Bemidji State University (BSU) and Northwest Technical College (NTC) invite applicants to join our team as an Institutional Research Analyst. This position plays a critical role in supporting the data, analytics, and reporting functions for BSU and NTC. Reporting to the Head of Staff, this position provides advanced data analysis, reporting, modeling, and technical expertise to support institutional planning, enrollment management, academic affairs, student success initiatives, accreditation, and regulatory compliance across both institutions.
 
As a key technical contributor within the Institutional Research Office, the Analyst collaborates closely with institutional leaders and partners across both institutions to support data-informed decision-making. This role contributes to building a modern, integrated, and forward-looking institutional research and analytics function aligned with strategic priorities.
 
This role operates within a cross-institutional environment, supporting aligned data practices and reporting across both BSU and NTC
 
Responsibilities of the Institutional Research Analyst include: 

• Data Analysis and Institutional Reporting. (Percent of Time: 40%)
  • Retrieving, cleaning, validating, and analyzing institutional data from internal and external systems to support institutional decision-making.
  • Developing recurring and ad hoc reports in response to requests from academic, administrative, and executive leadership.
  • Building and maintaining dashboards, visualizations, and reporting tools aligned with institutional key performance indicators (KPIs) and strategic priorities.
  • Conducting disaggregated analyses to support the identification of equity gaps and informing inclusive student success strategies.
  • In coordination with IT, maintaining and updating power BI reports and the BI server.
  • Contributing to the preparation and validation of required state, federal, accreditation, and Minnesota State system reports.
  • Incorporating external data sources, including benchmarking and workforce or demographic data, where appropriate to support institutional analysis.
  • Maintaining data documentation and ensuring accuracy in alignment with institution-wide data governance standards.
  • Assisting in developing ad-hoc queries, dashboards and reports for other areas on campus (e.g. Records, Financial Aid, Finance, etc.). Applying sound analytical judgment in selecting appropriate methodologies, data sources, and reporting approaches to meet institutional needs.
• Academic Affairs and Enrollment Analytics. (Percent of Time: 25%)
  • Analyzing enrollment trends, admissions data, retention rates, course enrollments, faculty workload data, and program performance indicators.
  • Developing and supporting forecasting models related to enrollment, scheduling, and student success.
  • Providing data analysis to assist Deans, School Chairs, and enrollment leaders in planning, assessment, and resource allocation.
  • Contributing to equity-focused analyses to identify opportunity gaps and informing institutional improvement strategies.
• Institutional Effectiveness and Assessment Support. (Percent of Time: 15%)
  • Administering institutional surveys and assisting in survey design, implementation, and analysis, working collaboratively with campus stakeholders to ensure alignment with institutional priorities and informational needs.
  • Compiling and analyzing survey results and assessment data to support accreditation and institutional effectiveness efforts, partnering with academic and administrative units to ensure data is contextualized, accurate, and actionable.
  • Assisting academic and administrative units in interpreting performance metrics and assessment findings, facilitating understanding and use of data to inform decision-making, planning, and continuous improvement. 
• Data Governance and Technical Collaboration. (Percent of Time: 10%)
  • Supporting implementation of campus-wide and cross-institutional data governance standards and reporting procedures.
  • Collaborating with Information Technology and institutional stakeholders to ensure accurate data extraction and alignment across systems.
  • Identifying data inconsistencies and recommending improvements to enhance reporting reliability and process efficiency.
  • Working effectively within a shared governance environment, supporting collaboration with faculty, staff, and administrative partners.
• Professional development Cross-Functional Collaboration. (Percent of Time: 10%)
  • Collaborating with colleagues across BSU and NTC to advance a culture of evidence-based decision-making.
  • Maintaining professional knowledge of best practices in institutional research, analytics, and reporting methodologies.
  • Supporting additional projects and initiatives as assigned by the Head of Staff. 

Minimum qualifications for this position include: 

• Bachelor’s degree in statistics, data science, higher education, public policy, social sciences, or a related field, with at least three (3) years of professional experience in data analysis, institutional research, or a related analytical role.
• Demonstrated experience working with large datasets, database systems, and relational database querying, including proficiency in SQL and data extraction methodologies.
• Minimum two (2) years of experience developing dashboards and reports using business intelligence tools such as Power BI, along with Microsoft Access development.
• Experience with statistical analysis and statistical software (e.g., SPSS, SAS, Tableau) and knowledge of institutional research principles and higher education data systems.
• Proven ability to analyze and interpret complex quantitative data and produce clear, accurate analytical reports for both technical and non-technical audiences.
• Ability to translate data into actionable insights that support planning, assessment, decision-making, and compliance with state, federal, and accreditation reporting requirements.
• Strong attention to detail, commitment to data integrity, effective project management skills, and demonstrated commitment to advancing equity and student success through data-informed practices. 

Preferred qualifications include: 

• Master’s degree in a related field.
• Experience Developing in Workday Report Writer
• Experience with MinnState’s ISRS system and data structures.
• Experience in higher education or public-sector institutional research.
• Experience with predictive modeling and enrollment analytics.
• Experience supporting accreditation or regulatory reporting processes.
• Experience within Minnesota State or a comparable public higher education system.
• A demonstrated commitment to the principles of diversity, equity, inclusion, and anti-racism.

To facilitate the review, assessment, and evaluation process, please ensure that your application and/or resume clearly demonstrate fulfillment of the minimum and preferred qualifications of the position. The application materials submitted will be utilized for salary placement purposes.