Associate Provost, Institutional Research and Effectiveness

About North Park

Founded in 1891, North Park University is a Christian university affiliated with the Evangelical Covenant Church of over 3,200 students from around the country and the world.

North Park University is located in the Albany Park neighborhood of Chicago, one of the most ethnically diverse zip codes in the United States. It is nine miles from downtown Chicago. The North Park campus has often been referred to as an oasis in the heart of the city – a place where students from urban, rural, and suburban backgrounds alike can call home. And all of this within the major metropolitan backdrop of Chicago: one of the world’s largest and most diversified economies, renowned for its museums and music, and voted best large city in the U.S. for four years in a row by Condé Nast Traveler.

Mission

The mission of North Park University is to prepare students for lives of significance and service through education in the liberal arts, professional studies, and theology.

Vision

Building on our core institutional identity—Christian, city-centered, intercultural—our vision is to create a university of uncommon character and enduring excellence, where faith, learning, and service meet.

Position Summary

The Associate Provost for Institutional Research and Effectiveness is located in the provost’s office and is responsible for advising the campus community in data-driven decision-making as requested for advancing the strategic goals of the university, coordinating the university’s academic assessment process, and assisting in accreditation requirements for the institution. The position reports to the provost but works in collaboration with key departments across campus, closely advising the senior leadership team as well as North Park Theological Seminary (NPTS).

Responsibilities:

• Assists in creating and implementing a “culture of continuous improvement” and a “culture of assessment and documentation” related to overall institutional effectiveness.
• Serves as central resource for institutional data and a key partner in the development and monitoring of strategic indicators.
• Advises the Provost and senior staff on data needs for planning and evaluation purposes and on developments in the external environment that have a bearing on the institution’s mission, goals, and initiatives.
• Compiles, collects, organizes, enters, computes, analyzes, interprets, and verifies accuracy and completeness of data used to include generating reports, charts, graphs, providing recommendations, information and/or data for decision-making, planning and institutional effectiveness.
• Oversees the College’s external reporting, which includes serving as the Keyholder to the Integrated Post-Secondary Education Data System (IPEDS).
• Assists in developing and overseeing the college assessment of student learning, in collaboration with the divisional deans, program chairs, and faculty committees.
• Works with Enrollment Services, Student Engagement, and the Registrar to track enrollment, retention, student success, and graduation trends.
• Establishes and maintain a regular cycle of university assessment.
• Collaborates with faculty and staff, departments, offices, and programs (instructional and non-instructional) in routine or special projects to develop and design tools for data collection, survey administration, and summarization of the findings; this includes a robust annual and comprehensive academic program review.
• Assesses institutional outcomes and contributes to reporting for Higher Learning Commission (HLC) accreditation.
• Under the direction of the Provost, the Associate Provost will aid the university in its preparation for accreditation documents as appropriate.
• Prepares and submits external reports on a timely basis.
• Develops and updates the college’s statistical profile (i.e., fact book).
• Responds to internal and external surveys, reports, and analysis requests and to ad hoc inquiries.
• Manages the course evaluation process in coordination with other departments.

Requirements

• Master’s degree in relevant field of study such as statistics, mathematics, business, or other related discipline.
• Five to seven years’ of increasingly progressive experience involving statistical research, review, analysis, interpretation, and reporting required.
• Possess extensive knowledge of critical data analysis and reporting tools, including SQL, statistical analysis packages (such as SPSS, SAS, R) data visualization tools (such as Microsoft Power BI or Tableau) and other appropriate alternative software to the extent required to effectively perform the essential functions of the position.
• Proficient with Microsoft Office (Word, Access, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint).
• Successful use of data resources to compile information that supports administrative planning and decision-making.
• Knowledge of qualitative and quantitative research methods, particularly statistical and survey methods.
• Demonstrated ability to work with students, faculty and staff from a wide range of social and cultural backgrounds.
• Committed to and an articulate supporter of the university’s mission, identity, and Christian faith commitment.
• Personal commitment to North Park’s mission of Christian higher education.
• Communicate effectively using a variety of styles and techniques appropriate to facilitate inquiry, inform or persuade the intended audience.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including experience presenting research results to administrators and/or other non-specialist audiences.

Preferred:

• Familiarity with Ellucian Colleague or similar Enterprise Resource Planning Software, in addition to Datatel and Informer.
• Experience in a college or university institutional research or institutional effectiveness office or a similar administrative information support service.
• Advanced knowledge of relational database programs.
• Ability to effectively guide/lead a diverse team.
• Demonstrated success in the areas of staff development, performance management, project management and client management.

Benefits

• Medical Insurance
• Dental Insurance
• Prescription Plan
• Flexible Spending Account
• Commuter Benefit
• Life Insurance
• Disability Insurance
• Retirement Plan
• Tuition Remission
• Helwig Recreation Center