Associate Vice President, Data & Intelligence

datadotorg; Washington (District of Columbia); On-site; USD 125,000 - 165,000; Full time

Job summary

American Association of Community Colleges seeks an AVP, Data & Intelligence to lead data strategy, research agenda, and sector intelligence. You will oversee data governance, privacy, and infrastructure while collaborating with member colleges, systems, and policymakers to advance data-driven policy and outcomes.

Ideal candidates have a strong technical foundation in research and data science, plus strategic communication skills to drive a national, member-serving agenda.

Qualifications

• 10–15+ years in higher education research and policy.
• Master’s degree or PhD in Education Research, Public Policy, Economics, Statistics, Data Science, Social Sciences, or closely related field.
• Strong communication and leadership in cross-functional teams.

Responsibilities

• Lead research agenda and data strategy for community college sector.
• Oversee data governance, privacy, and quality standards.
• Translate national data into member-ready intelligence for policymakers.
• Develop national intelligence through horizon scanning and scenario planning.
• Collaborate with colleges, policymakers, and internal teams.
• Disseminate insights via reports, dashboards, and briefs.

Skills

R

Python

SPSS/Stata

SQL

Research leadership

Communication

Equity focus

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Master’s degree or PhD in Education Research or related field

Tools

Tableau

Power BI

IPEDS/NCES data

SQL

Job description

In A Nutshell

Location

On Site Washington, DC, United States

Salary

$125,000 - $165,000 / year

Job Type

Full-time

Experience Level

Senior-level

Deadline to apply

October 9, 2026

The AVP, Data & Intelligence leverages the complex ecosystem of community college data to serve AACC’s members: both directly, through member services and products, and indirectly, by empowering AACC’s advocacy and policy work. To accomplish this mission, this role leads the association’s data strategy, research agenda, and sector intelligence work. The AVP ensures necessary data infrastructure, privacy practices, and cross-functional teams are in place. Strong candidates will have a solid technical foundation in research and data science as well as the strategic thinking and communication skills to execute an ambitious, member-serving agenda. Reporting to the SVP, Learning Ecosystems, Workforce Strategy & Intelligence, the AVP collaborates with member colleges, systems, policymakers, and internal teams to position AACC as a national leader in data-driven community college strategy and foresight.

Responsibilities

Research Leadership & Strategy

• Serve as AACC’s primary expert on community college data, research, and evidence-based practices affecting student success, workforce alignment, and institutional effectiveness.
• Manage an annual research agenda that reflects sector priorities (access, equity, funding, enrollment trends, workforce pathways, and policy priorities).
• Monitor and interpret national data sources (IPEDS, NCES, BLS, College Scorecard) and related policy developments; translate into member-ready intelligence.

Data Aggregation, Architecture, & Stewardship

• Lead design and execution of an integrated data aggregation concept (datasets from public sources, state/system offices, and voluntary member submissions) to create common metrics architecture.
• Establish data governance, privacy, and methodological standards; ensure data quality, provenance, and reproducibility.
• Oversee build and maintenance of required data infrastructure; manage scope, costs, and secure funding.

Disseminate Data Insights

• Identify trends, gaps, and opportunities for policy and program development.
• Publish research reports, briefs, data dashboards, and presentations that translate findings into accessible narratives for policymakers, practitioners, and the public.
• Support advocacy, grant initiatives, and strategic decisions with data analysis and forecasting

National Intelligence, Foresight, & Adaptive Governance Engine

• Lead development of a national intelligence/foresight engine: horizon scanning, scenario planning, and sector-wide performance dialogs to guide governance and policy.
• Lead the design and roll-out of an updated, community-college metrics architecture that combines institutional KPIs, leading indicators, and real-time metrics.
• Coordinate with cross-functional teams to ensure data-informed governance and timely, actionable insights.

Stakeholder Engagement & Thought Leadership

• Respond to data inquiries from member colleges, state systems, policymakers, media, and external partners.
• Represent the association’s data and research function in national forums, webinars, conferences, and advisory groups.
• Develop and disseminate thought leadership on data-informed policy, equity in outcomes, and workforce-relevant metrics; support grant proposals and evaluations.

Program Management, Grants, & Financial Stewardship

• Oversee or co-lead grant-funded data/research initiatives; manage budgets, vendor relationships, and subcontractors.
• Align research and data activities with the Compass priorities, ensuring measurable impact and sustainability.

Data Literacy, Capacity Building, & Member Support

• Produce tools, templates, and training to raise data literacy across member institutions; support IR offices and institutional researchers with standardized methods and dashboards.
• Facilitate data sharing and best practice exchanges while protecting privacy and enabling equitable use of data to improve student outcomes.

Compliance, Ethics, & Quality Assurance

• Ensure adherence to ethical standards, privacy practices, and rigorous methodological practices across all data and research activities.
• Ensure appropriate documentation, reproducibility, and quality assurance processes for all reports and dashboards.

Internal Communications & External Branding

• Clearly communicate research priorities, progress, and outcomes to member colleges, governance bodies, and external audiences.
• Highlight equity, access, and learner outcomes in all communications and policy discussions.

Skillset

Experience in higher education, particularly at community colleges, is strongly preferred and will be prioritized in the review process.

Education: Master’s degree or PhD in Education Research, Public Policy, Economics, Statistics, Data Science, Social Sciences, or a closely related field; a terminal degree is preferred for senior leadership.

Experience: 10–15+ years in higher education research, data analytics, and/or education policy with demonstrated ability to lead large-scale data projects and cross-functional initiatives; experience in community colleges or education associations is highly desirable.

Technical Skills: Proficiency with analytics tools (e.g., R, Python, SPSS/Stata, SQL) and data visualization platforms (Tableau, Power BI); familiarity with IPEDS/NCES data and other national datasets; experience with data governance.

Research & Analytical Rigor: Strong track record designing and executing independent research; ability to translate complex findings into clear, policy-relevant insights.

Communication: Excellent written and verbal communication; ability to tailor complex data for diverse audiences, including policymakers, practitioners, and the public. Highly effective public speaker and experienced convener.

Collaboration: Proven ability to work cross-functionally, influence without authority, and manage multiple priorities in a matrix organization.

Equity Focus: Demonstrated commitment to equity, inclusion, and equitable outcomes in data, research, and policy.

Other: Willingness to travel as needed to engage with member institutions and partners.

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