Senior Analyst, Institutional Performance Analytics and Benchmarking

Summary

Senior Analyst, Institutional Performance Analytics and Benchmarking

The Office of Institutional Research and Analytics (IRA) serves as the University of Virginia's central source of data, analytics, survey research, and reporting on institutional performance. IRA compiles and validatesdata for federal and state compliance, coordinates the University's participation in national and international rankings, and supports strategic decision-making for the Provost and other senior leaders.

The University of Virginia is seeking a Senior Analyst to support the University's institutional rankings, benchmarking, and comparative analytics initiatives. This is an individual-contributor role (non-supervisory) intended for a mid-career to senior analyst who can independently manage complex, deadline-driven data submissions and translate ranking methodologies into actionable institutional insights. The analyst will serve as a point of contact for external benchmarking organizations, coordinate with relevant University stakeholders prior to submission, and ensure the accuracy and consistency of data for these efforts. This position reports to the Assistant Director for Research and Data Analytics and works independently on a portfolio of recurring and ad hoc projects.

Responsibilities include managing all ranking-related data collection, validation, and survey submissions; serving as the institutional lead for major ranking organizations including U.S. News, Times Higher Education, QS, and other external surveys; compiling, reconciling, and validating institutional data drawn from internal systems; facilitating stakeholder meetings; developing standardized workflows, documentation, and governance practices; developing and maintaining institutional benchmarking datasets; conducting statistical analyses and predictive modeling; designing executive dashboards; producing annual rankings reports, benchmarking analyses, and strategic recommendations; responding to ad hoc data requests; representing the University at relevant professional conferences; collaborating within IRA and with university data stewards, academic units, and communications liaisons; identifying opportunities to improve internal data infrastructure, documentation, and workflows; and supporting institutional strategic planning initiatives through data-informed analysis and performance.

Minimum qualifications include a Bachelor's degree in a quantitative, data-intensive, or related field and three to five years of professional experience in institutional research, higher education data analysis, or a related analytical field. Preferred qualifications include strong working knowledge of higher education data structures and definitions, a Master's degree in a related field, familiarity with student information systems and enterprise data warehouses, and experience with predictive or scenario modeling related to ranking methodology changes.

Essential skills include strong analytical and quantitative reasoning skills, ability to interpret and apply detailed, evolving external methodologies to internal data, strong project management skills, demonstrated discretion, professionalism, and sound judgment when handling sensitive, confidential, or high-visibility institutional data, and a collaborative working style suited to partnering across academic and administrative units without formal authority over those units.

Salary range: $85,000-$100,000, commensurate with education and experience. This position is not eligible for visa sponsorship.

Job Description

Senior Analyst, Institutional Performance Analytics and Benchmarking

The Office of Institutional Research and Analytics (IRA) serves as the University of Virginia's central source of data, analytics, survey research, and reporting on institutional performance. IRA compiles and validatesdata for federal and state compliance, coordinates the University's participation in national and international rankings, and supports strategic decision-making for the Provost and other senior leaders.

The University of Virginia is seeking a Senior Analyst to support the University's institutional rankings, benchmarking, and comparative analytics initiatives. This is an individual-contributor role (non-supervisory) intended for a mid-career to senior analyst who can independently manage complex, deadline-driven data submissions and translate ranking methodologies into actionable institutional insights. The analyst will serve as a point of contact for external benchmarking organizations, coordinate with relevant University stakeholders prior to submission, and ensure the accuracy and consistency of data for these efforts. This position reports to the Assistant Director for Research and Data Analytics and works independently on a portfolio of recurring and ad hoc projects.

Responsibilities include managing all ranking-related data collection, validation, and survey submissions; serving as the institutional lead for major ranking organizations including U.S. News, Times Higher Education, QS, and other external surveys; compiling, reconciling, and validating institutional data drawn from internal systems; facilitating stakeholder meetings; developing standardized workflows, documentation, and governance practices; developing and maintaining institutional benchmarking datasets; conducting statistical analyses and predictive modeling; designing executive dashboards; producing annual rankings reports, benchmarking analyses, and strategic recommendations; responding to ad hoc data requests; representing the University at relevant professional conferences; collaborating within IRA and with university data stewards, academic units, and communications liaisons; identifying opportunities to improve internal data infrastructure, documentation, and workflows; and supporting institutional strategic planning initiatives through data-informed analysis and performance.

Minimum qualifications include a Bachelor's degree in a quantitative, data-intensive, or related field and three to five years of professional experience in institutional research, higher education data analysis, or a related analytical field. Preferred qualifications include strong working knowledge of higher education data structures and definitions, a Master's degree in a related field, familiarity with student information systems and enterprise data warehouses, and experience with predictive or scenario modeling related to ranking methodology changes.

Essential skills include strong analytical and quantitative reasoning skills, ability to interpret and apply detailed, evolving external methodologies to internal data, strong project management skills, demonstrated discretion, professionalism, and sound judgment when handling sensitive, confidential, or high-visibility institutional data, and a collaborative working style suited to partnering across academic and administrative units without formal authority over those units.

Salary range: $85,000-$100,000, commensurate with education and experience. This position is not eligible for visa sponsorship.