Institutional Research Analyst

The salary of the finalist selected for this role will be set based on a variety of factors, including but not limited to departmental budgets, qualifications, experience, education, licenses, specialty, and training. The above hiring range represents the University's good faith and reasonable estimate of the range of possible compensation at the time of posting.

Position Summary

The Institutional Research Analyst (Temporary 6-month position) is an integral part of a cross-functional team that supports the Office of the Dean within Columbia Engineering. The objective is to support data-driven planning and decision-making and to support continuous improvement efforts across the School. This team develops relationships with various units across the Office of the Dean, which includes but is not limited to Budget and Finance, Engineering Student Affairs, Faculty Affairs, and Human Resources.

Specifically, the Institutional Research Analyst is responsible for developing, managing and maintaining various data assets (e.g., reports, dashboards) with guidance from the Director of Institutional Reporting and Analytics. This role will focus on areas related to Budget, Financial reporting, and Sponsored Projects. We work on various projects that require creativity, a growth mindset, and the ability to generate new ideas based on the School's priorities. The incumbent will work with colleagues within the Dean's Office to gather and refine data requirements and then use varied data sources to retrieve and clean data, perform the appropriate analysis and assessment, and then report on that data. Experience working in team-based environments and supporting knowledge translation efforts is necessary to thrive in this role.

Since this team supports various facets of the School, domain-specific knowledge within each area is not required; however, it is preferred to have an understanding of financial reporting within higher education environments and an understanding of the undergraduate and graduate student experience.

The Institutional Research Analyst will report to the Director of Institutional Reporting and Analytics and will work closely with the Chief Financial and Administrative Officer of Columbia Engineering, as well as other members of the Finance and HR team.

Responsibilities

(35%) : Provide data and reports for both regularly required data as well as ad-hoc requests for data from various stakeholders. Respond quickly to user requests and provide ad-hoc reports and datasets in response to requests from various departments. Develop and automate student enrollment, student funding, and financial reports. Assist with tracking financial activity across the School against commitments.

(30%) Extract data from the Financial Data Store (FDS), Student Information System (SIS), and other university-managed data systems using SQL and Python for various requests for information. Quickly assess user needs and translate them into clear and concise data requirements to ensure data and reports are provided in a timely fashion. Maintain documentation in the form of code and solutions for transmission to other data users.

(20%) : Work with the Director to prepare reports and presentations for various audiences using data collected and analyzed. Prepare and present data to various audiences using data visualizations and narrative reports in a way that stakeholders can easily understand. Produce dashboards and reports that visualize data, making them easily translatable and useful for business decisions.

(10%) : Work with various datasets to execute reconciliation with data and provide accurate and detailed reports. Supports new initiatives to create and maintain robust accountability systems, including the development of assessment tools.

(5)% : Performs other tasks, duties, and responsibilities as required

Minimum Qualifications

Bachelor's degree in statistics, data science, social sciences, or a related field required. 2-4 years of related experience in higher education-related organizations.

Demonstrated data management skills, including the ability to manage large data sets and experience leveraging relational database management systems (RDBMS).

Proficiency with SQL (e.g., joins, aggregate functions, subqueries) and Python, along with advanced proficiency in Excel. Competency with Google scripting is a plus.

Skill and experience with descriptive statistics, large data sets, and quantitative research methods.

Creativity for displaying data based on the audience and knowledge of data visualization techniques and tools (e.g., PowerBI).

Strong attention to detail, flexibility, and ability to work well independently and as part of a team.

Experience in higher education, particularly in an institutional research office, is also desirable.

Proficiency in organizing and reporting data with strong attention to detail and accuracy and ability to solve complex research methodology. Experience in interpreting and evaluating research results.

Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills with prior experience in variance analysis and financial modeling preferred.

Positive, mission-oriented, forward-thinking attitude and sense of humor a must.

Equal Opportunity Employer / Disability / Veteran

Columbia University is committed to the hiring of qualified local residents.