New

Director of Institutional Research and Data Management - UC Santa Cruz

Another Source

paid time off

United States, California, Santa Cruz

Mar 06, 2026

Director of Institutional Research and Data Management - UC Santa Cruz

ID

102339

Application Deadline

4/4/2026

Category

Academic Affairs

Company

University of California, Santa Cruz

Job Locations

US-CA-Santa Cruz

At a glance

UC Santa Cruz is hiring a Director of Institutional Research and Data Management in Santa Cruz, CA.

This is a unique opportunity to lead institutional research, analytics, and enterprise data strategy at a leading public research university. The Director will serve as the campus data champion, guiding a talented team and partnering with senior leadership to support data informed decision making across the university.

UC Santa Cruz is currently advancing a major data modernization initiative, implementing a new Common Data Platform and modern analytics tools that will transform how the campus approaches reporting, planning, and institutional effectiveness.

This role offers remote flexibility with periodic travel to campus, typically once per month or once per quarter.

Description: What you'll be doing

Another Source's client,UC Santa Cruz, is recruitingaDirector of Institutional Research and Data Managementto join their team in Santa Cruz, California. This role offers remote flexibility, with the expectation of being on campusapproximately onceper month or once per quarter.

Here'sa 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 itsCommon 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 thatadvisesthe 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 provideaccurate, 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 lookingposition. 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 thisstrong foundationto 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.

Scope & Impact

Strategic Leadership & Institutional Research (30%)

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.
Guidethe 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).
Providedata-driven insights to supportexecutivedecision-making, strategic planning, and institutional effectiveness.
Oversee the design andexecution 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.

Data Management & Stewardship (30%)

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.

Project Leadership & Innovation (15%)

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.

Staff and Resource Management (15%)

Supervise and mentor a team of professional analysts, datascientistsand technical staff.
Oversee recruitment, training, performance evaluation, and professional development.
Manage unit budgets andallocateresources to support strategic priorities and operational excellence.

Stakeholder Engagement & Communication (10%)

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 orparticipatein 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).

Qualifications

Significant leadership experience in institutional research, analytics, or enterprise data management, ideally within higher education or a complex research environment.
Deepexpertisein 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.

Compensation & Benefits

The salary range for this position is $200,000 - $230,000 annually.

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

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

The University of California is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receiveconsideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity,national origin, disability, age, protected veteran status or other protected categories covered by the UCAntiDiscriminationPolicy.

Another Source works with their clients, on a retained project basis. We are committed to building inclusive candidate pools as we partner with hiring teams. As youread throughthe job posting and review the list of qualifications (requiredand/or preferred), please do notself-select out if you feel you do not meet every qualification. No one is 100% qualified. We encourage you to apply and share your story with us.

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