Position Summary

The Institutional Research Data and Reporting Analyst supports data-informed decision-making and regulatory compliance by maintaining, analyzing, and reporting institutional data. This position works closely with all Lake Area Tech departments to provide accurate, timely, and meaningful information for planning, accreditation, enrollment management, student success initiatives, compliance reporting, and institutional effectiveness.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Design, develop, maintain, and document reports, queries, and data processes that support institutional research and college operations.
• Write, test, optimize, and troubleshoot SQL queries, stored procedures, views, and related database objects used for institutional reporting and analysis.
• Create standard, recurring, and ad hoc reports for internal stakeholders, leadership teams, accrediting bodies, state and federal agencies, and external partners.
• Collect, validate, clean, and reconcile data from student information systems, learning management systems, and other institutional data sources to ensure accurate, consistent, and integrous reporting.
• Support required external reporting, which may include state reporting (enrollment, retention, completion, etc.), federal reporting (IPEDS, Perkins, NC-SARA, etc.), accreditation reports, and other institutional accountability measures.
• Translate data into clear, user-friendly reports, dashboards, and data summaries that communicate insights and trends on topics such as enrollment, retention, completion, student outcomes, program performance, and workforce-related measures.
• Support strategic planning, program review, and accreditation processes through data analysis.
• Work with campus departments to understand reporting needs, define data requirements, document business rules, and ensure consistent data definitions across the institution.
• Maintain confidentiality and protect sensitive student, employee, and institutional information in accordance with FERPA and other applicable policies and regulations.
• Partner with peers in the technical college system to align data definitions, methodologies, and reporting standards.
• Collaborate with peer institutions and SD Board of Technical Education staff to produce and publish student outcomes and college performance metrics for internal and public use.
• Develop and maintain documentation of data definitions, reporting processes, and compliance timelines.
• Provide technical support, training, and guidance to faculty/staff who use reports, dashboards, or institutional data tools.
• Stay current with and proactively adjust internal practices connected to reporting requirements, institutional research practices, database tools, and business intelligence technologies relevant to higher education.

Required Qualifications

• Associate degree or higher in computer science, information systems, data analytics, statistics, or a related field.
• Experience with relational databases.
• Proficiency writing SQL queries for data extraction, reporting, validation, and analysis.
• Experience creating reports for operational, compliance, planning, or decision-support purposes.
• Ability to analyze data, identify discrepancies, troubleshoot data issues, and communicate findings clearly.
• Strong attention to detail and commitment to accuracy, confidentiality, and documentation.
• Ability to work independently, manage multiple priorities, meet deadlines, and provide responsive service to internal stakeholders.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to explain technical concepts to non-technical users.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working in higher education, institutional research, student records, or a technical college environment.
• Experience with MS Office tools (Excel in particular).
• Experience with reporting tools such as SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS), Power BI, Tableau, or similar business intelligence platforms.
• Experience with programming or scripting languages such as C#, JavaScript, or similar tools.
• Knowledge of data governance best practices.
• Familiarity with student information systems or learning management systems.
• Knowledge of state, federal, or other higher education reporting requirements.
• Experience developing dashboards and automated reports.

 

Reports to: Database Administrator, President

 

225-day contract position with competitive salary and benefits, as set by the Watertown School Board.

Salary range: $50,850.00 - $60,300.00.