Position Purpose:
The Institutional Research Analyst will support Institutional
Effectiveness and Decision Support’s core purpose by providing data
support and analytical functions for university-wide accreditation,
compliance, reporting, planning, and decision-making. The analyst
performs advanced quantitative analyses, develops and automates
repeatable reporting processes, contributes to data warehouse and
analytics solutions, and translates complex findings into clear,
actionable insights for university leaders and campus
partners.
Core Competencies:
- Represents Aurora University in the most positive manner with
prospective, former and current students, clients, suppliers and
the community we serve. Interacts effectively with a diverse group
of faculty, staff, students and other customers of our service,
learns and uses operating practices of the department and Aurora
University.
Upholds the Mission Statement: Aurora University is an
inclusive community dedicated to the transformative power of
learning. As a teaching-centered institution, we encourage
undergraduate and graduate students to discover what it takes to
build meaningful and examined lives. Our singular goal is to
empower our students to achieve lasting personal and professional
success.
Handles all information with tact and discretion and recognizes
the confidential nature of university business.
Supports learning through performance of essential job
functions and performing other duties and functions as necessary or
as assigned, including voluntary participation in university
committees, activities and events.
Essential Job Functions:
- Collect, validate, maintain, analyze, and report institutional
data from enterprise systems and external sources to support
university-wide planning, decision-making, assessment, and
accountability.
- Lead or independently complete complex recurring and ad hoc
analyses related to enrollment, retention, persistence, completion,
student outcomes, academic programs, and other institutional
priorities; interpret results and communicate actionable findings
to varied audiences.
- Coordinate and prepare assigned federal, state, accreditation,
association, and other external reports, including IPEDS, the
Common Data Set, NCAA reporting, and related compliance
submissions; maintain a calendar of requirements, definitions,
documentation, and changes.
- Monitor changes to reporting requirements and data definitions,
assess institutional impact, and partner with the Senior Director
and relevant stakeholders to implement timely updates.
- Develop, document, test, and improve reproducible data
processes, queries, data models, dashboards, and reports using SQL,
visualization tools, and other analytics technologies.
- Assist in developing, updating, and automating data warehouse
solutions and reporting workflows, including source-to-target
logic, business rules, validation procedures, and scheduled
outputs.
- Perform advanced data quality assurance by reconciling sources,
investigating anomalies, validating calculations, documenting
findings, and coordinating issue resolution with data owners and
technical partners.
- Translate complex data into accessible reports, visualizations,
executive summaries, and presentations that clearly communicate
trends, implications, limitations, and recommended next steps.
- Consult with university offices to clarify analytical
questions, define measures, select appropriate methods, and ensure
that results are interpreted and used responsibly.
- Contribute to institutional research studies, survey analyses,
accreditation evidence, program review, strategic planning, key
performance indicators, and evaluation of institutional
initiatives.
- Maintain clear technical and procedural documentation,
including data definitions, query logic, report specifications,
quality-control steps, and version history.
- Support campus data literacy and responsible data use by
providing guidance, documentation, and training to colleagues and
report users.
- Apply FERPA, human-subjects research requirements, data
governance standards, and university privacy and security practices
in all work.
- Provide analytical guidance and peer review for less complex
reporting or analysis work and contribute to a collaborative,
cross-functional team environment.
Essential Job Requirements:
Education:
- Bachelor’s degree in research, social science, educational
research, mathematics, information systems, or another field with a
strong quantitative or research-methods emphasis required. Master’s
degree in a related field preferred.
Experience and Skills:
- At least three years of progressively responsible experience in
institutional research, higher education analytics, business
intelligence, data analysis, or a closely related field
required.
Skills:
- Advanced ability to query, combine, validate, analyze, and
interpret complex data using SQL and one or more analytical tools
or languages such as R, Python, SAS, or SPSS.
- Demonstrated experience developing clear reports, dashboards,
or data visualizations using tools such as Power BI, Tableau, or
comparable platforms.
- Strong knowledge of quantitative research methods, descriptive
and inferential statistics, data-quality practices, and responsible
interpretation of results.
- Ability to understand relational data structures, translate
business questions into analytical specifications, and document
data definitions and transformation logic.
- Ability to manage recurring compliance work and multiple
analytical projects with accuracy, sound judgment, and attention to
deadlines.
- Excellent written, verbal, and visual communication skills,
including the ability to explain technical findings to nontechnical
audiences.
- Strong consultation, collaboration, organization, and
documentation skills.
- Advanced proficiency with Microsoft Excel and working
proficiency with Word and PowerPoint.
- Ability to work independently, identify risks or
inconsistencies, recommend solutions, and appropriately escalate
issues.
