Director, Institutional Research & Strategy

Eastern University; Chesterbrook (PA); On-site; USD 110,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Eastern University seeks a Director of Institutional Research to provide strategic leadership for institutional research, reporting, and decision support across the university. The role partners with the VP for Strategy and Effectiveness and the Chief of Staff to ensure reliable evidence informs planning and improvement.

The Director leads a team, upholds reporting standards, and promotes responsible data use.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in higher education, social or behavioral sciences, statistics, data analytics, or related field with substantial preparation in research methods and quantitative analysis.
• At least five years of progressively responsible experience in institutional research or related higher education research, reporting, or decision support, including IPEDS or comparable mandated reporting.
• Ability to supervise staff, manage complex projects, and coordinate across academic and administrative areas.
• Expertise in applied research, quantitative and qualitative analysis, data quality, cohort construction, survey methods, and benchmarking; ability to translate findings into actionable information.
• Experience with Workday or comparable student information system, Qualtrics or comparable survey platform, and Tableau or Power BI.
• Proficiency in SQL, relational data concepts, and advanced spreadsheet tools; experience with R, Python, SPSS, SAS, or Stata.
• Knowledge of higher education data definitions, reporting requirements, and institutional research practices; able to protect confidential information and present findings impartially.
• Strong written, oral, visual, and interpersonal communication skills; ability to explain complex findings to varied audiences and provide effective consultation.
• Strong organizational and problem-solving skills; ability to prioritize, meet deadlines, and support the university’s mission.

Responsibilities

• Lead institutional research and team management within the Office of Strategy and Effectiveness; supervise IR staff and manage budgets and resources.
• Direct accurate and timely reporting to federal/state agencies, accreditors, and other recipients; coordinate data validation and submissions.
• Oversee reporting calendars, data definitions, review procedures, and submission records, including IPEDS and institutional data.
• Design and conduct research on enrollment, student outcomes, and program performance using appropriate methods; provide concise reports and visualizations for stakeholders.
• Promote data governance, data literacy, and responsible data access across university offices; evaluate new analytical tools and methods.
• Coordinate survey operations and dissemination; provide consultation and training on sound survey practice.
• Provide validated datasets and methodological support for accreditation, program reviews, and strategic planning.

Skills

Leadership

Communication

Project management

Data analysis

Attention to detail

Education

Master's degree in higher education or related field

Tools

Tableau

Power BI

SQL

Python

R

Workday

Qualtrics

Job description

Eastern University seeks a Director of Institutional Research to provide strategic leadership for institutional research, reporting, and decision support across the university. The role partners with the VP for Strategy and Effectiveness and the Chief of Staff to ensure reliable evidence informs planning and improvement.

The Director leads a team, upholds reporting standards, and promotes responsible data use.