The Director for Assessment, Research, and Strategic Priorities will be responsible for the design and implementation of an assessment and research plan for the Division of Student Affairs. Additionally, the Director will work closely with partners across campus including the Office of of Institutional Research, Office of Enrollment Management, the Division of Information Technology, and others.

The incumbent will report to the Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs and work collaboratively with the Vice President for Student Affairs, Associate Vice President for Student Affairs, divisional directors, and campus constituents to advance assessment of student learning in co-curricular programs and activities. The Director for Assessment, Research, and Strategic Priorities will be responsible for the design and implementation of an assessment and research plan for the Division of Student Affairs.

Specific duties include: Working with departmental directors to implement assessment and evaluation of departmental programs and services; working collaboratively with the Office of Institutional Research, Office of Enrollment Management, and Division of Information Technology; maintaining a catalog of all Student Affairs data; researching issues related to UMBC student success; implementing new student and exit surveys; managing budget expenditures and working as a member of the Student Affairs Council; and performing other duties as assigned.

The Director will conduct assessment consultations; provide assessment related training and education to members of the Division of Student Affairs; communicate Division outcomes via various communication channels; assist staff in using assessment results to improve programs and services; and analyze assessment data and make recommendations for program changes. Additionally, the Director will provide assistance as requested on special projects associated with: learning and operational outcomes, student retention and success measures, institutional research data sets, program evaluation, satisfaction and benchmarking, institutional/cultural climate studies, participation in national assessments/surveys, program review and accreditation support, research being conducted by individuals and work groups within the Division of Student Affairs, and project specific assessment related to the Division's strategic priorities.

The work of the Director requires a high level of effective collaboration within the Division of Student Affairs and throughout UMBC.  

Minimum qualifications:
 

• Master's degree (Doctorate Preferred) in area related to assessment and measurement, statistics, student affairs, higher education, education research or other research-oriented discipline related to assessment and evaluation, statistics, or social science.
• At least five years of relevant full-time professional experience related to higher education.
• Demonstrated knowledge of understanding and developing of student learning outcomes for curricular and co-curricular activities.
• Knowledge of theory and practice related to college student development, including familiarity with professional standards such as The Council for the Advancement of Standard in Higher Education (CAS) and Assessment Skills and Knowledge (ASK) Standards.
• Experience conducting culturally relevant assessment demonstrated by sensitivity to and respect for diverse and intersecting identities of students.
• Skilled in quantitative and qualitative research design, administration, and interpretation. Demonstrated experience with research and assessment software such as SPSS, Qualtrics, NVivo, etc.
• Ability to understand mission alignment and broad planning frameworks, long-term goals, outcomes-based approaches, and key performance measures.
• Strong analytic, interpersonal, written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to work independently to accomplish assigned goals in a timely manner.
• Ability to work with detailed information with attention to accuracy.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, a team oriented work style, and the ability to work cooperatively with various faculty, staff, and students throughout the campus community.

• Experience in institutional research setting or research in higher education issues preferred.  
• Knowledge of student information systems, learning management systems, and student data management systems such as PeopleSoft, Blackboard, and Symplicity is preferred.
• General understanding of data warehousing and business intelligence reporting is preferred.