Executive Director of the Office of Institutional Research, Planning, and Effectiveness (OIRPE)
59 Days Old
Fort Valley State University, the only 1890 land-grant university in Georgia, is a comprehensive institution that provides an education to over 2,800 students including graduate students. The university is located in the town of Fort Valley in Peach County, the original site of the state's peach industry. Its 1,365-acre (5.52 km2) campus is Georgia's second-largest public university in area.
Fort Valley State University is an affirmative action, equal opportunity institution and does not discriminate against applicants, students, or employees on the basis of race, gender, ethnicity, national origin, sexual orientation, religion, age, disability, or marital or veteran status.
JOB SUMMARY
The Executive Director of Institutional Research, Planning, and Effectiveness (IRPE), oversees and coordinates the University's institutional research initiatives that support and inform campus decision-making. The Executive Director will manage an office that facilitates the use of data and analysis for institutional planning, assessment, and effectiveness; prepares reports and surveys to ensure compliance with federal and national reporting obligations; supports institutional, department, and program accreditation requirements; provides internal reporting; and conducts survey research. The Executive Director engages in key strategic planning and assessment and reports to the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs. The Executive Director supervises two dedicated staff members- Research Data and Enterprise Manager and Senior Research Associate. The Executive Director will collaborate with multiple other administrators in and outside Academic Affairs on student success initiatives and assessment outcomes. The Executive Director is a member of the provost's leadership team and serves as a member of the President's Cabinet.
MAJOR DUTIES
Data Collection, Analysis, and Reporting
- Manage institutional projects and activities for decision-support by conducting research initiatives related to student success and institutional planning.
- Communicate and interpret research findings through the creation of dashboards, visualizations, and reports.
- Lead and ensure data completeness and accuracy of internal and external reporting while complying with state and federal requirements to meet submission deadlines.
- Supervise internal reporting such as the Fact Book, retention/graduation rates, Common Data Set (CDS), and Eligible but not Registered reports.
- Oversee data management by maintaining institutional database files, including census and cohort files and work with information technology and other departments on institutional data governance, data collection guidelines, and data access issues.
Strategic Planning
- As a member, provide the President's Cabinet with key performance metrics and engage in key strategic planning.
- Participate in campus-wide task forces/committees to provide data and analytic support to strategic planning working groups.
- Provide research consultation to key university constituency groups for conducting major research projects related to institutional effectiveness.
- Develop and facilitate trainings and workshops related to institutional research, compliance, assessment, evaluation, and data outcomes.
Assessment and Evaluation
- Provide information on institutional effectiveness by conducting research and analyses on graduation rates and post-graduate outcomes, updating metrics on institutional strategic goals, and supporting the institutional assessment of student learning outcomes.
- Collaborate with academic and administrative units to accurately complete comprehensive academic program reviews, assessment plans, and evaluations. Specific examples include providing data and information for institutional and regional accreditation (SACSCOC) and various program accreditation requirements.
- Supervise and assist with managing and coordinating the student course evaluations for the university each semester/term.
Other duties
- Provide leadership and supervision to the IRPE office staff.
- Perform related duties as assigned.
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES REQUIRED BY THE POSITION
- Ability to understand, manage, interpret, and ensure the quality of complex data sets from multiple sources, including highly confidential data.
- Proven project management, organizational, multi-tasking, problem-solving, and time-management skills with an extraordinary attention to detail.
- Experience with external reporting such as Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), US News and World Report, and National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA).
- Knowledge of emerging technologies relating to data collection, surveying, querying, visualization, enterprise resource planning (ERP) system.
- Able to influence people, solve problems, troubleshoot, think creatively, and resolve conflicts; Experience training and managing staff; Ability to assign, monitor, and review the work of others.
- Knowledge of external data collection program sets, such as IPEDS and the National Student Clearinghouse.
- Experience with survey design, statistical analysis, qualitative and quantitative data analysis, and evaluation strategies.
- Must be a strategic visionary with data-driven mindset.
- Excellent oral, written, and presentation skills.
- Supervisory and/or managerial experience in a leadership role.
- Knowledge of higher education administrative organization, policies, procedures, and practices for institutional research-oriented roles including accreditation.
SUPERVISORY CONTROLS
The Provost & Vice President for Academic Affairs assigns work regarding department goals and objectives. The work is reviewed through conferences, reports, and observation of department activities. The Executive Director oversees staff who serve as liaison(s) to colleges and departments on applicable Office of Institutional Research functions, policies, procedures, and responsibilities.
GUIDELINES COMPLEXITY/SCOPE OF WORK
- The work consists of varied duties in directing the university's institutional effectiveness. The necessity of responding to the day-to-day or immediate needs of the university, University System of Georgia, and the Board of Regents contributes to the complexity of the position.
- Success in this position contributes to the efficiency and effectiveness of department operations.
- Accurate data collection, data analysis, and timely reporting are essential functions of the position.
CONTACTS
- Contacts are typically with faculty, administration, staff, other University System staff, peers at other institutions, and members of the general public.
- Contacts are typically to provide information concerning data and reports.
PHYSICAL DEMANDS/ WORK ENVIRONMENT
- The work is typically performed while sitting at a desk or table.
- The work is typically performed in an office.
SUPERVISORY AND MANAGEMENT RESPONSIBILITY
This position has direct supervision over Senior Data Analyst and Research Data and Enterprise Manager.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
- Master's degree required, but Ph.D. or Ed.D preferred in statistics, educational research, higher education, data analysis, or closely related field.
- At least five years or an equivalent combination of education in institutional research or analytics-related context, responsible for data analytics and using data in higher education.
- Comprehensive data reporting and analysis skills
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with attention to detail
USG Core Values Statement
The University System of Georgia is comprised of our 26 institutions of higher education and learning, as well as the System Office. Our USG Statement of Core Values are Integrity, Excellence, Accountability, and Respect. These values serve as the foundation for all that we do as an organization, and each USG community member is responsible for demonstrating and upholding these standards. More details on the USG Statement of Core Values and Code of Conduct are available in USG Board Policy 8.2.18.1.2 and can be found on-line at
Additionally, USG supports Freedom of Expression as stated in Board Policy 6.5 Freedom of Expression and Academic Freedom found on-line at .
- Location:
- Fort Valley