Director of Institutional Effectiveness

Cornell College; Mount Vernon (IA); Hybrid; USD 78,000 - 85,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Tuition remission for employees & deps

Life insurance

Disability insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

Retirement plan

Job summary

Cornell College invites applications for a full-time Director of Institutional Effectiveness. The Director provides leadership and oversight of institutional effectiveness, including assessment, research, accreditation, and external reporting.

The role manages staff, budget, and serves as liaison with the Higher Learning Commission. The position requires a Master’s in a relevant field and 3–5 years of experience in assessment and accreditation, with strong data and reporting skills.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in higher education, institutional research, measurement and statistics, or related field required.
• 3–5 years experience with student learning outcomes assessment, institutional research, and accreditation required; higher education preferred.
• Equivalent combination of education and experience may be considered.

Responsibilities

• Provide leadership in institutional effectiveness, including assessment, research, and planning.
• Oversee assurance reporting, quality improvement projects, federal compliance, and accreditation reporting (HLC).
• Oversee reporting for accreditation of professional programs (e.g., ABET, Iowa Board of Education).
• Lead assessment of student learning outcomes and program evaluation; guide committees and workshops.
• Oversee data collection, analysis, and reporting on student success and retention.

Skills

Assessment & program evaluation

Research methodologies

Project management

Communication

Data analysis

Confidentiality & ethics

Collaboration

Education

Master’s degree in higher education / institutional research

Tools

Excel

Access

SPSS

Minitab

Watermark

Desktop publishing

Website maintenance

Job description

Cornell College invites applications for a full-time Director of Institutional Effectiveness. The Director provides leadership and oversight of the design, development, coordination, implementation, and evaluation of institutional effectiveness, including responsibility for institutional assessment, research, accreditation, and external reporting. Manages the Office of Institutional Effectiveness's functions, staff, and budget. The Director coordinates and assists with campus-wide efforts to collect, analyze, interpret, and disseminate institutional data for curricular enhancement, strategic planning and decision-making, policy development, institutional improvement, and external reporting. The Director serves as the college's liaison with the Higher Learning Commission.

Duties & Responsibilities

• Provide leadership in institutional effectiveness, including assessment, research, and planning. In consultation with campus leadership, support strategic planning and institutional improvement.
• Oversee the College’s assurance reporting, quality improvement projects, federal compliance, and other reporting required for accreditation by the Higher Learning Commission; responsible for submissions to HLC.
• Responsible for submitting or supporting reporting required for accreditation of professional programs (e.g., ABET, Iowa Board of Education, and United Methodist Church).
• Provide leadership in the assessment of student learning outcomes and program evaluation. Oversee the College’s assessment cycle and planning processes. Guide relevant committees or task forces charged with supporting assessment. Work with faculty, academic departments and administrative offices to measure student outcomes and/or evaluate program effectiveness. Provide educational workshops on assessment for the campus community as needed.
• Oversee collection, analysis, and reporting of data on student success. Work closely with relevant personnel and committees to address issues of student retention and success.
• Support the development and implementation of institutional strategic plans.
• Oversee the College’s external reporting responsibilities. Work with relevant departments to provide accurate data in a timely fashion to reporting agencies and organizations (e.g., IPEDS, Common Data Set, NCAA).
• Oversee production of the College’s annual fact book, designed to highlight trend and comparative performance analyses.
• Oversee design and administration of internal and external campus survey instruments; analyze and disseminate data in collaboration with relevant offices (e.g., Student Life, HR).
• Analyze and interpret data for informed decision-making; prepare reports for leadership to facilitate strategic decisions.
• Serve as a member of relevant committees charged with assessment and accreditation responsibilities.
• Prepare and manage the budget for the Office of Institutional Effectiveness.
• Supervise professional and student staff in the Office of Institutional Research and Assessment.
• Work with the Registrar, IT Director, and others across campus to improve access to college data through the ERP/SIS.
• Ensure that all activities are conducted within the established guidelines of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).
• Other duties as assigned.

About Cornell College

Cornell College is a selective liberal arts college distinguished by our Ingenuity curriculum that builds on the strengths of our One Course At A Time schedule. This combination encourages the qualities of being thoughtful, original, and inventive, using the strengths of a liberal arts education to apply ideas to solve problems and meet challenges through hands‑on experience in learning. Academic immersion, Division III NCAA athletic teams, and unparalleled flexibility attract an ambitious student body from across the U.S. and worldwide. We are located in Mount Vernon, Iowa, an urban fringe community located in the heart of the ICR Iowa region.

Qualifications And Education Requirements

Master’s degree in higher education, institutional research, measurement and statistics, or related field required. 3-5 years experience with student learning outcomes assessment, institutional research, and accreditation required, preferably in a higher education setting. An equivalent combination of education and experience may be considered in lieu of required qualifications.

Preferred Skills

• Expertise in college student learning assessment and program evaluation.
• Knowledge of research methodologies and assessment practices, with ability to apply these skills to research projects in a higher education environment.
• Excellent project management, organizational, oral communication, written communication, and presentation skills, with attention to details and deadlines.
• Ability to work collaboratively with diverse internal and external constituencies.
• Software and computer skills, including word processing, administrative database software, database / spreadsheet software (Excel and Access), statistical analysis packages (SPSS, Mini-Tab), assessment management software (Watermark), desktop publishing, and website maintenance.
• Ability to analyze and interpret complex data and translate it for non‑technical audiences.
• Commitment to maintaining high ethical standards, particularly confidentiality.

Working Conditions

Work is performed primarily while seated in an office environment. Cornell College complies with federal and state disability laws and makes reasonable accommodations for applicants and employees with disabilities. If reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, perform essential job functions, and/or receive other benefits and privileges of employment, please contact [e-mail].

The hiring pay range for this position is $78,000 - $85,000. Cornell College offers a fantastic benefits package that includes health, dental, vision, HSA & FSA accounts, a TIAA 403(b) retirement account, and tuition remission and exchange for employees and dependents. We also offer life insurance, disability insurance, travel insurance, and accident insurance. And, all full‑time staff begin with a 4‑week vacation accrual along with 14.5 paid holidays per year. This position works on campus with the possibility of some regular remote work.

Cornell is an equal‑opportunity employer and encourages applications from underrepresented groups. Cornell complies with Iowa's Smoke‑free Air Act. Cornell utilizes E-Verify and requires the satisfactory completion of a background check.

Equal Opportunity Employer

This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws. For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.