Director of Institutional Research

Director of Institutional Research

Location

St. Davids

Job Type

Full-Time

Job Number

1192

Department

Office of Strategy and Effectiveness

Opening Date

11/06/2026

• Description
• Benefits

Join our vibrant community of dedicated faculty and staff who work to create a transformative educational experience rooted in faith, reason, and justice.

Eastern University is a nationally-recognized Christian university enrolling approximately 9,000 students in a wide array of undergraduate, graduate, professional, and seminary programs. The university's main campus is located in St. Davids, PA, with many programs also offered online. Eastern's core values of Faith, Reason, and Justice are woven into all of its educational offerings. Through dynamic programs, a vibrant campus community, and meaningful service learning opportunities, Eastern University is committed to providing students with transformative, accessible, and affordable education.

Position Description

Reporting to the Vice President for Strategy and Effectiveness and Chief of Staff (VP for OSE/CoS), the Director of Institutional Research provides strategic and operational leadership for the University's institutional research and required reporting functions.

Within the Office of Strategy and Effectiveness (OSE), the Director partners with the Director of Institutional Effectiveness and the Associate Director of Strategic and Data Analysis to ensure that reliable institutional evidence informs assessment, planning, decision-making, and continuous improvement. The Director leads the IR team, establishes and upholds standards for reporting and analysis, and promotes the responsible use of institutional data.

Position Responsibilities

Institutional research leadership and team management

• Develop and manage the institutional research work plan in consultation with the VP for OSE/CoS; prioritize requests, allocate resources, and establish clear timelines for deliverables.
• Supervise, mentor, and evaluate IR staff; assign and review work, support professional development, and ensure cross-training and continuity for critical functions.
• Manage assigned IR budget, systems, software licenses, and reporting resources; represent IR on University committees and in relevant professional organizations.

Official reporting and institutional information

• Direct accurate, timely, and consistent reporting to federal and state agencies, accreditors, and other authorized recipients; serve as the University's IPEDS Keyholder and coordinate data validation, approvals, submissions, and corrections.
• Oversee the Common Data Set, institutional fact book and fast facts, external surveys and rankings, and recurring institutional reports; maintain reporting calendars, documented definitions, review procedures, and submission records.
• Monitor changes in reporting requirements and communicate implications to responsible offices. Reconcile discrepancies across submissions and published information, documenting necessary differences in populations, time periods, or definitions.

Applied research and decision support

• Work cooperatively with the Office of Strategy and Data Analysis to design and conduct research on enrollment, persistence, retention, completion, student outcomes, and academic program performance using appropriate cohort, longitudinal, comparative, statistical, and survey methods.
• Maintain peer and aspirant comparison groups and use external datasets for benchmarking; prepare concise reports, briefs, and visualizations that communicate findings, limitations, and implications to technical and non-technical audiences.

Data quality and shared governance

• Provide leadership for IR data stewardship within the University's shared data governance processes and collaborate within OSE and with Information Technology, the Registrar, Finance, Human Resources, Enrollment Management, and other data stewards to improve data quality and consistency.
• Promote appropriate data access, confidentiality, documentation, and responsible use in accordance with University policy and applicable requirements.
• Evaluate emerging analytical tools and AI-assisted methods for appropriate use in institutional research.

Survey research and institutional effectiveness support

• Partner with the Director of Institutional Effectiveness on the institutional survey calendar, instrument design, sampling, administration, analysis and dissemination; coordinate timing and minimize respondent burden.
• Oversee IR's survey operations and survey platform stewardship, delegating routine administration and user support as appropriate; provide consultation and training on sound survey practice.
• Provide validated datasets, analysis, and methodological consultation for accreditation, program and administrative review, strategic plan metrics, and continuous improvement. Coordinate data contributions with the Director of Institutional Effectiveness, who supports accreditation and leads institutional effectiveness processes and state authorization activities.

Strategic analytics partnership and data literacy

• Partner with the Associate Director of Strategic and Data Analysis to translate institutional questions into coordinated research and analytics projects. Supply validated definitions, research context, and quality review for predictive models, executive dashboards, and automated data products.
• Coordinate IR reporting improvements with the Associate Director's leadership of divisional automation and data infrastructure strategy. Agree on project ownership, deliverables, and review responsibilities to prevent duplicate effort and conflicting metrics.
• Build institutional data literacy through consultation, training, and accessible documentation; help users formulate useful questions, interpret results, and use authorized reporting and self-service tools effectively.

Mission and professional responsibilities

• Model and support Eastern University's mission, vision, and core values of excellence, authenticity, stewardship, thoughtfulness, enthusiasm, relationships, and innovation; treat all community members with fairness, dignity, and respect.
• Maintain current knowledge of higher education research, reporting, and analytical practice.
• Participate in University meetings, committees, and professional development; perform other related duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• Minimum of a master's degree in higher education, social or behavioral sciences, statistics, data analytics, or a related field with substantial preparation in research methods and quantitative analysis.
• At least five years of progressively responsible experience in institutional research or closely related higher education research, reporting, or decision support, including direct responsibility for IPEDS or comparable mandated institutional reporting.
• Demonstrated ability to supervise and develop staff, manage complex projects, and coordinate work across academic and administrative areas.
• Expertise in applied research, quantitative and qualitative analysis, institutional data quality, cohort construction, survey methods, and benchmarking; ability to translate findings into actionable information.
• Experience with Workday or a comparable student information system, Qualtrics or a comparable survey platform, and Tableau or Power BI.
• Proficiency in SQL, relational data concepts and advanced spreadsheet tools, with experience using at least one statistical application such as R, Python, SPSS, SAS, or Stata.
• Knowledge of higher education data definitions, reporting requirements, and institutional research practices; sound judgment in protecting confidential information and presenting findings accurately and impartially.
• Strong written, oral, visual, and interpersonal communication skills, including the ability to explain complex findings and limitations to varied audiences and provide effective consultation.
• Strong organizational and problem-solving skills, with the ability to prioritize competing demands, meet deadlines, maintain rigorous quality standards, and support Eastern University's mission, vision, and values.

About Eastern University

Eastern University is a Christian university of the arts and sciences that integrates faith, reason and justice for students in its undergraduate, graduate, seminary, urban, professional and international programs. Applicants should have a Christian commitment compatible with its mission and be willing to support the mission and vision of the university. The university complies with federal and state guidelines of nondiscrimination in employment; members of protected classes encouraged to apply.

Background Checks

Standard University employees are required to complete the background clearance process. Employment is contingent upon the successful results of an employment background screening. The employment background screening may include but is not limited to your consumer credit history (for positions that work with the university finances or alumni funds only), verification of education and professional credentials, criminal history, driving history, residency, immigration status, performance, references, and other qualities pertinent to your qualifications for the following position.

Youth Clearances are required for positions with direct contact with children and essential personnel positions. Employees working with or around minor age children are required to complete the youth clearance process which includes the following four child protection clearances:

1) Affidavit;

2) FBI Criminal Record Check;

3) Pennsylvania Department of Human Services Child Abuse History Clearance and;

4) Pennsylvania State Police Criminal Record Check.

In accordance with state laws, Act 73 of 2007, Act 153 of 2014, Act 168 (relating to the Child Protective Services Law), school employees of Eastern University who will have "direct contact with children" must complete the background check process prior to employment. Results must be submitted within ten days of receipt.

Description Disclaimer

This description is intended to describe the general level and nature of work performed by the person/people assigned to this position. It is not to be construed as an exhaustive list of duties and responsibilities of the person/people so assigned.

For all positions: Applicants must be authorized to work in the U.S. We are unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment Visa at this time.

Statement of Non-Discrimination

Eastern University is committed to the principles of equal opportunity as defined under federal and state law, and does not discriminate unlawfully on the basis of race, gender, sexual orientation, color, creed, disability, national/ethnic origin, age, disabled veteran/Vietnam-era, Genetic Information and Nondiscrimination Act (GINA), or veteran status in its admission policy, program, or activities, educational policies, scholarship and loan programs, athletic and other University-administered programs, or employment practices and programs.

We offer a complete benefits package to full-time faculty and staff including healthcare coverage, retirement plan contributions, flexible spending and health savings accounts, life insurance, long-term and short-term disability, tuition remission and tuition exchange participation as well as an extensive holiday, summer hours and paid time off leave schedule.

Part-time Regular staff who are scheduled 30-36 hours per week over the course of a year, receive a full benefit package based on their part-time scheduled hours. Healthcare coverage is based on the ACA medical coverage guidelines. Affiliate faculty receive a benefit package as outlined with their covenant. Adjunct faculty may be eligible for medical coverage under the ACA after an annual one year lookback review.

Part-time staff who are scheduled to work less than 30 hours per week schedule are eligible for employer contribution towards the retirement plan after one year of employment. Eligibility rules apply. Adjunct faculty may make employee deferral contributions towards the retirement plan.

Part-Time Graduate Assistant Coaches are eligible for participation in the Tuition Remission Coaches Program.

Temporary, Contractors and Seasonal Employees: Individuals in this status are scheduled on an as-needed-basis and are not eligible for participation in the University's benefits programs.

Detailed information regarding our benefits program and eligibility is provided once hired or you can contact Human Resources with any questions.

Employer Eastern University

Address 1300 Eagle Road

St. Davids, Pennsylvania, 19087

Phone 610-341-5986

Website http://www.eastern.edu