Data Analyst - Institutional Research and Analytics (IAR)

Western Governors University; Salt Lake City (UT); On-site; USD 75,000 - 113,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Retirement savings plan

Flexible paid time off

11 paid holidays

Parental leave

Job summary

Western Governors University in Salt Lake City, Utah is seeking a Data Analyst to transform data into actionable intelligence, supporting forecasting, KPI development, and decision-making across analytics, product, technology, and finance teams.

You will design dashboards in Tableau/Power BI, write advanced SQL, and collaborate with Data Engineering on ETL processes while delivering clear, data-driven recommendations to executives and stakeholders.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a related field.
• 3+ years in Data Analysis / BI / Data Science or related.
• Advanced SQL with joins, window functions, CTEs and performance tuning.
• Experience with Tableau or Power BI to create impactful dashboards.

Responsibilities

• Partner with stakeholders to translate analytics requirements into technical solutions.
• Extract, clean, transform, and analyze data from multiple sources to test hypotheses and uncover insights.
• Design, build, and maintain dashboards and reports in Tableau/Power BI.
• Collaborate with Data Engineering on ETL/ELT processes and data quality initiatives.
• Identify data issues and ensure data accuracy and reliability across assets.
• Communicate findings through data storytelling, presentations, and written deliverables for technical and non-technical audiences.
• Support forecasting, KPI development, and strategic initiatives through thoughtful analysis.

Skills

Analytical thinking

Advanced SQL

Data storytelling

Problem solving

Critical thinking

multitasking

Education

Bachelor's Degree in related discipline

Tools

Tableau

Power BI

SQL

Job description

If you’re passionate about building a better future for individuals, communities, and our country—and you’re committed to working hard to play your part in building that future—consider WGU as the next step in your career. Driven by a mission to expand access to higher education through online, competency-based degree programs, WGU is also committed to being a great place to work for a diverse workforce of student-focused professionals. The university has pioneered a new way to learn in the 21st century, one that has received praise from academic, industry, government, and media leaders. Whatever your role, working for WGU gives you a part to play in helping students graduate, creating a better tomorrow for themselves and their families. The salary range for this position takes into account the wide range of factors that are considered in making compensation decisions including but not limited to skill sets; experience and training; licensure and certifications; and other business and organizational needs. At WGU, it is not typical for an individual to be hired at or near the top of the range for their position, and compensation decisions are dependent on the facts and circumstances of each case. A reasonable estimate of the current range is: Grade: Professional 308 Pay Range: $75,200.00 - $112,700.00

Job Description

If you're energized by solving complex problems, uncovering insights in data, and helping leaders make better decisions, this role offers the opportunity to make a measurable impact. We are seeking a curious, driven Data Analyst who can transform data into actionable intelligence and help accelerate decision-making through analytics, forecasting, and compelling data storytelling.

Impact

As a Data Analyst on the Institutional Research & Analytics team, you will partner with stakeholders across analytics, product, technology, finance, and academic functions to deliver meaningful insights that inform strategy and improve outcomes. You'll leverage data to answer complex business questions, develop scalable reporting solutions, and help drive a culture of evidence-based decision making.

What You’ll Do

• Partner with stakeholders to understand business challenges, document analytics requirements, and translate user stories into technical solutions.
• Extract, clean, transform, and analyze data from multiple sources to evaluate hypotheses, identify trends, and generate actionable insights.
• Design, build, and maintain dashboards, reports, and visualizations using tools such as Tableau and Power BI.
• Collaborate with Data Engineering teams on ETL/ELT processes, data pipelines, and data quality initiatives.
• Identify, investigate, and resolve data issues while helping ensure the accuracy, consistency, and reliability of institutional data assets.
• Communicate findings through data storytelling, presentations, workshops, and written deliverables tailored to technical and non-technical audiences.
• Support forecasting, KPI development, and strategic initiatives through thoughtful analysis and recommendations.

What You’ll Bring

• Bachelor's Degree in a related discipline.
• 3 years of related experience in Data Analysis, Business Intelligence, Data Science, Statistics, Decision Intelligence, Research, Learning Science, or Behavioral/Cognitive Psychology.
• Advanced SQL proficiency, including experience with queries and subqueries, joins, aggregation, window functions, common table expressions (CTEs), views, data manipulation (INSERT, UPDATE, DELETE), and performance optimization.
• Experience using Tableau, Power BI, or similar business intelligence tools to develop impactful dashboards and visualizations.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and critical-thinking skills with the ability to synthesize complex information into clear recommendations.
• Knowledge of relational databases, data modeling concepts, and descriptive statistical methods.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities independently while demonstrating sound judgment, accountability, and a bias for action.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications, including advanced Excel capabilities.
• Bonus Points: Experience presenting analyses and recommendations to executive leaders.
• Project management experience, including exposure to Agile, Waterfall, SDLC, or related methodologies.
• Experience with forecasting, KPI development, data modeling, or supporting ETL processes.
• Background demonstrating exceptional academic achievement, professional growth, or a successful transition into analytics from another discipline.
• Experience in Lieu of Education Equivalent relevant experience performing the essential functions of this job may substitute for education degree requirements. Generally, equivalent relevant experience is defined as 1 year of experience for 1 year of education and is at the discretion of the hiring manager.

What to Expect

At WGU, our mission drives everything we do, including how we hire. Our interview experience is designed to give qualified candidates the opportunity to show their best work through meaningful conversations and collaboration. We thoughtfully review every application and invite forward the candidates whose experience and potential best align with the role and our mission. Introductory call, Hiring manager interview, Technical panel interview, Interview with Senior Director.

Work Location

This is a full-time, in-office position requiring five days per week in our Salt Lake City, Utah office, designed to foster the collaboration and connection that fuel our best work.

Visa Sponsorship

While we welcome applicants from all backgrounds, WGU is not able to provide visa sponsorship for this role.

Travel Requirement

This position requires occasional travel of up to 20%, including required attendance at designated company summits (typically one to two per year). Additional travel may include conferences, visits to company locations, and other business-related events as needed. Additional travel may be assigned as needed to support business requirements.

Position & Application Details

• Full-Time Regular Positions (classified as regular and working 40 standard weekly hours): This is a full-time, regular position (classified for 40 standard weekly hours) that is eligible for bonuses.
• Medical, dental, vision, telehealth and mental healthcare.
• Health savings account and flexible spending account.
• Basic and voluntary life insurance.
• Disability coverage.
• Accident, critical illness and hospital indemnity supplemental coverages.
• Legal and identity theft coverage.
• Retirement savings plan.
• Wellbeing program.
• Discounted WGU tuition.
• Flexible paid time off for rest and relaxation with no need for accrual.
• Flexible paid sick time with no need for accrual.
• 11 paid holidays.
• Other paid leaves, including up to 12 weeks of parental leave.

Accommodations: Applicants with disabilities who require assistance or accommodation during the application or interview process should contact our Talent Acquisition team at [e-mail].

Equal Employment Opportunity: All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to any protected characteristic as required by law.

In 1997, a coalition of 19 U.S. governors founded Western Governors University with a singular vision: to make higher education more accessible by offering full degree programs online. Starting small, we quickly expanded. Today, we’re one of the largest accredited online universities in the U.S.