Institutional Research Data & Reporting Analyst

Lake Area Technical College; Watertown (SD); On-site; USD 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

Lake Area Technical College is seeking an Institutional Research Data & Reporting Analyst to support data-informed decision-making and regulatory compliance. The role collaborates across departments to deliver accurate, timely information for planning, accreditation, enrollment management, and student success initiatives.

Responsibilities include designing and maintaining reports, writing SQL queries, and producing dashboards for internal stakeholders and external reporting.

Qualifications

• Associate degree or higher in computer science or related field.
• Experience with relational databases and data extraction.
• Proficiency writing SQL queries for reporting and analysis.
• Experience creating reports for planning, compliance, or decision-support.
• Ability to analyze data, troubleshoot issues, and communicate findings clearly.
• Strong attention to detail, confidentiality, and documentation.

Responsibilities

• Design, develop, maintain, and document reports, queries, and data processes.
• Write, test, optimize, and troubleshoot SQL queries and related objects.
• Create standard, recurring, and ad hoc reports for stakeholders and agencies.
• Collect, validate, clean, and reconcile data from multiple sources for accurate reporting.
• Support external reporting including state, federal, and accreditation needs.
• Translate data into clear dashboards and summaries to communicate insights.
• Support strategic planning, program review, and accreditation with data analysis.
• Maintain data definitions and collaborate to align reporting standards.
• Provide training and guidance to faculty and staff on reports and BI tools.
• Stay current with reporting requirements and BI technologies in higher education.

Skills

Relational databases

SQL queries

Reporting for operations

Data analysis

Communication skills

Documentation

Education

Associate degree or higher in computer science, information systems, data analytics, statistics, or a related field

Tools

SSRS

Power BI

Tableau

Excel

Job description

Institutional Research Data & Reporting Analyst

Job Description

Position Summary

The Institutional Research Data and Reporting Analyst supports data-informed decision-making and regulatory compliance by maintaining, analyzing, and reporting institutional data. This position works closely with all Lake Area Tech departments to provide accurate, timely, and meaningful information for planning, accreditation, enrollment management, student success initiatives, compliance reporting, and institutional effectiveness.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Design, develop, maintain, and document reports, queries, and data processes that support institutional research and college operations.
• Write, test, optimize, and troubleshoot SQL queries, stored procedures, views, and related database objects used for institutional reporting and analysis.
• Create standard, recurring, and ad hoc reports for internal stakeholders, leadership teams, accrediting bodies, state and federal agencies, and external partners.
• Collect, validate, clean, and reconcile data from student information systems, learning management systems, and other institutional data sources to ensure accurate, consistent, and integrous reporting.
• Support required external reporting, which may include state reporting (enrollment, retention, completion, etc.), federal reporting (IPEDS, Perkins, NC-SARA, etc.), accreditation reports, and other institutional accountability measures.
• Translate data into clear, user-friendly reports, dashboards, and data summaries that communicate insights and trends on topics such as enrollment, retention, completion, student outcomes, program performance, and workforce-related measures.
• Support strategic planning, program review, and accreditation processes through data analysis.
• Work with campus departments to understand reporting needs, define data requirements, document business rules, and ensure consistent data definitions across the institution.
• Maintain confidentiality and protect sensitive student, employee, and institutional information in accordance with FERPA and other applicable policies and regulations.
• Partner with peers in the technical college system to align data definitions, methodologies, and reporting standards.
• Collaborate with peer institutions and SD Board of Technical Education staff to produce and publish student outcomes and college performance metrics for internal and public use.
• Develop and maintain documentation of data definitions, reporting processes, and compliance timelines.
• Provide technical support, training, and guidance to faculty/staff who use reports, dashboards, or institutional data tools.
• Stay current with and proactively adjust internal practices connected to reporting requirements, institutional research practices, database tools, and business intelligence technologies relevant to higher education.

Required Qualifications

• Associate degree or higher in computer science, information systems, data analytics, statistics, or a related field.
• Experience with relational databases.
• Proficiency writing SQL queries for data extraction, reporting, validation, and analysis.
• Experience creating reports for operational, compliance, planning, or decision-support purposes.
• Ability to analyze data, identify discrepancies, troubleshoot data issues, and communicate findings clearly.
• Strong attention to detail and commitment to accuracy, confidentiality, and documentation.
• Ability to work independently, manage multiple priorities, meet deadlines, and provide responsive service to internal stakeholders.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to explain technical concepts to non-technical users.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working in higher education, institutional research, student records, or a technical college environment.
• Experience with MS Office tools (Excel in particular).
• Experience with reporting tools such as SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS), Power BI, Tableau, or similar business intelligence platforms.
• Knowledge of data governance best practices.
• Familiarity with student information systems or learning management systems.
• Knowledge of state, federal, or other higher education reporting requirements.
• Experience developing dashboards and automated reports.

Reports to: Database Administrator, President

225-day contract position with competitive salary and benefits, as set by the Watertown School Board.

200 9th St NE
PO Box 730
605-882-6312
605-882-6327