Data Analyst - Graduate School - UTK

Knoxville Technology Council; Knoxville (TN); On-site; USD 77,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

The University of Tennessee, Knoxville is seeking a Data Analyst to collect, analyze, and report graduate student and program data to support strategic planning and assessment. The role will provide data management, reporting, and visualization expertise to evaluate program outcomes and enrollment trends.

Collaborating with units across campus, the analyst will ensure data governance and FERPA compliance while developing executive-facing dashboards and insights for decision-makers within the

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Data Analytics, Statistics, Business Analytics, Higher Education Administration, Information Systems, or related discipline.
• Proficiency with data analysis (SQL, Python, R) and Power BI/Excel in Office365.
• Experience developing executive dashboards, reports, and presentations with focus on clarity and strategic utility.

Responsibilities

• Collect, analyze, and report graduate student and program data for strategic planning.
• Develop dashboards and reports to support enrollment, student success, and compliance.
• Collaborate with Institutional Research, Enrollment Management, IT, and other units.

Skills

SQL

Python

R

Power BI

Excel

Data visualization

Education

Bachelor’s Degree in Data Analytics or related discipline

Tools

Banner

Slate

Salesforce

Argos

Dash

Job description

Reporting to the Vice Provost and Dean of the Graduate School, this position is responsible for collecting, analyzing, and reporting graduate student and program data to support strategic planning, assessment, and decision-making within the Graduate School and across the university.

The Data Analyst will provide data management, reporting, and visualization expertise that enhances the Graduate School's ability to evaluate program outcomes, monitor student success, and meet compliance and reporting obligations. The position will collaborate closely with units across campus, including Institutional Research, Enrollment Management, Information Technology Services, and the Division of Student Success. This position must be willing to commit to UT's mission to expand educational access, increase graduate enrollment, and enhance student success using evidence-based, data-driven practices within the SEP2030 framework as well as the mission of graduate education.

The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, has shaped leaders, changemakers, and innovative thinkers since its founding in 1794. The university is home to more than 38,000 students and 10,000 statewide employees—the Volunteers—who uphold the university’s tradition of lighting the way for others through leadership and service.

UT Knoxville offers over 900 programs of study across 14 degree-granting colleges and schools. As Tennessee’s flagship land-grant university, its footprint spans the entire state. The university holds the highest Carnegie classification for research activity and has deep partnerships with industry leaders and the US Department of Energy’s largest multidisciplinary laboratory, Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

The Knoxville campus serves and recruits for UT Knoxville, including the Institute of Agriculture and the Space Institute, as well as the UT Institute of Public Service.

UT Knoxville considers its employees its number one asset. With values that focus on work-life balance, compensation, and innovation leadership, all Vols are supported to advance professionally. Employees have access to career development and coaching, continued education, and an extensive list of development and training possibilities. The Volunteer employee experience implements structures and practices to attract and retain top-tier talent, fostering a strong staff community and supporting a culture of involvement and engagement for everyone.

The university holds a strong commitment to its land-grant mission of learning and engagement, with a tradition of service and leadership that carries that Volunteer spirit throughout the state and around the world. It has been ranked nationally as “Best Employer for New Graduates,” “One of America’s Best Large Employers,” and “Best Workplace for Women,” and has been designated as “Best Place for Working Parents” by Forbes Magazine.

The Graduate School at the University of Tennessee Knoxville is looking to hire a Data Analyst who will be responsible for collecting, analyzing, and reporting graduate student and program data to support strategic planning, assessment, and decision-making within the Graduate School and across the university.

Required Qualifications

Education: Bachelor’s Degree in Data Analytics, Statistics, Business Analytics, Higher Education Administration, Information Systems, or related discipline

Experience

• Proficiency with Data analysis (e.g. SQL, Python, R) and data visualization, especially within the Microsoft Office365 enterprise environment (e.g. PowerBI, Excel).
• Demonstrated experience in developing executive-facing dashboards, reports, and presentations with a focus on clarity, usability, and strategic utility.
• High attention to detail and a firm commitment to data integrity and compliance with FERPA and institutional data governance.

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities

• Strong analytical, quantitative, and statistical skills, with the ability to translate complex data into actionable, easily interpreted insights for decision-makers.
• Excellent verbal and written communication abilities, including the capacity to convey technical data clearly to non-technical stakeholders.
• Advanced critical thinking, analytical, and quantitative reasoning skills.
• Ability to work both independently and collaboratively in a mission-driven academic environment.
• Strong organizational and time-management skills with the ability to balance multiple priorities
• High attention to detail and a firm commitment to data integrity and compliance with FERPA and institutional data governance.
• Ability to commit to mission of graduate education, UT’s mission to expand educational access, increase graduate enrollment, and enhance student success using evidence-based, data-driven practices within the current (SEP2030) and future frameworks.

Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis without need now or in the future for sponsorship for employment-based visa status.

Preferred Qualifications

Education: Master’s Degree in Data Analytics, Statistics, Business Analytics, Higher Education Administration, Information Systems, or related discipline.

Experience

• Experience working specifically with graduate education data and supporting recruitment, admissions, or student services in higher education environments.
• Experience using higher education enterprise data systems such as Banner, Slate, Salesforce, Argos, or comparable platforms.
• Experience in project management and process improvement related to data initiatives involving multiple stakeholders.
• Familiarity with graduate program performance metrics, retention indicators, and enrollment management strategies.

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities

• Working knowledge of institutional research methods, assessment practices, and external reporting protocols (THEC, IPEDS).
• Skills in data analysis programming languages such as Python or R.

Work Location

• Location: Knoxville, TN
• Onsite, Hybrid, or Remote – Onsite

Compensation And Benefits

• UT market range: 10
• Anticipated hiring range: $77 – 80K
• Find more information on the UT Market Range structure here
• Find more information on UT Benefits here

About The College/Department/Division

The Graduate School at the University of Tennessee Knoxville is a dynamic office that provides a wide range of services to students and academic units from recruitment to graduation. While prospective students are exploring graduate education, we are here to provide insight into the programs available and the process for applying. Once a student has decided to submit an application, we manage the admissions process in coordination with the academic units. During the time a student is enrolled at UTK, the Graduate School monitors student progress and provides support for student success. As students approach graduation, we evaluate records and verify the awarding of all degrees.

Graduate education is one of the components that makes UT a great university. The Graduate School is a full partner in supporting the university’s mission, vision, and the values embodied in the Volunteer Spirit.

Data Collection & Analytics

• Extract, integrate, and analyze data from multiple university systems to deliver accurate, timely information supporting the Strategic Enrollment Plan (SEP2030) -aligned graduate enrollment and student success initiatives.
• Identify, implement, and optimize automated data workflows to minimize manual efforts and guarantee consistent reporting and analytics across all supported units.
• Provide real-time analytics by accessing live data sources (Banner, Slate, Salesforce, Argos, Dash, or third-party vendors), enabling monitoring of enrollment trends, student progress, and student success.
• Conduct data-driven analyses and forecasting for strategic enrollment growth and achievement of graduate education goals under SEP 2030.
• Collaborate with Institutional Research, Enrollment Management, Digital Learning, IT, and other partners to ensure data quality, integrity, consistency, and adherence to all FERPA and university data governance regulations.
• Lead and support process improvements in data workflow through innovative analytics and increased automation.
• Prepare, submit, and maintain compliance and regulatory data reporting for institutional, state (THEC), and federal (IPEDS) requirements, ensuring fullest adherence to applicable guidelines.
• Remain current on best practices and emerging technologies in data analytics and higher education assessment, continuously advancing the Graduate School’s analytic capabilities.
• Leverage analytics to support graduate recruitment, admissions, enrollment, student services, mentoring and training, and post-doctoral affairs.

Data Management and Reporting

• Design, develop, and maintain dynamic dashboards, reports, and visualizations with Power BI and other tools to communicate key performance indicators such as first-time graduate enrollment, time to degree, retention rates, graduation rates, stop-out/drop-out metrics, and student milestones in usable, audience-specific formats.
• Develop customizable dashboards tailored to specific stakeholder needs (executives, faculty, staff), allowing for in-depth tracking and analysis of student success indicators and enrollment patterns at the university, college, department, and program levels.
• Seamlessly share dashboards and insights via the UT website and Microsoft enterprise environment to foster data-driven collaboration across the Graduate School, campus partners, and with campus leadership.
• Create actionable, user-friendly reports that empower executive decision-making for the Vice Provost and Dean of the Graduate School, Provost, campus partners, and provide documentation and training on data tools and reports.