning team to support desired SUSLA outcomes by performing all other duties and responsibilities as assigned.
• Evening, weekend, and travel for work may be required

Minimum Qualifications:

• A master's degree or higher in data analysis, computer science, statistics, educational research or a related field.
• At least four years of significant and relevant experience in a higher education management role that includes experience in supervising employees, building teams, and planning and executing data collection, analysis, interpretation, and reporting.
• Demonstrated expertise in institutional research and reporting and in qualitative and quantitative research design and analysis.
• Experience with research software applications (e.g., SAS, SPSS, R) and integrated higher education management software.
• Proven ability to present detailed and complex data in different formats and/or to utilize media to present to different audiences.

Preferred Qualifications:

Experience working in the areas of community college accreditation, governance, curriculum, scheduling, staffing and budget procedures; experience working in or with community colleges. Experience with student information management systems (e.g., Banner).

COMPENSATION: Commensurate with experience

TYPE: Full-time

APPLICATION DEADLINE: Review of applications begins May 15, 2026 and continues until position is filled.

The application can be filled out online at the https://www.susla.edu/ApplicationforEmployment

Please attach cover letter, resume, transcript(s), and three references to application.