Associate Director for Institutional Research and Enterprise Data Governance

Posting Details

Position Information

Position Number 013705 Functional Title Associate Director for Institutional Research and Enterprise Data Governance Position Type Staff Position Eclass EP - EHRA 12 mo leave earning University Information

Located in North Carolina's third largest city, UNC Greensboro is among the most diverse, learner-centered public research universities in the state, with 18,000 students in eight colleges and schools pursuing more than 150 areas of undergraduate and over 200 areas of graduate study. UNCG continues to be recognized nationally for academic excellence, access, and affordability. UNCG is ranked No. 1 most affordable institution in North Carolina for net cost by the N.Y. Times and No. 1 in North Carolina for social mobility by The Wall Street Journal - helping first-generation and lower-income students find paths to prosperity. Designated an Innovation and Economic Prosperity University by the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities, UNCG is a community-engaged research institution with a portfolio of more than $67M in research and creative activity. The University's 2,600 staff help create an annual economic impact for the Piedmont Triad region in excess of $1B.

Primary Purpose of the Organizational Unit

The primary purpose of Institutional Research and Enterprise Data Management (IREDM) is to provide accurate, reliable, governed, and accessible data, analytics, and insights that support institutional decision-making, compliance, accountability, and continuous improvement. IREDM integrates institutional research, reporting and visualization, data engineering and architecture, and enterprise data governance to ensure that the University's data ecosystem is aligned with strategic priorities, regulatory requirements, institutional standards, and best practices in higher education data management. Through collaboration with academic and administrative partners, IREDM promotes a culture of data-informed decision-making, transparency, shared accountability, and responsible data use across the institution. The Surveys, Research, and Analytics (SRA) function serves as the University's central resource for institutional research, external reporting, and survey coordination. SRA is responsible for managing state, federal, and external reporting requirements; administering national and system-level surveys; and conducting applied research that examines student success, faculty and staff outcomes, enrollment trends, and institutional effectiveness. The Enterprise Data Governance (EDG) function supports the development, maintenance, and adoption of institutional data standards, definitions, stewardship/trustee practices, data quality processes, and governance workflows. EDG works with data owners, technical teams, and campus stakeholders to promote consistent data interpretation, improve trust in institutional data, and support responsible access to and use of University data. Together, these functions ensure that official institutional data are accurate, consistent, well-defined, appropriately governed, and useful for planning, assessment, compliance, operational decision-making, and strategic initiatives across the campus.

Position Summary

The Associate Director of Institutional Research and Enterprise Data Governance provides leadership for the University's traditional institutional research, external reporting, survey, applied analytics, and enterprise data governance functions. This role oversees the Surveys, Research, and Analytics and Enterprise Data Governance functions within IREDM. The position is responsible for managing state, federal, and external reporting; coordinating major institutional surveys; leading and contributing to applied research and analytical studies; and advancing enterprise data governance practices related to data stewardship, institutional definitions, data quality, data cataloging, governance workflows, and responsible data use.

In addition to supervising professional staff, the Associate Director serves as a working manager who actively contributes to complex institutional research projects, reporting efforts, survey submissions, analytical studies, and governance initiatives. The position plays a key role in translating institutional data into meaningful insights for campus leadership, academic units, administrative units, and external stakeholders, while also ensuring that institutional data are consistently defined, well-governed, and aligned with University standards. This role collaborates closely with Reporting and Visualization, Data Engineering and Architecture, campus data stewards, and functional data owners to support a coordinated institutional data ecosystem that balances access, usability, compliance, quality, and accountability. This position is eligible for teleworking; however, some in-person assignments may be necessary at the supervisor's discretion.

Minimum Qualifications

• Mid-career with Masters and one (1) - two (2) years experience; OR Bachelors and two (2) - four (4) years experience; OR The equivalent combination of education and experience.

Additional Required Certifications, Licensures, and Certificates Preferred Qualifications

• Master's degree in Statistics, Institutional Research, Higher Education, Data Analytics, Social Science, Information Systems, Public Administration, or a related field and at least five years of progressively responsible experience in institutional research, higher education analytics, enterprise data governance, data management, or a comparable data-driven environment; OR Bachelor's degree in Statistics, Institutional Research, Higher Education, Data Analytics, Social Science, Information Systems, Public Administration, or a related field and at least seven years of progressively responsible experience in institutional research, higher education analytics, enterprise data governance, data management, or a comparable data-driven environment.
• Demonstrated experience managing professional staff, teams, projects, or cross-functional initiatives, including responsibility for setting priorities, coordinating work, monitoring progress, and ensuring completion of deliverables.
• Advanced knowledge of higher education data standards, institutional definitions, external reporting requirements, and institutional effectiveness practices, including experience with reporting such as IPEDS, Common Data Set, and system-level submissions.
• Strong analytical background, including experience with applied quantitative research methods, statistical analysis, data validation, and interpretation of complex data.
• Demonstrated understanding of data governance concepts, including data stewardship, data definitions, data quality, data standards, documentation, data access, and responsible data use.
• Proficiency in SAS, SQL, or comparable data query and analysis tools.
• Experience with data visualization or business intelligence tools such as Power BI or Tableau.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to present complex findings, methodologies, and governance concepts to technical and non-technical audiences.
• Ability to work collaboratively with academic, administrative, technical, and executive stakeholders.
• Experience working with UNC System Office data, including Student, HR, Finance, or other system-level data marts.
• Experience conducting ROI, outcomes, policy-focused, student success, workforce, or program effectiveness research studies.
• Experience with data governance platforms, data cataloging tools, data dictionaries, business glossaries, data quality tools, or stewardship workflows.
• Familiarity with tools such as Data Cookbook, IDataHub, Microsoft Power BI, Azure Data Lake, Databricks, or similar enterprise data platforms.
• Experience developing documentation, training materials, governance processes, or communication strategies that support responsible institutional data use.
• Certified Data Management Professional (CDMP) certification or comparable professional certification related to data governance, data management, analytics, or institutional research.

Special Instructions to Applicants Recruitment Range Salary commensurate with experience Org #-Department Inst Research/Entr Data Mgmt - 10803 Job Open Date 08/18/2026 For Best Consideration Date Job Close Date Open Until Filled Yes FTE 1.000 Type of Appointment Permanent If time-limited, please specify end date for appointment. Number of Months per Year 12 FLSA Exempt

Key Responsibilities

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Percentage Of Time 40% Key Responsibility

Provide leadership for the University's institutional research, external reporting, survey, and applied analytics functions while serving as a working manager who directly contributes to high-priority research, reporting, and analytical work.

Essential Tasks

• Oversee state, federal, and external reporting processes, including IPEDS, UNC System Office submissions, and other regulatory, accountability, or external reporting requirements.
• Oversee the administration and coordination of external surveys such as the Common Data Set, U.S. News, and other national, state, or system-level surveys.
• Ensure institutional data reported externally are accurate, consistent, timely, and aligned with official definitions, reporting methodologies, and institutional standards.
• Lead and contribute directly to applied research and analytical projects related to enrollment, retention, graduation, equity, workforce outcomes, program effectiveness, institutional effectiveness, and strategic decision-making.
• Develop, review, and document analytical methods, reporting logic, assumptions, limitations, and data sources to support transparency, reproducibility, and institutional trust.
• Translate complex findings into clear, actionable insights for campus leadership, academic units, administrative units, and external stakeholders.

Percentage Of Time 40% Key Responsibility

Provide leadership for the University's enterprise data governance function while serving as a working manager who directly contributes to governance processes, data quality efforts, data standards, documentation, and stewardship activities.

Essential Tasks

• Lead and coordinate enterprise data governance processes related to institutional data definitions, data standards, data stewardship, data quality, data access, and responsible data use.
• Work with data owners, data stewards, subject matter experts, technical teams, and campus stakeholders to clarify data definitions, resolve cross-functional data issues, and promote consistent interpretation of institutional data.
• Support the development, maintenance, and adoption of institutional data assets such as data dictionaries, data catalogs, business glossaries, data lineage documentation, governance documentation, and data quality rules.
• Coordinate data quality workflows, issue tracking, validation processes, stewardship review activities, and governance-related documentation in collaboration with functional offices and technical teams.
• Advance the use of governance tools and processes, including platforms such as Data Cookbook, IDataHub, or related institutional systems used to support definitions, quality rules, data requests, stewardship workflows, and governance documentation.
• Promote campus awareness of data governance expectations, data quality responsibilities, official data sources, institutional definitions, and appropriate use of University data.

Percentage Of Time 10% Key Responsibility

Coordinate cross-functional work that connects institutional research, enterprise data governance, reporting and visualization, data engineering, and campus business processes to support a consistent and trusted institutional data ecosystem.

Essential Tasks

• Serve as a bridge between institutional research, enterprise data governance, reporting and visualization, data engineering and architecture, and functional business areas.
• Support alignment between official reporting definitions, governance standards, data models, dashboards, analytical products, and institutional decision-making needs.
• Partner with Reporting and Visualization and Data Engineering and Architecture to ensure that reporting products, data pipelines, and analytical outputs are supported by appropriate definitions, methodologies, documentation, and quality controls.
• Identify opportunities to improve business processes, documentation, data quality, reporting consistency, and coordination across IREDM functions.
• Represent IREDM in cross-functional projects where institutional research, analytics, data governance, reporting, data quality, and data infrastructure intersect.

Percentage Of Time 10% Key Responsibility

Develop staff, foster collaboration, and promote a service-oriented culture of accuracy, transparency, data quality, responsible data use, and continuous improvement.

Essential Tasks

• Supervise, mentor, and support professional staff assigned to the Surveys, Research, and Analytics and Enterprise Data Governance functions.
• Assign workloads, set priorities, monitor progress, evaluate performance, and ensure timely completion of high-quality deliverables.
• Support professional development in institutional research, analytics, reporting, governance methods, data quality practices, and relevant technical tools.
• Foster collaboration among campus data stewards, functional offices, and other University partners with IREDM staff/functions.
• Promote a culture focused on accuracy, transparency, collaboration, service, shared accountability, and institutional impact.

ADA Checklist

ADA Checklist

R for Rare (0-30%), O for Occasional (30-60%), F for Frequent (60-90%), C for Constant (90-100%).

Physical Effort Hand Movement-Repetitive Motions - O, Holding - O, Finger Dexterity - O, Reading - F, Writing - F, Vision-Preparing/Analyzing figures - F, Hearing - O, Talking - O, Standing - O, Sitting - F, Lifting-0-30 lbs. - O Work Environment Inside - C

Applicant Documents

Required Documents

• Resume/CV
• Cover Letter
• List of References

Optional Documents

• Reference Letter 1
• Reference Letter 2
• Reference Letter 3

Supplemental Questions

Required fields are indicated with an asterisk (*).

• • Please indicate how you learned of the vacant position for which you are applying:

• UNCGjobsearch Website

• Greensboro News & Record

• Carolina Peacemaker

• Other Newspaper

• The Chronicle of Higher Education

• Inside Higher Ed

• Other Professional Journal

• NCWorks.gov

• UNC System Job Board

• Other Online Job Board

• Personal Networking

• Other

• • If you selected "Other", please provide the name of the resource here.

(Open Ended Question)

• • Are you eligible to work in the United States without sponsorship?

• Yes

• No

• • Will you now or in the future require visa sponsorship for employment at the University of North Carolina in Greensboro?

• Yes

• No