Director of Research

Research Director

 

Information About The System:

The Colorado Community College System is the state's largest and fastest growing system of higher education.  We are unique in the country in terms of our governance and oversight responsibilities.  The System has governance responsibility for 13 state community colleges offering a variety of career and academic programs.  Additionally, the System assists the State Board for Community College and Occupational Education in exercising certain curriculum and funding authority over 4 area vocational schools, 2 local district community colleges, and career and technical programs in over 150 school districts throughout the state. 

 

Job Summary:

The Colorado Community College System (CCCS) seeks a dedicated professional to direct the system’s research efforts including the creation of a research office and cohort tracking system and providing research and analysis to support policy recommendations.  This position will be responsible for research and analysis of system, state, national, and international data and trends and management and maintenance of the data.  In addition, this position will provide a leadership role in advocating for program needs to system colleges, system executives, and policy makers. The position is in the President’s Office.  Salary is commensurate with experience.

 

Essential Functions:

 Hire and Supervise IR staff and IR projects/activities to ensure quality, accuracy, timeliness, and consistency.Manage system office institutional research efforts.Create and oversee IR staff work expectations and projects (duties organizational chart) and track data requests to ensure prompt and accurate data delivery.Serve as both an internal (IR) and external (colleges) advisor for techniques of institutional research, research methodologies, survey design, data collection, analysis, and reporting processes.Develop and oversee reports clearinghouse and associated processes to coordinate and track all reporting for the CCCS; e.g. IPEDS, CCHE, NCA, etc.Create and maintain term-specific frozen data file archives for "official" student information for census and end of term reporting purposes; develop IR publications related to data and facts collected.Direct legislative data collection and reporting processes for CCCS.Direct Performance Indicators reporting processes to include IR-specific data collection and reporting.Serve as institutional data contact for system and state data reporting and data verification purposes; e.g., SURDS, WIA, etc.

·  Develop benchmarks, data bases, analytical studies and presentations, and other tools to support and coordinate planning and decision making processes.

·  Provide information in support of strategic planning.Direct the research, organization, analysis and maintenance of CCCS, state, national, and international data related to emerging jobs and industry requirements, educational programs, student outcomes including employment and trend data affecting community college education for the purpose of planning and making policy recommendations. Prepare data reports; present data to the System President, college presidents, and other internal and external constituencies (in both written and verbal form);Advise System leadership, within a data-driven framework, of tactics to enhance the System’s strategic direction in order to meet performance standards;Manage and maintain existing CCCS databases; revise and update databases, as necessary, to accommodate programmatic and/or procedural changes.Other projects and duties as assigned.

 

Essential Qualifications

 

·  Education and Training: Graduation from a college/university with at least a Masters degree (PhD preferred) in research related field.

·  Five to seven years of increasingly responsible professional experience which includes supervision of staff, organizational or educational research experience, organizational communication or any combination of education and experience.

·  Prior Related Experience: Extensive knowledge of institutional research methods and practices, statistics, measurement and qualitative methods. Working knowledge of research theory, basic statistics and survey design. Working knowledge of computer programming, e.g. SPSS, Sequel, etc. Working knowledge of student information, collection methods, research design, sampling, data analysis and report preparation.

·  Other Qualifications: Ability to communicate effectively, verbally and in writing. Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with all levels of system office staff, and colleges, as well as units external to the organization such as the Colorado Commission on Higher Education (CCHE), U.S. Department of Education, NCA, etc.  Ability to organize and manage work teams and work products effectively and efficiently.  Ability to manage operational budget. 

 

Application Process:

 

Submit a current resume and cover letter addressing the position requirements, and a list of three professional references and phone numbers to:

 

  Jobs@cccs.edu

  Fax:  303-620-4030

  Mail:  9101 E. Lowry Blvd.

    Denver, CO  80230

 

A review of applications will begin immediately and will continue until the position is filled. Incomplete applications may not be considered.  Candidates will be evaluated on the basis of their qualifications as related to the duties and responsibilities of the position.

 

 Equal Opportunity Employer  -The Colorado Community College System is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of age, race, religion, color, national origin, sex, or disability in its activities, programs, or employment practices as required by Title VI, Title IX, and Section 504, Age Discrimination Act, and Title II of the ADA.  Written inquiries may be referred to the Director of Affirmative Action, 9101 E. Lowry Blvd., Denver, CO 80230-6011, or by phone at 303-620-4000. Former employees of the Colorado Community College System or one of its 13 colleges, who were disciplinarily terminated or resigned in lieu of termination, must disclose this within your application materials.This position may require irregular hours, including nights and weekends, as well as working more than eight (8) hours per day at certain times.  Candidates must successfully pass a criminal background check prior to hire.