Data Analyst (Partial remote option)

University of Wisconsin-Madison; Wisconsin; Remote; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

The University of Wisconsin–Madison School of Education seeks a Data Analyst to support strategic planning and decision-making across the School by analyzing academic, budget and finance, HR, research, and student data. The role develops and maintains reports, dashboards, and analytical tools for leadership, departments, and units.

Applicants should be detail-oriented, analytical, and capable of collaborating with multiple stakeholders.

Qualifications

• One year of professional experience analyzing large datasets to answer organizational, operational, policy, or research questions and produce reports and analyses.
• Proficiency querying relational databases using SQL or similar database programming languages.
• Experience working with large datasets from operational data systems.
• Experience assessing data quality, validating analytical results, and identifying and investigating discrepancies across data sources and reporting systems.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple projects, priorities, and responsibilities while maintaining a high level of accuracy and attention to detail.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office, particularly Excel (including data analysis tools such as Pivot Tables and Power Query) and PowerPoint.

Responsibilities

• Develop, maintain, and enhance dashboards and reports that support School leadership, academic departments, and administrative units’ decision-making.
• Analyze trends and patterns across academic, student, research, financial, and other operational data.
• Support reporting and analysis related to enrollment, retention, scholarships, post-graduation outcomes, course access, graduate education, research activity, and departmental and budget metrics.
• Prepare analysis and reporting for program review, accreditation, rankings submissions, and strategic planning initiatives.

Skills

SQL querying

Data analysis

Stakeholder communication

Project management

Excel data analysis tools

PowerPoint

Tools

Tableau

Power BI

Qlik

R

Python

SAS

Stata

SPSS

GitLab

Job description

Reporting to the Director of the Office of Data and Analytics (ODA), the Data Analyst supports strategic planning and decision-making across the School through analysis of academic, budget and finance, human resources, research, and student data. Using institutional data and information from a variety of campus sources, the analyst develops and maintains reports, dashboards, and analytical tools that provide actionable insights for School leadership, academic departments, and administrative units. This role is ideal for a detail-oriented and analytical professional who is a critical thinker, self-starter, and collaborative partner with a passion for using data to support informed decision-making and continuous improvement.

Examples of areas of responsibility include:

• Develop, maintain, and enhance dashboards and reports that support School of Education leadership, academic departments, and administrative units’ decision-making.
• Analyze trends and patterns across academic, student, research, financial, and other operational data.
• Support reporting and analysis related to enrollment, retention, scholarships, post-graduation outcomes, course access, graduate education, research activity, and departmental and budget metrics.
• Prepare analysis and reporting for program review, accreditation, rankings submissions, and strategic planning initiatives.

Key Job Responsibilities:

• Tracks sources of information relevant to policy development affecting the higher education sector
• Works with business intelligence/analyst function in computing services to develop data visualization and business intelligence capability
• Designs and develops policy analyses and briefing papers for unit leadership
• Provides project support for, and further enhancement of, unit initiatives
• Reviews, monitors, and evaluates policies and data analyses to present as evidence-based support for unit bids, applications, and decision‑making
• Assists in establishing guidelines and procedures to ensure adequacy, quality, and reliability of information sources

Job Qualifications

Required Qualifications:

• One year of professional experience analyzing large datasets to answer organizational, operational, policy, or research questions and produce reports and analyses.
• Proficiency querying relational databases using SQL or similar database programming languages.
• Experience working with large datasets from operational data systems.
• Experience assessing data quality, validating analytical results, and identifying and investigating discrepancies across data sources and reporting systems.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple projects, priorities, and responsibilities while maintaining a high level of accuracy and attention to detail.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office, particularly Excel (including data analysis tools such as Pivot Tables and Power Query) and PowerPoint.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience using data and analytical methods to evaluate policy or program outcomes and inform policy development and program evaluation.
• One year of experience working in higher education administration.
• One year of experience applying statistical analysis methods and/or developing reproducible data analyses using statistical software such as R, Python, SAS, Stata, or SPSS.
• Experience developing end‑user focused dashboards, reports, and data visualizations using Tableau, Power BI, or Qlik or similar business intelligence tools.
• Experience with high‑stakes reporting and responding to compliance and regulatory requirements.
• Experience working with stakeholders to define analytical questions, clarify requirements, and translate business needs into data analyses.
• Demonstrated ability to communicate complex analytical results to technical and non‑technical audiences through written reports, presentations, and data visualizations.
• Experience developing and maintaining analytical and technical documentation, including the use of version‑control tools such as GitLab.
• Interest in exploring the appropriate use of artificial intelligence (AI) tools to improve efficiency in workflows.
• Demonstrated ability to develop and sustain productive working relationships.
• Demonstrated ability to learn new software, analytical methods, and skills.

Institution Description

The University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Education is one of the nation's leading schools of education, recognized for excellence across the arts, education, and health. Guided by the Wisconsin Idea, the School advances teaching, research, and public service through 10 academic departments and a broad network of research, outreach, and administrative units that support students, faculty, staff, and communities across Wisconsin and beyond.

Employees in this position can expect to receive benefits such as:

• Generous vacation, holidays, and paid time off
• Competitive insurance and savings accounts

Institution: University of Wisconsin-Madison

Reports To: Director of Data Strategy and Analytics, School of Education

Staff # Reporting to Position: 0

Reports In Office: Office of Data and Analytics, School of Education

Search for openings in IR, effectiveness, assessment, planning, and related fields at higher education institutions in the U.S. and abroad.