Director - Institutional Research and Effectiveness

Southwest Tennessee Community College is a comprehensive, multicultural, public, open—access college. Southwest has 7 campuses/centers from which it offers over 100 programs and over 20 technical certificate programs.

We foster student success, transform lives, and increase the educational level of a growing community in Shelby County. Southwest is a Tennessee Board of Regents institution, accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.

Title: Director - Institutional Research and Effectiveness

Employee Classification: Executive/Admin & Managerial

Institution: Southwest Tennessee Community College

Department: Institutional Research and Effectiveness

Campus Location: STCC - Multiple Campus Locations

Job Summary

The Director of Institutional Research and Effectiveness will be responsible for leading and managing Southwest Tennessee Community College’s assessment initiatives to ensure the effectiveness, efficiency, and integrity of academic programs. This position plays a key role in ensuring decisions are data-driven with demonstrated evidence-based improvement which is central to Southwest Commitment to student success and core values. The Director will collaborate with administration across the College to develop assessment strategies, oversee program data-analysis to ensure program coherence and sequencing; and utilize assessments that yield valid results supporting continuous improvement.

In conjunction with providing oversight of program assessment activities, the Director of Institutional Research and Effectiveness will provide support for data collection, data analysis, and research activities such as; Strategic planning (adhoc request), state and federal reporting. This position will also serve as a key resource for institutional surveys; internal and external, and the Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP). The Director will support the national and programmatic accreditation process and activities. This position reports to the Associate Vice President of Institutional Research, Planning and Effectiveness (AVPIRPE).

Job Duties

• Direct and lead faculty and academic administrators to develop and implement assessment strategies and frameworks to measure student learning outcomes, program effectiveness, and institutional performance.
• Advise faculty and staff on assessment best practices, methodologies, and tools to ensure the collection of high-quality data that meets accreditation requirements and informs program improvement.
• Oversee the collection, analysis, and interpretation of assessment data, ensuring accuracy and reliability in measurement and reporting, and advising faculty and staff on leveraging assessment data for program enhancement
• Provide the college community with ongoing professional development opportunities and resources related to assessment practices, fostering a culture of continuous improvement and support.
• Coordinate, monitor and evaluate the collection of Academic Program Review (APR), ensuring its collection aligns and supports the submission of the Quality Assurance Funding (QAF).
• Direct and coordinate the distribution and submission of the Community College Survey of Engagement (CCSSE), Survey of Entering Student Engagement (SENSE), and course evaluations.
• Support, disseminate, and analyze program and/or institutional-wide surveys to ensure outcomes are used to promote continuous improvement.
• Support the accreditation process by providing advice and guidance to meet accreditation requirements; writing and/or reviewing reports and assisting with accreditation activities as assigned by the AVIRPE.
• Direct the QEP coordinator in being a champion for the Quality Enhance Plan, promoting and encouraging the adoption of a faculty-driven community college-wide project. Including review and editing narratives, day-to-day activities, budget and staff.
• Direct the collection and analysis of data for the use of historical institutional and programmatic data for the improvement of student retention, student persistence, and the improvement of degree programs.
• Provide oversight for the accuracy and consistency of system generated state and federal reporting.
• Serve on the appropriate committees
• Participate in professional development activities
• Perform other duties as assigned by the AVPIRPE

Minimum Qualifications

• Master's degree
  
• At least three years of progressively responsible higher education administration and leadership experience
  

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Demonstrated experience in assessment, implementation, and analysis within an educational setting, with a focus on advising faculty and staff.
  
• Strong knowledge of assessment methodologies, including qualitative and quantitative research methods, survey design, and statistical analysis.
  
• Excellent communication and presentation skills, with the ability to distill complex information into clear and actionable recommendations for faculty, specifically related to assessment and accreditation.
  
• Strong project management skills, with the ability to prioritize tasks, manage multiple projects simultaneously, and meet deadlines.
  
• Facilitate with developing systems and processes to systematize assessment practice in an efficient and coordinated way.
• Experience with assessment management systems preferred.
  
• Demonstrated leadership and collaboration skills, with the ability to work effectively with stakeholders, including faculty, administrators, and external partners.
  
• A commitment to staying current with developments in assessment practices, educational research, and emerging technologies in the field.
  
• Experience with state and federal reporting submissions (e.g. IPEDS, National Student Clearinghouse)
  
• Experience with student information and reporting systems (e.g. Ellucian Banner, COGNOS Analytics)
  
• Experience with the development and implementation of dashboards and other data visualization tools.
  

The intent of this job description is to provide a representation of the types of duties and responsibilities that will be required of positions given this title and shall not be construed as a declaration of the total specific duties and responsibilities of any particular position. Employees may be directed to perform job-related tasks other than those specifically presented in this description.

Candidates who are called for an interview must notify Human Resources in writing at least five (5) days in advance of any reasonable accommodation needed prior to the date of the interview.

First consideration will be given to current Southwest Tennessee Community College employees who meet the minimum qualifications for the position.

In order to be considered for the position, the following items must be uploaded:

• Resume
• Cover letter
• Unofficial Transcripts

A summary of our benefits can be found below: 

https://www.southwest.tn.edu/hr/benefits-overview.php

Incomplete applications will not be considered.

Southwest Tennessee Community College is a TBR and AA/EEO employer and does not discriminate against students, employees, or applicants for admission or employment on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, disability, age, status as a protected veteran, genetic information, or any other legally protected class with respect to all employment, programs and activities.