Data Analyst and Evaluation Specialist - Waterloo, Canada - University of Waterloo

University of Waterloo

Verified Company

Waterloo, Canada

2 weeks ago

Posted by:

Sophia Lee

beBee Recruiter

Description

Overview:

The Data Analyst and Evaluation Specialist provides data analysis and insights to support operational and strategic decision making pertinent to student success.

This includes responsibility for sourcing, understanding, consolidating, and analyzing data to support university wide, faculty specific and department level student success initiatives including but not limited to academic success and retention (e.g., University 101 and the Foundation term), new student transition initiatives (e.g., 7000+ new undergraduate first year students), cross campus advising strategy (200+ advisors) and supporting new and evolving strategic initiatives.

Insights inform strategic direction and leadership decisions for campus wide, faculty specific or department level initiatives.

Effective communication of analysis and findings is a key attribute of this role and essential to enable all stakeholders (e.g., department heads, managers, directors) to have context for recommendations and actions.

Responsibilities:

Data Acquisition and management

Operates within University policies and exercises best practices for privacy and confidentiality, and records and information management. Advises internal stakeholders on best practices for data and records management
Creates and maintains documentation as needed to ensure business continuity and best practices are used consistently by the SSO
Develops a deep understanding of available data, systems, dictionaries, and distribution channels from multiple information systems across the university
Operates with data quality standards and identifies data anomalies and discrepancies to appropriate institutional data stewards for resolution
Explores utilization of tools, systems, and practices to recommend and improve data and information analysis
Applies descriptive and inferential statistics to understand trends, patterns, and dependencies with respect to a variety of strategic and operational issues
Collaborates with campus partners (i.e., APS units, faculties) to improve and automate data reporting and dissemination (e.g., Power BI dashboards)
Consults with Institutional Analysis and Planning (IAP) and Information Systems and Technology (IST) and other departments on the design, implementation, testing and operation of any computer systems required for the collection, storage, reporting and analysis of data and trends related to student success
Educates themselves and others on understanding how bias, privilege and discrimination can impact data collection and overall interpretation of information

Data Analysis and Reporting

Communicates findings, recommendations, and data through reports, presentations, and visual analytics
Collaborates with IAP, UWaterloo Life (Associate Provost, Students Office), MUR, faculties, and other departments to further analyze data from large institutional student surveys (e.g., National Survey of Student Engagement, Incoming Student Survey, Student Experience Survey, iBarometer, etc.) and develop complementary inquiries that inform department level and university level responses. The Specialist makes recommendations on how university level data informs SSO strategic direction (e.g., strategic direction of faculty action plans)
Supports the Associate Provost, Students (APS) office insights initiatives by providing SSO student engagement data to support evidencebased decisionmaking and articulation of the student experience journey
Prioritizes and responds to ad hoc and routine data inquiries
Uses an equity and antiracist informed approach to qualitative and quantitative data collection, interpretation, and dissemination
Responsible for updating and continuously improving (e.g., automation) power BI dashboards from different data sources
Works with multiple, varied clients (department heads, Associate Deans) to identify, clarify, and fully understand their questions or problems to provide effective data answers and solutions
Develops accurate graphs, reports, dashboards, and presentations to convey complex information in an understandable and compelling manner
Supports indicator development and ongoing reporting for SSO operational and strategic measures
Analyzes trends and patterns over time using various benchmarks and comparative data

Leadership, relationships, and consultation

Provides strategic direction to the management and leadership teams in the creation and ongoing maintenance of their outcomesbased evaluation plans, data gathering methods, tools, analysis, and use of the results to support the strategic direction of the office including faculty specific and campus wide initiatives
Provides training and competency building opportunities to all SSO staff in support of building and maintaining a culture of evidence
Supports and advises the SSO leadership team with respect to any new or evolving research strategies, opportunities, and results as well as any analyses that may assist with dec