Institutional Research and Planning, Senior Specialist

Khalifa University Enterprise; Abu Dhabi; On-site; AED 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

Khalifa University Enterprise is seeking a Senior Specialist for Quality Assurance & Institutional Research and Planning to drive evidence-based decision-making. The role emphasizes data integrity, robust forecasting, and alignment with KPI targets across university programs.

The successful candidate will design research methodologies, collect and validate data, develop dashboards, and prepare actionable performance reports to support accreditation and rankings.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Statistics, Data Analytics, Quality Assurance or related field.
• Minimum 7 years of relevant experience.

Responsibilities

• Design and implement institutional research methodologies aligned with KPIs and strategic objectives.
• Collect, validate, and consolidate academic program and institutional performance data from multiple sources.
• Develop and maintain analytical models, dashboards, and scorecards to monitor institutional effectiveness and program performance.
• Conduct statistical and trend analyses to identify performance gaps, risks, and opportunities for improvement.
• Prepare quarterly and annual institutional performance reports with clear analysis and actionable recommendations.
• Lead enrollment forecasting and capacity modeling (e.g., student numbers, teaching load, classroom utilization).
• Drive automation of recurring reports and dashboards to improve efficiency and reduce manual errors.
• Provide data and analysis to support quality assurance activities, program reviews, and KPI monitoring.
• Support accreditation, regulatory, and ranking submissions with accurate and compliant institutional data.
• Ensure data integrity, traceability, and documentation of data definitions, sources, and transformation rules.
• Recommend and support enhancements to data systems, structures, and business intelligence tools.
• Present analytical findings to leadership and relevant committees, translating data into clear strategic insights.
• Engage with stakeholders and build data literacy by presenting findings, explaining KPIs, and training users on reports and dashboards.

Skills

Statistics

Data Analytics

Quality Assurance

Institutional Research

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Statistics / Data Analytics / QA

Job description

The Quality Assurance & Institutional Research and Planning - Senior Specialist is responsible for activities related to Institutional Research, Analytics, and Performance reporting that support evidence-based decision-making at ZMU, ensuring availability of accurate, traceable data and robust forecasts aligned with the University’s KPIs and strategic priorities.

• Design and implement institutional research methodologies aligned with ZMU KPIs and strategic objectives.
• Collect, validate, and consolidate academic program (AP) and institutional performance data from multiple sources.
• Develop and maintain analytical models, dashboards, and scorecards to monitor institutional effectiveness and program performance.
• Conduct statistical and trend analyses to identify performance gaps, risks, and opportunities for improvement.
• Prepare quarterly and annual institutional performance reports with clear analysis and actionable recommendations.
• Lead enrollment forecasting and capacity modeling (e.g., student numbers, teaching load, classroom utilization).
• Drive automation of recurring reports and dashboards to improve efficiency and reduce manual errors.
• Provide data and analysis to support quality assurance activities, program reviews, and KPI monitoring.
• Support accreditation, regulatory, and ranking submissions with accurate and compliant institutional data.
• Ensure data integrity, traceability, and documentation of data definitions, sources, and transformation rules.
• Recommend and support enhancements to data systems, structures, and business intelligence tools.
• Present analytical findings to leadership and relevant committees, translating data into clear strategic insights.
• Engage with stakeholders and build data literacy by presenting findings, explaining KPIs, and training users on reports and dashboards.
• Adhere to the University's information security and confidentiality policies and procedures, and report breaches or other security risks accordingly
• Coordinate with other departments to facilitate the accomplishment of tasks and responsibilities, as and when needed
• Demonstrate a strong commitment and practice to maintaining a safe and healthy work environment.
• Perform any other tasks assigned by the Line Manager.

Qualifications & Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree in Statistics, Data Analytics, Quality Assurance or related field.
• A minimum 7 years of relevant experience.