Director of Institutional Research and Data Management - UC Santa Cruz

Another Source

2d • $200,000 - $230,000 • Hybrid

About The Position

Another Source's client, UC Santa Cruz, is recruiting a Director of Institutional Research and Data Management to join their team in Santa Cruz, California. This role offers remote flexibility, with the expectation of being on campus approximately once per month or once per quarter. Here's a little about UC Santa Cruz: UC Santa Cruz (UCSC), a member of the University of California system, is a leading public research university known for its interdisciplinary approach to education, commitment to social impact, and innovative research community. The university is currently advancing a major data and analytics modernization initiative through its Common Data Platform (CDP). Leveraging a modern data stack that includes Snowflake, dbt, Fivetran, GetCensus, and Sigma Computing, UCSC is transforming how institutional data supports academic planning, enrollment management, and strategic decision making. About the Department: Budget Analysis and Planning (BAP) is a strategic unit within Finance, Operations and Administration that advises the Chancellor, Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor, Vice Chancellor and Chief Financial Officer, and other campus executives on the effective management of the campus operating budget and overall fiscal health. BAP’s work is delivered through three integrated units: the Budget Office, Data Management, and Institutional Research, Analytics, and Planning Support (IRAPS). Together, these functions align budget, data governance, institutional reporting, analytics, and survey administration to provide accurate, actionable information that supports informed resource decisions and effective budget planning and implementation. About this role: This newly created leadership role combines responsibilities historically held across institutional research and enterprise data management into a single, forward looking position. The Director will serve as the campus data champion, helping shape how information drives institutional strategy and operational excellence. With a modernized data warehouse implementation well underway and a new reporting environment in place, the Director will build on this strong foundation to advance a future focused data strategy. The successful candidate will guide a team of analysts and data professionals, partner closely with campus leadership, and lead initiatives that position data as a transformational asset for the institution.

Requirements

• Significant leadership experience in institutional research, analytics, or enterprise data management, ideally within higher education or a complex research environment.
• Deep expertise in data infrastructure, analytics, and data informed decision making.
• Advanced experience with business intelligence and analytics tools such as Tableau, SAP BusinessObjects, or similar platforms.
• Experience working with modern data platforms and tools such as Snowflake, SQL, GitHub, or comparable technologies.
• Strong background in statistical analysis, data visualization, and reporting methodologies.
• Demonstrated ability to lead complex data modernization initiatives and technology implementations.
• Knowledge of data governance frameworks, FERPA compliance, and data security best practices.
• Exceptional communication skills with the ability to translate complex data into clear, actionable insights for diverse audiences.
• Proven success leading cross functional teams and managing technical professionals.
• Experience supporting institutional planning, enrollment analytics, student success initiatives, or policy development.
• Strong project management, collaboration, and organizational leadership skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead a comprehensive institutional research and data strategy aligned with the university’s mission and strategic goals.
• Develop and implement a vision for data-informed decision-making across academic and administrative units.
• Oversee the production of analytical and statistical studies to support institutional planning, policy development, and student success.
• Guide the development and dissemination of standard reports (e.g., Fact Books, Campus Profiles) and ad hoc analyses.
• Represent the university in inter-institutional data exchanges and external reporting efforts (e.g., IPEDS, U.S. News, AAUDE).
• Provide data-driven insights to support executive decision-making, strategic planning, and institutional effectiveness.
• Oversee the design and execution of research studies and surveys on student success, academic programs, and institutional performance.
• Serve as a key advisor to senior leadership on policy development, enrollment trends, and resource planning.
• Direct the development, maintenance, and modernization of institutional data and reporting systems, including data warehouses and cloud-based platforms (e.g., Snowflake, Fivetran, dbt, BI tools).
• Lead the institution’s data stewardship efforts, including the definition and standardization of institutional data elements.
• Establish and enforce data governance policies, ensuring data integrity, internal controls, data quality controls, and compliance with FERPA and other regulations.
• Ensure data systems are secure, compliant, cost-effective, and responsive to institutional needs.
• Collaborate with IT, data stewards, and subject matter experts to streamline data integration across enterprise systems.
• Lead multi-year planning and implementation of data and reporting modernization initiatives, including the Common Data Platform.
• Direct complex projects involving data architecture, reporting infrastructure, and analytics tools.
• Promote a culture of innovation, assessment and continuous improvement, and proactive problem-solving.
• Partner and work closely with campus source system stewards, business process owners, offices of record, system users and constituency groups, information technology partners, third-party vendors and consultants to design, implement, maintain, and streamline the campus data warehouse and reporting services.
• Supervise and mentor a team of professional analysts, data scientists and technical staff.
• Oversee recruitment, training, performance evaluation, and professional development.
• Manage unit budgets and allocate resources to support strategic priorities and operational excellence.
• Serve as a strategic advisor to senior leadership on data trends, enrollment forecasting, and institutional performance.
• Partner with IT, enrollment management, academic affairs, and other units to align data strategies with institutional needs and deliver actionable insights.
• Lead or participate in campus-wide committees related to enrollment, planning, assessment, and data governance.
• Represent the institution in system-wide and national data consortia and professional organizations (e.g., AIR, EDUCAUSE, AAUDE).

Benefits

• UC Santa Cruz offers a comprehensive benefits package designed to support employees and their families, including health coverage, retirement plans, paid time off, and professional development opportunities.
• Learn more about UC benefits here: https://ucnet.universityofcalifornia.edu/compensation-and-benefits/index.html

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director
• Education Level: No Education Listed