Senior Data Analyst - Institutional Metrics & Insights

Western Governors University; Utah; On-site; USD 88,000 - 133,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading online university seeks a Senior Data Analyst to extract and transform data into actionable insights. This role involves collaborating with cross-functional teams, building dashboards in Tableau or Power BI, and utilizing SQL for data management. Ideal candidates will have a bachelor's degree and over five years in data analysis, along with strong analytical and mentorship skills. Competitive benefits and an inclusive workplace culture are offered.

Benefits

Medical, dental, and vision insurance

Flexible paid time off

Retirement savings plan

Discounted WGU tuition

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in data analysis, BI, or related roles.
• Proven experience building visualizations in Tableau or Power BI.
• Comfort with descriptive statistics, causal analysis, and forecasting.

Responsibilities

• Partner with cross-functional teams to define metrics.
• Build dashboards, reports, and visualizations.
• Translate user stories into technical requirements.

Skills

SQL skills

Data visualization

Analytical thinking

Communication

Mentorship

Education

Bachelor's degree in a related field

Tools

Tableau

Power BI

Job description

If you're passionate about building a better future for individuals, communities, and our country-and you're committed to working hard to play your part in building that future-consider WGU as the next step in your career.

Driven by a mission to expand access to higher education through online, competency-based degree programs, WGU is also committed to being a great place to work for a diverse workforce of student-focused professionals. The university has pioneered a new way to learn in the 21st century, one that has received praise from academic, industry, government, and media leaders. Whatever your role, working for WGU gives you a part to play in helping students graduate, creating a better tomorrow for themselves and their families.

The salary range for this position takes into account the wide range of factors that are considered in making compensation decisions including but not limited to skill sets; experience and training; licensure and certifications; and other business and organizational needs.

At WGU, it is not typical for an individual to be hired at or near the top of the range for their position, and compensation decisions are dependent on the facts and circumstances of each case. A reasonable estimate of the current range is: Grade: Professional 310 Pay Range: $88,300.00 - $132,400.00

Job Description

Ready to use data to change lives? Apply today and help WGU continue transforming the future of education.

The Institutional Analytics and Research (IAR) team supports and enables most university teams, departments, and colleges to make data-informed decisions that lead to better student outcomes. Our analysts, scientists, researchers, and managers are distributed across several teams: Institutional Research, Institutional Metrics & Insights, Outreach Analytics, Faculty Analytics, Curriculum Analytics, and Student Success Analytics.

About the Institutional Metrics & Insights (IMI) Team

The IMI team delivers the executive-facing metrics that define how WGU measures impact, performance, and student outcomes. We create the single source of truth for metrics across the university, partnering closely with leaders and analytics teams to turn raw data into powerful insights. Our team blends technical expertise, storytelling, and collaboration to ensure every decision at WGU is data-informed.

The Role: Senior Data Analyst

As a Senior Data Analyst on the IMI team, you'll be the go-to expert for extracting, analyzing, and transforming complex data into clear, actionable insights. You'll work closely with Data Engineering, Product, Finance, EdTech, and faculty teams to uncover trends, explain the "why" behind the numbers, and support decisions that shape the future of higher education.

This role is perfect for someone who thrives on solving complex data challenges, enjoys working across multiple domains, and has a knack for turning technical details into stories that drive action.

What You'll Do

• Partner with cross-functional teams to define metrics, answer complex questions, and uncover root causes behind key trends.
• Build dashboards, reports, and visualizations in Tableau or Power BI that help leaders see the big picture at a glance.
• Use SQL to wrangle and optimize large datasets, ensuring accuracy and performance.
• Collaborate with Data Engineering to design pipelines and ensure data quality across the university.
• Translate user stories into technical requirements, balancing stakeholder needs with scalable data solutions.
• Tell compelling data stories that connect numbers to impact, helping leaders move quickly from insight to action.
• Share expertise and mentor teammates, contributing to WGU's culture of continuous learning and growth.

What You'll Bring

• Bachelor's degree in a related field.
• 5+ years of experience in data analysis, BI, or related roles.
• Advanced SQL skills (CTEs, window functions, performance tuning, etc.).
• Proven experience building visualizations in Tableau or Power BI.
• Strong knowledge of data modeling (star schema, snowflake schema, dimensional models).
• Comfort with descriptive statistics, causal analysis, and forecasting.
• Familiarity with Agile or other project management methodologies.
• Ability to work independently in a fast-paced environment, balancing multiple priorities.
• A growth mindset and passion for continuous learning.

Bonus Points If You Have:

• Experience working in higher education or with student success metrics.
• Hands-on experience with ETL/ELT processes and collaborating with Data Engineering teams.
• Knowledge of WGU's key performance indicators and their drivers.

Work Location:

This is a full-time, in-office position at WGU's headquarters in Salt Lake City, UT. You'll work side-by-side with a multidisciplinary team of analysts, researchers, and educators committed to data-informed innovation.

Position & Application Details

Full-Time Regular Positions (classified as regular and working 40 standard weekly hours): This is a full-time, regular position (classified for 40 standard weekly hours) that is eligible for bonuses; medical, dental, vision, telehealth and mental healthcare; health savings account and flexible spending account; basic and voluntary life insurance; disability coverage; accident, critical illness and hospital indemnity supplemental coverages; legal and identity theft coverage; retirement savings plan; wellbeing program; discounted WGU tuition; and flexible paid time off for rest and relaxation with no need for accrual, flexible paid sick time with no need for accrual, 11 paid holidays, and other paid leaves, including up to 12 weeks of parental leave.

How to Apply: If interested, an application will need to be submitted online. Internal WGU employees will need to apply through the internal job board in Workday.

Additional Information

Disclaimer: The job posting highlights the most critical responsibilities and requirements of the job. It's not all-inclusive.

Accommodations: Applicants with disabilities who require assistance or accommodation during the application or interview process should contact our Talent Acquisition team at [e-mail].

Equal Employment Opportunity: All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to any protected characteristic as required by law.