Director of Institutional Research

Gardner-Webb University, North Carolina’s premier Christian University, seeks a collaborative and analytically rigorous Director of Institutional Research to lead institutional reporting and strengthen data-informed planning. The successful candidate will demonstrate strong quantitative skills, intellectual curiosity, thoughtful judgment, and the ability to work independently while helping to build and refine institutional research processes. This individual will also cultivate effective partnerships across campus to support informed decision-making and institutional improvement.

Reporting to the Associate Provost for Academic Affairs, the Director collaborates closely with the Senior Director of Institutional Effectiveness & Assessment and partners with campus divisions to support institutional reporting, compliance, accreditation, and planning priorities.

The Director is responsible for the integrity, coordination, and delivery of institutional data, ensuring accuracy in federal and state submissions, accreditation documentation, executive dashboards, and university-wide reporting tools. This role helps establish clear data definitions, reporting standards, and processes that promote consistency, reliability, and institutional alignment.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Leads institutional data collection, validation, analysis, and reporting in partnership with the Senior Director of Institutional Effectiveness & Assessment and the Associate Provost;
• Partners with campus divisions to meet institutional data and reporting needs, translating complex data into clear and actionable summaries;
• Takes lead responsibility for assembling and maintaining required federal and state reporting, including IPEDS and other compliance submissions, coordinating with faculty and staff to analyze and present findings in reports and presentations;
• Supports accreditation reporting by coordinating institutional data collection and contributing to narrative analyses and documentation.
• Assembles, maintains, and presents the University’s annual Fact Book, Common Data Set, and dashboards with Student Success & Achievement measures for state, federal, accreditation, and executive reporting purposes;
• Develops and maintains longitudinal and comparative datasets and dashboards related to enrollment and student success; provides analytical support to campus divisions responsible for institutional reporting, planning, and decision-making.
• Collaborates with Information Technology and institutional partners to ensure data integrity, quality, and dashboard reliability;
• Contributes to data governance practices, including maintaining institutional data definitions and reporting standards;
• Supports strategic planning, budgeting, and academic program review processes through data-informed analyses and projections;
• Responds to ad-hoc data requests from university leadership and campus departments.
• Other duties as assigned

EDUCATION, EXPERIENCE, and WORK ENVIRONMENT

• Bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution required; Master’s degree preferred in a research-intensive field such as education, statistics, business, psychology, or related discipline;
• At least 1-2 years of experience in conducting statistical analysis, applied programming in data environments, and developing data visualization required; three to five years preferred. Experience in higher education or institutional research preferred.
• Demonstrated understanding of research methodologies, data interpretation, and the ability to apply analytical findings in institutional contexts.
• Experience with federal and state reporting processes preferred;
• Ability to work independently as well as collaboratively in a team-oriented environment;
• Strong written and oral communication skills with the ability to present complex information to varied audiences;
• High attention to detail and ability to manage multiple reporting cycles;
• Commitment to data integrity, confidentiality, and institutional improvement.

SKILLS AND COMPETENCIES

Core Competencies
Research; Institutional Research; Data Analysis; Data Collection; Statistics; Surveys; Dashboard Development; Data Visualization; Strategic Planning; Decision Making; Communication; Leadership; Continuous Improvement Mindset

Required Technical Skills
Statistical Analysis; SQL and Relational Database Querying; applied programming in data environments (e.g. R, Python, SAS, SPSS, or similar tools); Data Visualization Platforms (e.g. Power BI, Tableau, or similar tools); Research Methodologies, Data Governance.

Preferred Skills
Experience with specific statistical or business intelligence tools; Familiarity with Crystal Reports.