Data Strategist

DATA STRATEGIST

HAROLD WASHINGTON 

CITY COLLEGES OF CHICAGO

The Office of Strategy and Institutional Intelligence’s mission is to generate, evaluate, and implement strategic initiatives that create sustainable long-term improvements for the colleges and the district in alignment with City Colleges’ student-centric mission, vision, and goals.

Harold Washington College is proud to be a member of the Caring Campus network. Caring Campus is a model of professional development that works to implement strong and consistent behavioral commitments for all employees in regard to how they interact with students. As a result of this work, employees become engaged with students on a level that has not occurred before. The core benefit of this work is making a connection with students, many of whom have not had an adult who has cared about them in an educational system.

JOB SUMMARY

Reporting to an Associate Vice Chancellor, the position plays a significant role in institutionalizing a continuous improvement and performance-based culture at City Colleges of Chicago, and ensuring fact-based accountability at program, employee and system-levels. Provides strategic data analysis, monitoring strategic metrics, developing and facilitating the tracking of leading performance indicators, and supporting district and colleges in the strategic use of data. Performs related duties as required.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES

• Provide data and analytic support: Conduct strategic data analysis, identify insights and implications from institutional data and make strategic recommendations to executive and senior staff. Develop data displays that clearly communicate complex analyses to multiple audiences, including executive and senior staff.
• Facilitate performance metric monitoring: Monitor District and college strategic metrics through performance dialog forums. Work with staff at different levels of the organization to create metrics, set goals and conduct analyses; use operational data in real time to develop and execute action plans focused on improving institutional practices, policies, procedures and ultimately student success. Build structures, tools and routines to institutionalize a data-driven culture of student success.
• Work cross-functionally across the organization: Maintain cross-functional visibility across all departments to help push strategic initiatives forward and surface critical issues. Provide ongoing oversight and support to management and decision making to ensure that measures are being used to effectively manage operations and effect institutional change.
• Develop and refine institutional data capacity through data use: Support development of district/college-wide data collection, analysis and dissemination of policies and practices; train researchers and staff to make meaningful data conections.

Data Strategist

• Develop and refine institutional data capacity through knowledge sharing: facilitate regular reviews with district/college team; synthesize and share key insights across projects. Develop, maintain and train teams on infrastructure (such as Sharepoint) to support knowledge management.
• Develop and refine institutional data capacity through capacity building: Help staff use data in real-time, lead data capacity building trainings on data literacy. Support development tools, templates, and reports that address the needs of building data capacity across CCC.

REPORTING RELATIONSHIPS

Reports to: Associate Vice Chancellor

Direct: None

QUALIFICATIONS

Education, Training and Experience

• A Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in a quantitative discipline such as statistics, business, mathematics, economics public policy; or a related field of study. A Master’s degree is highly preferred.
• Three years of relevant research experience, with demonstrated experience in quantitative and qualitative research methods and statistics
• A combination of education and experience may be taken into consideration based on the applicant’s credentials
• High level of proficiency in the use of Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint)
• Experience with statistical analysis software such as SAS highly desirable
• Experience in quantitative statistical analysis highly desirable
• Experience in the development of performance metrics and continuous improvement systems and tools desirable
• Familiarity with Access and SQL data query skills a plus

The following generally describes the Knowledge, Skills and Abilities required to enter the job and/or be learned within a short period of time to successfully perform the assigned duties

Knowledge, Skills and Ability

• Knowledge of best practices in project management and strategic planning
• Knowledge of research, assessment and planning activities in a higher education environment
• Knowledge of quantitative and qualitative research methods
• Knowledge of critical issues in higher education and understanding of education performance data
• Strong oral and written communication skills

Data Strategist

• Strong analytical and problem solving skills
• Strong data management skills
• Strong project management skills
• Ability to clearly and effectively communicate data and methodological details to non-technical audiences
• Ability to work within a culturally diverse environment
• Ability to work independently and manage time effectively
• Ability to manage competing priorities and handle multiple projects
• Ability to combine complex datasets and to manipulate large datasets as part of data analysis

Working Conditions

• General Office environment
• Some travel to various city colleges within District 508

Equipment

• Standard office equipment
• Computers and peripheral equipment

Physical Requirements

• Ability to operate computers and related equipment and software

Worker Characteristics

• Leadership – Demonstrate willingness to lead, take charge, and offer opinions and direction
• Attention to Detail – Requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks
• Initiative – Demonstrates willingness to take on responsibilities and job challenges
• Dependability – Demonstrates reliability, responsibility, and dependability and fulfill obligations.
• Analytical Thinking – Analyzes information and use logic to address work issues
• Technologically Informed – Capable user of technology who understands the role of technology in the institution and who will guide and support its efficient and effective use

The rate paid is in accordance with City Colleges approved salary scale.

Benefits information is found at https://www.ccc.edu/departments/Benefits/

We are an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer.
Thank you for your interest in CCC!

Approved by Compensation and Classification Date: January, 2015

The intent of this job description is to provide a general description of the duties and responsibilities of this position. It is not intended to be an exhaustive set of the duties and responsibilities, nor all of the necessary qualifications to perform the work.

(Job Description created September 23, 2013; revised July, 2014 )