Director, Institutional Research
California State University, Office of the Chancellor
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Benefits offered by this job
Job summary
The California State University, Office of the Chancellor, invites applications for Director, Institutional Research, to lead systemwide research, official reporting, and evaluation initiatives in support of CSU policy and planning.
Based at the Long Beach headquarters, the role guides data governance, IPEDS submissions, and strategic analytics, shaping accountability and resource decisions across the CSU system. Flex telecommuting is available two days per week.
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field or equivalent experience.
- Minimum of seven years of analytics experience including leadership of complex projects and/supervision.
- Experience leading institutional research, reporting, evaluation, analytics, or related teams and projects.
- Background in statistical analysis, program evaluation, research design, and/or measurement planning.
- Proficiency in SAS, SPSS, STATA, or R.
- Experience using Tableau, Power BI, or similar BI platforms.
- Ability to translate complex analyses for technical and non-technical audiences.
- Experience collaborating effectively with senior administrators and executives.
Responsibilities
- Produce analyses contextualizing academic, student success, equity, affordability, workforce, and enrollment outcomes for planning and leadership decisions.
- Oversee annual, term-based, and ad-hoc official reporting cycles for federal, state, and Chancellor’s Office purposes.
- Manage IPEDS surveys and related federal reporting, including edits and year-over-year changes.
- Maintain authoritative reporting definitions and cohort logic across contexts.
- Oversee data validation and reconciliation routines for Enrollment Reporting System.
- Lead or oversee evaluation designs for system initiatives and campus programs.
- Develop measurement plans for outcomes, cohorts, and reporting cadence.
- Synthesize research findings to inform accountability and strategic planning.
Skills
Education
Tools
Job description
Join our team at the California State University, Office of the Chancellor, and make a difference in providing access to higher education. We are currently seeking experienced candidates for the position of
The anticipated salary hiring range is up to
Join our team at the California State University, Office of the Chancellor, and make a difference in providing access to higher education. We are currently seeking experienced candidates for the position of Director, Institutional Research. The CSU Chancellor's Office, located on the waterfront adjacent to the Aquarium of the Pacific in downtown Long Beach, is the headquarters for the nation's largest and most diverse system of higher education. The CSU Chancellor's Office offers a premium benefit package that includes outstanding vacation, health, and dental plans; a fee waiver education program; membership in the California Public Employees Retirement System (PERS); and 15 paid holidays a year.
The anticipated salary hiring range is up to $162,792 per year, commensurate with qualifications and experience.
Flexibility to telecommute two days a week, with three days on-site at the main headquarters in Long Beach, California.
- Comprehensive Health, Dental, and Vision Benefits
- Generous vacation plan
- 15 paid holidays a year
- Tuition waiver education program (also applies to eligible family members)
- Membership in the California Public Employees Retirement System (PERS)
- More details here: Comprehensive Benefits Package
Administrator III
The California State University, Office of the Chancellor, is seeking a Director, Institutional Research to provide leadership for systemwide institutional research, official reporting, and research and evaluative inquiry that inform CSU policy, planning, accountability, and resource decisions. The Director serves as a subject matter expert on higher education reporting requirements, research methods, student success indicators, and institutional effectiveness, ensuring that data and analyses used for decision-making are accurate, timely, methodologically sound, and clearly interpreted. In partnership with IR&A leadership and staff, Chancellor’s Office and campus stakeholders, the Director advances research and reporting that support CSU’s strategic goals and ensures that internally- and externally- facing data products are accurate, relevant, and fit for use.
- Under the general direction of the Interim AVC for Institutional Research and Analyses, the Director, Institutional Research will perform duties as outlined below: Institutional Research, Reporting and Accountability
- Produce research and analyses that contextualize academic, student success, equity, affordability, workforce, and enrollment outcomes for planning, accountability, and leadership decision-making.
- Oversee annual, term-based, and ad-hoc official reporting cycles for federal, state, and Chancellor’s Office purposes.
- Manage preparation and submission of IPEDS surveys and related federal reporting, including edits, reconciliations, and documentation of assumption and year-over-year changes.
- Maintains authoritative reporting definitions and cohort logic across reporting contexts, partners with technical teams to certify and operationalize those definitions.
- Oversee data validation and reconciliation routines for Enrollment Reporting System, including completeness checks for required elements, reasonableness tests, and year-over-year anomaly review, for priority data domains.
- Evaluation and Measurement for Strategic Initiatives
- Lead or oversee evaluation designs for system initiatives and campus programs, including pre/post analyses, matched comparisons, and quasi-experimental approaches where feasible.
- Develop measurement plans that define outcomes, cohorts, comparison approaches, and reporting cadence for priority initiatives.
- Synthesize research findings to inform accountability, strategic planning, policy implementation, and institutional effectiveness.
- Oversee Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs), data-sharing agreements, and external research partnerships to ensure necessary appropriate use, privacy/security compliance, and alignment with CSU priorities; coordinate internal review, approvals, and fulfillment as needed.
- IR&A Leadership
- Collaborate with the Director of Strategic Analytics to ensure dashboards, KPIs, and analytic tools are aligned with official reporting definitions.
- Ensure required enrollment reporting elements are captured in the enrollment reporting system, maintained through change cycles, and validated prior to official reporting and KPI publication.
- Lead and supervise IR&A staff by setting priorities, assigning and monitoring projects, and ensuring high-quality deliverables aligned with CSU goals.
- Oversee the operations and performance of direct reports by setting expectations and providing coaching and professional development.
- Coordinate staff workloads and timelines to meet reporting deadlines.
- Support continuous improvement efforts for data systems, processes, and documentation.
- Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field (e.g., statistics, economics, data science, computer science, information systems, public policy, or related quantitative discipline) or equivalent combination of education and experience is required.
- Minimum of seven (7) years of progressively responsible experience in analytics, institutional research, or decision support, including leadership of complex projects and/or supervision.
- Experience leading institutional research, reporting, evaluation, analytics, or related teams and projects.
- Background in statistical analysis, program evaluation, research design, and/or measurement planning.
- Proficiency in one or more of the following statistical packages: SAS, SPSS, STATA, R.
- Experience using data reporting and visualization tools to support interpretation and communication of research findings using Tableau, Power BI, or similar BI platforms.
- Ability to translate complex analyses for technical and non-technical audiences.
- Ability to interpret reporting guidance and translate it into clear definitions and business rules.
- Experience working in a diverse professional environment and ability to communicate effectively professionally, both verbally and in writing. Experience in collaborating effectively and efficiently with senior level administrators and executives. Ability to maintain efficient working relationships.
- Intellectual agility and ability to function independently and make independent judgments with minimal supervision, be able to prioritize, recognize conflicts, and the ability to seek or recommend resolutions.
- Flexibility and the ability to pivot and navigate a complex and dynamic work environment with rapidly changing priorities. Ability to adapt to new information and make informed decisions when responding to evolving circumstances while maintaining a focus on goals and objectives.
- Advanced degree preferred.
- Professional experience working in higher education or large complex system.
Priority consideration will be given to candidates who apply by August 19, 2026. Applications will be accepted until the job posting is removed.
Consistent with California law and federal civil rights laws, the CSU provides equal opportunity in education and employment without unlawful discrimination or preferential treatment based on race, sex, color, ethnicity, or national origin. Reasonable accommodations will be provided for qualified applicants with disabilities who self-disclose by contacting the Senior Human Resources Manager at (562) 951-4070.
Please view the Notice of Non-Discrimination on the Basis of Gender or Sex and Contact Information for Title IX Coordinator at: https://www2.calstate.edu/titleix
This position requires new hire employment verification to be processed through the E-Verify program administered by the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (DHSUSCIS) in partnership with the Social Security Administration (SSA).
If hired, you will be required to furnish proof that you are legally authorized to work in the United States. The CSU Chancellor’s Office is not a sponsoring agency for staff and Management positions (i.e., H1-B VISAS).
Per the CSU COVID-19 Vaccination Policy , it is strongly recommended that all Chancellor’s Office employees who are accessing office and campus facilities follow COVID-19 vaccine recommendations adopted by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) applicable to their age, medical condition, and other relevant indications.
The person holding this position is considered a 'mandated reporter' under the California Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act and is required to comply with the requirements set forth in CSU Executive Order 1083 as a condition of employment.
The duties of this position will include participation in decisions that may have a material financial benefit to the incumbent. Therefore, the selected candidate will be required to file Conflict of Interest Form 700: Statement of Economic Interest when they first occupy the position, and on an annual basis, complete ethics training within 6 months of appointment, and attend this training every other year thereafter.
California State University, Office of the Chancellor, as part of the CSU system, is a State of California Employer. As such, the University requires all employees upon date of hire to reside in the State of California. As of January 1, 2022, the CSU Out-of-State Employment Policy prohibits the hiring of employees to perform CSU-related work outside the state of California.
The Chancellor's Office policy requires that the selected candidate successfully complete a full background check (including a criminal records check) prior to assuming this position.
Learn more about working at the California State University and the impact of our mission.
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