Director Of Institutional Analysis

As a UW employee, you have a unique opportunity to change lives on our campuses, in our state, and around the world. UW employees bring their energy, creative problem-solving skills to their work and are dedicated to building stronger minds and a healthier world. UW is Committed to attracting and retaining a diverse staff, your experiences, perspectives, and unique identities will be honored at the University of Washington. Together, our community strives to create and maintain working and learning environments that are inclusive, equitable, and welcoming.

Finance, Planning, and Budgeting (FPB) encompasses the major central financial, planning, and budgeting functions for the University of Washington, including:

• Institutional Data & Analysis

• Policy, Planning & State Operations

• University Business Services

• Finance & Budget Strategy

The Institutional Data & Analysis team (IDA), part of FPB, is responsible for analyzing and reporting on data that support the planning activities of the University administration in collaboration with campus stakeholders. The office provides data-informed insights to guide institutional decision-making and supports strategic planning efforts. In addition, IDA is responsible for responding to various internal and external requests for information about students, faculty, and staff, as well as other critical areas of University activities.

IDA partners with Academic and Student Affairs, Finance & Budget Strategy, central UW-IT, Academic Personnel, and other campus stakeholders to deliver data and analytics through self-service dashboards and reports, publicly available data on the website, and custom requests for reporting and analysis. IDA supports campus and college-level strategic planning, accreditation, peer benchmarking, and program review through these mechanisms. IDA is responsible for institutional and often cross-domain data, reporting, and analytical support on behalf of the Executive Office.

Reporting to the Associate Vice Provost, the Director of Institutional Analysis will be a key team member of Institutional Data & Analysis leadership and responsible for oversight of internal and external requests for information and analysis. In this role, the director works closely with the Director of Institutional Reporting and the Associate Vice Provost to support the analytical arm of the Executive Office. Additionally, this role will manage a team of analysts and guide the work of these positions in a dynamic environment where integration changes are underway.

As part of their work to field analytical requests from the Associate Vice Provost and others, the director will be required to partner with teams and leadership within FPB, as well as closely collaborate with other team leads, particularly in Academic and Student Affairs, Finance and Budget Strategy, and the Office of Academic Personnel. Representing the whole of institutional data, the director will lead and participate in campus initiatives around reporting and analysis work that crosses key functional areas and data domains.

We encourage applicants to apply even if they do not feel they satisfy all the skills listed below; we understand that it will take some time for the successful applicant to strengthen specific position skills where needed, to learn about the university systems, campuses, and vendor collaborators, to develop a deep understanding of the Finance, Planning & Budgeting environment itself. You will join a supportive team that will partner with you in these efforts; we are an open, ethical, highly engaged, and collaborative community based on trust, transparency, and mutual respect. We believe in the importance of quality of life, embracing diversity and equity, making a difference, and having fun.

This position will require the individual to learn about the changing higher education landscape, gain an understanding of data elements in a complex and evolving data environment, and facilitate and oversee key analytical initiatives that support the Senior Vice President, FPB Vice President, Vice Provosts, and Provost's analytical strategy and strategic priorities. The director will work alongside other FPB teams as they integrate finance data, offering a high degree of reporting expertise, relationship building, and the ability to interface with financial planning and analysis expertise.

Team Management

• Responsible for day-to-day operations management

• Work with a diverse group of individuals; placing a value on diversity, equity, and inclusiveness

• Advise and counsel a team of professionals responsible for managing the IDA program

• Hire and manage a team of professionals; both regular staff and vendors/suppliers

• Responsible for staff development, career enrichment of staff and any necessary corrective action

Campus leadership:

• Collaborate, communicate, and participate in cross-campus councils and working groups as well as institutional grants as the data and analysis point of contact

• Successfully navigate the complex structure of large higher education institution while balancing the need for coherence and direction from FPB to the institution

• Integrate larger FPB initiatives and priorities into IDA work

• Lead and move projects forward effectively, even in situations where s/he/they has little or no direct control of or influence over project partners

• Build and maintain trusted relationships with internal partners (central partners and unit partners) and external partners (community, vendors, and suppliers)

• Work closely with analytical peers and the UWIT data and analytics teams to develop and deliver tools and resources for greater campus use.

Strategy/Program Development:

The Director will work to develop and enhance collaboration between IDA and analytical peers in Enrollment Management, UWHR, Academic Personnel, and Finance, Planning & Budgeting to align reporting and analysis across key Executive Office initiatives.

• Participate in the upcoming efforts to align data strategy and institutional reporting across EM, Admissions, IR offices, and deans' office analytical teams

• Advise, listen, and counsel central analytical offices, unit analysts and staff

• Create and update tools and resources for unit administrators and school/college leadership

• Follow trends in the market; identify, develop, and disseminate best practices

Leadership Skills:

Comprehensively identify solutions to both expressed needs and underlying assumptions, excellent listening and interpersonal skills are required. Time management and prioritization are also essential skills for the successful candidate, who must have a critical eye and a keen sense of relevance to maintain scope while working with detailed datasets that have a high degree of outliers.

• Remain calm in stressful and challenging situations

• Exercise sound judgment at all times

• Effectively manage strategic issues as well as tactical, and operational details

• Effectively manage high level university leadership, faculty, staff and community leaders, and volunteers to the University

Duties & Responsibilities

Leadership

• Under the leadership of the AVP, direct the daily analytics operations of the Institutional Analysis team to provide data, insights, and decision support to university leadership

• Foster working relationships and communication with members of the Institutional Data & Analysis leadership teams

• Working in collaboration with the AVP, present, provide direction, and make decisions for IDA at various forums and meetings

• Present process changes and improvement opportunities and solicit feedback from campus partners

• Special assignments as assigned by the AVP

Leadership and Team management

• Manage a team of analysts responsible for extracting, analyzing, and interpreting institutional data

• Provide guidance and support for the Institutional Analysis team's projects and initiatives and provide peer reviews and narrative/briefs that support key rankings requests

• Manage the day-to-day operations of the IDA provided training programs and ensure cross-training

• Cultivate a culture of inclusion and equity while working with diverse groups across the team and the larger organization

• Responsible for management, staff development, and career enrichment

Program Management

Complex Analysis and Reporting

• Work collaboratively with Academic and Student Affairs, Finance and Budget Strategy, and the Office of Academic Personnel partners to respond to ad hoc data needs in support of senior leadership decision making

• Provide expert level knowledge directing the collection, analysis, and reporting of institutional data for both internal and external stakeholders

• Ensure data accuracy, integrity, and compliance with relevant regulations

Data Governance and Stewardship

• Facilitate education and outreach across analytical units in pursuit of collaboration and standardization of common data terms, analytical methods, and reporting needs

• Provide expert level knowledge related to institutional reporting, analysis, and data management activities

• Direct and ensure dashboards and reports are completed timely and accurately

• Regularly partner with campus units within and external to the Finance, Planning, & Budgeting to ensure projects follow University-wide data standards while remaining in compliance

• Continue to contribute to university-wide efforts to operationalize core data management.

• Address and solve for data needs as the national landscape evolves. Work closely with UWIT and data domain chairs to ensure the University's key objectives are realized related to data improvement and modernization in the context of core data management

Policy and Procedure Development

• Serve on campus working groups and institutional initiatives as the lead IDA representative

• Take a lead in identifying needs, formulate, and independently implement policies and procedures for FPB units

• Identify and research emerging policy and procedure revisions, collaborating within FPB to drive effective implementation

• Develop reports, surveys, and other tools to aid departments in complying with institutional policies and procedures

• Communicate new or amended policies to department Chairs, Administrators, and staff

• Update practices, procedures, and policies based on internal/external audit recommendations

• Develop ongoing and proactive communication, provide written and verbal process descriptions and process walkthroughs, provide all requested documentation, provide systems information, and respond to questions

Administration

• As needed, serve as a backup to the Associate Vice Provost, attend meetings, present analytical findings to leadership, and provide back up to the Director of Institutional Reporting

• Other duties as assigned

• Train and cross train staff within Finance, Planning, and Budgeting

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in math, statistics, social sciences, or other information technology, or related field and 5 years of progressive reporting and analysis experience. Equivalent combination of education and experience from which comparable knowledge and skills have been acquired may substitute for degree.

• 5 years of combined experience as an analyst, report developer, data modeler, or other data analysis related role is required, and experience in an Institutional Research or analytical office, preferably within a higher education or other public sector setting

• 3 years of progressively responsible leadership/management experience; demonstrated commitment to developing others to become leaders.

• Experience working in higher education or other public sector setting.

• Demonstrated experience in data analysis and reporting that includes experience using SQL, SAS, R, or other data management, querying, and statistical tools.

• Experience managing data analysts, data scientists, report developers, or other data related roles.

• Experience in the design, development, and execution of analytical tools and products that provide decision support.

• Proficiency in data querying and cleaning using SQL- on the job experience with tools for reporting, statistical analysis and ad hoc requests; strong knowledge of data structures and ability to efficiently manipulate/query data.

• Ability to flex between conceptual, big picture planning and detail-oriented research; excellent analytical, mathematical, and creative problem-solving skills, with keen attention to detail.

• Demonstrated experience in working on diverse groups and teams; respects, values, and contributes to Finance, Planning, and Budgeting and UW's commitment to diversity, inclusion, and equity.

Desired Qualifications

• A master's degree or additional experience in a related field.

• Extensive use of a variety of data, visualization, and statistical tools.

• Experience with oversight of third party data software vendors.

• Experience leading a data, analysis, or reporting team.

• Knowledge or experience supporting or using Statistical Analysis/machine learning tools (R, Python, SAS, SPSS, STATA)

Application Process:The application process may include completion of a variety of online assessments to obtain additional information that will be used in the evaluation process.These assessments may include Work Authorization, Cover Letter and/or others. Any assessments that you need to complete will appear on your screen as soon as you select "Apply to this position". Once you begin an assessment, it must be completed at that time; if you do not complete the assessment, you will be prompted to do so the next time you access your "My Jobs" page. If you select to take it later, it will appear on your "My Jobs" page to take when you are ready. Please note that your application will not be reviewed, and you will not be considered for this position until all required assessments have been completed.