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Job Description
The Nevada System of Higher Education (NSHE) invites applications and nominations for the position of Executive Director of Institutional Research. This is a renewable, full-time, non-tenured, administrative position and reports to the Vice Chancellor, Academic and Student Affairs. The position may be physically located in either Las Vegas or Reno, Nevada.
The NSHE is comprised of eight institutions: three universities, four community colleges and a research institute. The public system of higher education in Nevada continues to experience growth with significant opportunities in serving over 105,000 students and 15,000 employees.
The Executive Director provides strategic direction for the Institutional Research department and serves as the bridge between NSHE's data capacity and the leaders who depend on it. The position exists to ensure that NSHE leadership, the Board of Regents, and state policymakers have accurate, timely, and well-interpreted data to inform policy and decision-making; that all reporting mandated by Board policy and state statute is produced on schedule; that data governance, privacy, and quality standards are established and upheld across the system; and that the department operates as a planned, resilient, and forward-looking organization rather than a reactive one. Within NSHE, the position leads implementation of data initiatives tied to the Success by Design strategic plan and represents the system in cross-agency and national data initiatives.
SALARY/GRADE: This position offers a competitive compensation package commensurate with the candidate’s education, experience, and certification/training. In addition to base salary*, employees enjoy a comprehensive benefits package that includes:
- Comprehensive Health Insurance: includes health, dental, vision, and life insurance. Additionally, an employer paid long term disability plan is included.
- Outstanding Retirement Plan: professional employees are required to participate in the 401(a) Retirement Plan Alternative (RPA). Employee contributions of 19.25% are matched 100% by the employer and employees experience an immediate vesting in the plan. Employees who currently or previously participated in Public Employees Retirement System (PERS) of Nevada may be eligible to continue in the PERS plan.
- Paid Leave: generous annual leave (accrual of 2 days per month), sick leave (granted 30 days at time of hire), 12 paid holidays, and paid family leave.
- Education Benefit: employees and their qualified dependents may take advantage of a tuition savings benefit. Faculty may take up to six credits per semester at a reduced rate and their dependents may access an unlimited number of credits, if they meet specific criteria.
- Additional Perks: Employee assistance programs and professional development opportunities.
*Pursuant NSHE Policy: “Initial placement must fall between the minimum salary and Q2/median/mid-range on the applicable salary schedule.” To view the salary range for this position, please visit: Salary Schedules and select NSHE Administrative Salary Schedule, Grade E.
APPROXIMATE STARTING DATE: December 15, 2026
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: A Master's degree from an institution accredited by a federally recognized accrediting body in a relevant field (such as data science, statistics, education, public policy, or information systems) with five (5) years of progressively responsible experience in institutional research, data analytics, or a closely related field, including supervisory experience, is required. In addition, hands-on experience with SQL and relational databases and an extensive understanding of data associated with secondary education is also required.
Preference will be given to candidates with experience in a higher education system office, with statewide longitudinal data systems, and with Oracle, Tableau, and web technologies such as PHP, HTML/CSS, and JavaScript.
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES: Successful candidates must possess the following knowledge, skills, and abilities. Recommend that applicants for this position address some of the following elements in the resume or cover letter:
- Institutional research practice and higher education data systems, including IPEDS, the National Student Clearinghouse, and statewide longitudinal data systems
- Data governance, student data privacy, and FERPA and applicable state statutes
- NSHE structure, Board of Regents policy, and the state legislative and budget process
- Research methodology and statistical techniques, from descriptive analysis to advanced data mining
- Data architecture and reporting technologies sufficient to bridge communication between technical staff and cabinet-level leadership
- Nevada's workforce data landscape, including statewide labor market projections, and K-12 education data systems and their integration with higher education
- Data governance frameworks that support performance-based funding models and institutional accountability
- Strategic planning and prioritization across competing stakeholder demands
- Consensus building and facilitating alignment among stakeholders with diverse or conflicting interests
- Supervision, mentorship, and staff development
- Budget development and management, including externally funded projects
- Advanced written and oral communication, including data storytelling for executive, Board, and legislative audiences
- Working proficiency with SQL, relational databases, and business intelligence tools such as Tableau, sufficient to write and review queries and maintain dashboards directly
- Working familiarity with web technologies such as HTML/CSS and PHP, sufficient to support website and content management system maintenance
- Ability to translate complex technical analyses into clear guidance for non-technical decision-makers
- Ability to distill large volumes of complex information into decision-ready insights
- Ability to exercise sound judgment on matters where the answer is not apparent and the consequences are significant
- Ability to negotiate agreements that protect student privacy while enabling legitimate research and reporting
- Ability to manage competing priorities and stringent deadlines across simultaneous reporting cycles
RESPONSIBILITIES: The duties of this position will include, but not be limited to, the following areas of responsibility:
- Lead the implementation of data initiatives tied directly to the Nevada System of Higher Education’s (NSHE) Success by Design strategic plan, including tracking equity, access, completion, and workforce goals through data-informed metrics and systemwide reporting.
- Direct the complete data lifecycle for informed decision-making, setting priorities and standards for design, collection, analysis, reporting, and timely distribution of accurate data.
- Engage with and respond to the needs of NSHE leadership, the Board of Regents, and state legislators, helping them understand what data is available and how it can be utilized to inform policy and decision-making.
- Serve as an expert resource during legislative sessions and Board of Regents meetings, providing testimony, briefings, and policy analysis grounded in institutional data.
- Identify and pursue external funding opportunities and serve as the data and research capacity supporting institutional grant applications.
- Represent NSHE in regional and national data and research networks to align systemwide practice with emerging standards.
- Supervise the Senior Data Engineer and the department’s externally funded position, including coordinating cross-training and distributing shared production duties for data warehouse support, reporting, and website maintenance across the department.
- Develop succession and continuity plans ensuring departmental knowledge and critical functions survive staff transitions.
- Manage budgets for externally funded data projects, including tracking expenditures and preparing invoices and supporting documentation for funding partners.
- Direct training, onboarding, and technical support for institutional research staff across NSHE to build capacity and ensure consistency in reporting practices.
- Update report content as trends and needs change, determining necessary inclusions and available data, and building institutional consensus.
- Support the integration of new systemwide tools and visualizations aligned with strategic plan metrics and Board reporting priorities.
- Lead modernization and automation of processes to improve efficiency and accuracy, including integration of AI where appropriate.
- Manage and oversee comprehensive analysis and reporting for institutional needs, including enrollment trends, remedial programs, diversity initiatives, faculty workload, and other research requests.
- Interpret complex data using diverse techniques, ranging from fundamental descriptive statistical analysis to advanced data mining methodologies.
- Oversee the exchange of data for the Statewide Longitudinal Data System (SLDS) with the Nevada Department of Education (NDE) and the Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation (DETR), serve as the designated committee representative as defined in Nevada Revised Statutes (NRS) 400, and direct longitudinal reporting for secondary and postsecondary decision-makers.
- Provide essential support to Academic and Student Affairs (ASA) and Budget and Finance departments, directing the fulfillment of data requests.
- Ensure production of all reporting mandated by Board policy or regulatory guidelines.
- Negotiate, execute, and maintain data-sharing agreements and memoranda of understanding with state agencies, institutions, and research partners.
- Serve as the accountable authority for student data privacy, ensuring compliance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and applicable state statutes across all data exchanges and releases.
- Ensure data integrity and uphold reporting standards through data security protocols and regular audits of key data elements.
- Establish data validation rules, data definitions, and collection standards in collaboration with institutions.
- Oversee data quality across all NSHE institutional reporting, directing resolution of systemic data issues.
- Serve as the department’s representative to external data partners and governance bodies.
- Share accountability with departmental staff for data warehouse operations, including review of institutional data submissions, data quality audits, and coverage of warehouse loads and file submission portal processing during peak reporting cycles and staff absences.
- Produce scheduled and ad hoc reports directly when departmental capacity requires, including writing and reviewing SQL queries against the NSHE data warehouse and SLDS tables.
- Share responsibility for maintenance of the Institutional Research website, data dashboards, and the CCN and APIS content management systems, including content updates and review of published material for accuracy, small-cell suppression, and accessibility.
- Maintain sufficient working knowledge of departmental systems and processes to serve as cross-trained backup, so that no critical function depends on a single staff member.
TO APPLY: The application process will be managed through the Workday online search process. Applicants should fully describe qualifications and experience, since the initial review will serve to evaluate applicants based on documented, relevant qualifications and professional work experience. Applications will be considered incomplete without all requested materials. References will only be contacted for those who advance to the final phase of the search and with prior consent of the applicant. The review of materials will begin immediately. Materials should be addressed to Dymphna Calica La Putt, Human Resources, and are to be submitted via online application at http://system.nevada.edu/Careers/index.htm For assistance with NSHE’s on-line applicant portal, contact dcalicalaputt@nshe.nevada.edu.
INTERNAL APPLICANTS: Current employees within the Nevada System of Higher Education MUST use the “Find Jobs” process within Workday to find and apply for jobs at NSHE institutions. Once you log into Workday and type “Find Jobs” in the search box which will navigate to the internal job posting site. Locate the specific job posting by typing the requisition number (e.g., R0000000) in the search box.
APPLICATION DEADLINE: Applications may be submitted until the position is filled. The review of materials will begin immediately, however, for full consideration applications should be submitted by Sunday, November 15, 2026.
For more information about the Nevada System of Higher Education, please visit our website at www.nevada.edu. The Nevada System of Higher Education hires only United States citizens and aliens lawfully authorized to work in the U.S. The NSHE is an affirmative action, equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate based on race, color, religion, sex, age, creed, national origin, veteran status, physical or mental disability, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression.
Exempt
Yes
Full-Time Equivalent
100.0%
Required Attachment(s)
Application materials must include a current resume, detailed cover letter, names, addresses, and telephone numbers of four professional references willing to be contacted.
Posting Close Date
01/31/2027
Note to Applicant
A background check will be conducted on the candidate(s) selected for hire.
References will be contacted at the appropriate phase of the recruitment process.
As part of the hiring process, applicants for positions in the Nevada System of Higher Education may be required to demonstrate the ability to perform job-related tasks.
All document(s) must be received on or before the closing date of the job announcements. Schedules are subject to change based on organizational needs.
HR will attempt to verify academic credentials upon receipt of hiring documents.
