Institutional Research Data Architect

Primary Responsibility

The Institutional Data Architect reports to the Director of Institutional Research and is responsible for designing and optimizing efficient data models, databases, and dashboards. The role involves maintaining data structure, ensuring accuracy and accessibility, identifying relevant data sources, and supporting BI reporting and analytics. This position focuses on infrastructure, creating sustainable workflows, integrating technology to automate processes, influencing interdepartmental processes for measurement and accountability.

The Institutional Data Architect builds and maintains the data infrastructure that supports various data-driven activities across the institution. This includes developing systems to collect, store, and process large volumes of data, ensuring that it is readily available for analysis and decision-making by analysts, data scientists, and administrators. As part of the Data Architect Practice within the Data area, the role supports the Institutional Research Data team, collaborates with technology and development teams to understand structural requirements and define standards for how data will be stored, consumed, integrated, modeled.

Pre-requisites for Position (Qualifications Standards)

Education and experience necessary for the rigors of the position, examples may include a bachelor’s degree and four years related experience or equivalent education and experience that will provide the necessary knowledge, skill and abilities to perform the functions of the position.

Bachelor’s degree in computer information systems, IT, Engineering or related field preferred. Master’s Degree in related field preferred. Experience with Data Governance & Security (Implement and enforce data governance policies and best practices, ensuring compliance with FERPA, HIPAA, and other relevant regulations. Monitor data security and develop safeguards to protect sensitive institutional data) preferred.

Experience in business intelligence (BI); ability to create data visualizations and reports using Microsoft Power BI, Python, SQL, SPSS, R, MS Excel;  proficient with Microsoft Office suite; education and career experiences in research theory, principles and methods of statistical analysis;  ability to collaborate effectively with a wide range of constituents internally and externally; contribute to team efforts to conduct research and qualitative/quantitative analyses; develop reporting solutions that are automated, sustainable and can be shared with a broad range of constituents desired. Successful candidates will demonstrate solid database skills, including reading relational database schemas, advanced SQL programming with Data Manipulation Language (DML), knowledge of database administration roles and capabilities, ability to write stored procedures and views within analyst sandbox environment.

Special Skills or abilities directly applicable to the position:

• Programming Languages: Proficiency in languages like Python, Java, or R
• Data Architecture Design: Develop and maintain the institution’s data architecture strategy, ensuring alignment with organizational goals and compliance with higher education standards. Design scalable and efficient data models, including data warehouses, data marts, and integration pipelines
• Data Integration & Management: Create and manage Extract, Transform, Load (ETL) processes to consolidate data from multiple systems (e.g., Student Information Systems (SIS), Learning Management Systems (LMS), Customer Relationship Management Systems (CRM)). Ensure data quality, integrity, and consistency across all institutional systems and datasets.
• Databases: Expertise in SQL and NoSQL databases (e.g., MSSQL, MySQL, PostgreSQL, MongoDB)  
• ETL Tools: Experience with Apache Airflow, Talend, or Informatica, SQL Server Integration Systems.
• Big Data Technologies: Familiarity Hadoop, Spark, and Kafka.
• Cloud Platforms: Expertise in AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud Azure Fabric.
• Data Warehousing: Experience with Snowflake, Redshift.
• Data Modeling: Skills in creating efficient data models  
• BI Tools: Proficiency in Microsoft Power BI, Tableau.
• Data Visualization: Ability to create visualizations using industry tools.
• Scripting: Knowledge of shell scripting and automation tools.
• Version Control: Experience with Git and version control systems.
• APIs: Understanding of RESTful APIs and data integration.
• Reporting & Analytics Enablement: Optimize data structures for analytics tools such as Power BI, Tableau, or similar platforms.  Support IR staff in developing dashboards, reports, and other visualizations that inform institutional strategies
• Technology Evaluation & Implementation: Assess and recommend new data management technologies, tools, and practices to enhance the institution’s data capabilities. Oversee the migration and integration of legacy systems into modern data platforms
• Training & Support: Provide training and documentation to staff on data architecture, access, and usage best practices. Act as a resource for troubleshooting issues and implementing solutions

Welcoming. Innovative. Focused on Student Success. These principles reflect the soul of CMC. They guide us in building our teams, cultivating leaders, and expanding our approaches and mindset. They guide us to be an institution of higher education that’s the right fit for every faculty member, staff, student, and community member in its trust. Applicants must demonstrate a commitment to working effectively with students, employees, and community members of all backgrounds.

Bilingual (English/Spanish) or conversational language abilities preferred.

Hiring range = $90,425.81 - $100,473.12 annual salary depending upon a combination of education and experience. Benefits include Medical, Dental, Vision, Life Insurance, Pet insurance, retirement contribution, tuition reimbursement, annual & sick time, mental health resources, healthy lifestyle benefits, affordable transitional housing may be available to the successful candidate based on eligibility and availability, relocation if applicable. CMC utilizes a wage progression compensation model that accounts for a candidate’s skill and experience. Although a salary range is listed, salary will be set commensurate with the successful candidate’s qualifications and in compliance with the Equal Pay for Equal Work Act.

Position anticipated to close on February 3, 2025, or until filled.

Essential Duties

• Work collaboratively with academic and administrative units to define, design, develop, implement, analyze and communicate key institutional metrics that create value for leadership, staff, students and community members Primary developer for institutional BI and Warehousing solutions. Collaborate with academic and administrative units to define and communicate key institutional metrics. Streamline data collection and reporting processes across departments. Support learning analytics by ensuring timely and accessible data on student engagement and performance.

• Work collaboratively with academic and administrative units to define, design, develop, implement, analyze and communicate key institutional metrics that create value for leadership, staff, students and community members

• Primary developer for institutional BI and Warehousing solutions.

• Collaborate with academic and administrative units to define and communicate key institutional metrics.

• Streamline data collection and reporting processes across departments.

• Support learning analytics by ensuring timely and accessible data on student engagement and performance.

• Provide integrated data for informed decision-making on programs, enrollment, and policies.

• Ensure scalable data infrastructure to handle increased data volumes.

• Prioritize and drive technical deliverables across data warehousing efforts.

• Develop and maintain dashboards with KPIs for college leadership.

• Write SQL for data extraction and transformation from college systems.

• Align institutional measurements with accreditation processes and strategic initiatives.

• Develop BI and data visualizations for various projects and requests.

• Represent the department on college-wide committees.

• Act as a technical liaison between Institutional Research and IT departments.

• Mentor team members and advise on BI tooling.

• Conduct regular data audits to ensure data integrity and compliance with institutional policies.

• Develop and implement data governance policies and procedures.

• Train staff in data management best practices and BI tools.

• Collaborate with external partners and vendors to integrate new data sources and technologies.

• Monitor and optimize the performance of data systems and applications.

• Provide technical support and troubleshooting for data-related issues.

• Stay updated with the latest trends and advancements in data analytics and BI technologies.

• Develop and maintain dashboards with Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for college leadership

• Write data-mining SQL, to extract relevant data from college systems, including SLATE, Canvas LMS, LUMENS and other college systems as necessary

• Write SQL views and SQL stored procedures to transform datasets for reporting purposes

• Ability to read database schemas; use DML functions such as: Conversions, Date and Time, String, Aggregate, Analytic, Cursor, Mathematical, Logical; read technical programming specs

• Align institutional measurements and KPIs to meet the key metrics identified in the Higher Learning Commission accreditation processes and the strategic initiatives

• In coordination with campus and academic leadership, develop business intelligence and data visualizations in Workday, Microsoft Power BI, R and Python to present data for various projects and constituent requests

• Represent the department on college-wide committees. Working with institutional committees and staff to coordinate work, provide expert advice and guidance, technical assistance, and information.

• Technical liaison between the Institutional Research department and Information Technology department

• Mentor team members and advise Institutional Research Director on technical scope of business intelligence tooling

• Write and maintain other SQL scripting to report to Common Dataset, NCCBP, and other college profile publications such as US News and World Report college rankings, etc.  

• Other duties as assigned.

Supervision Received

This position receives some direction from leadership, must be a motivated problem solver and seek opportunities to continually improve the college’s ability to make evidenced based decisions.

Supervisory Responsibility

This position may supervise student interns and research associates, when applicable. This position may serve as a lead on projects and/or for other team members.  

Working Conditions 

This position requires constant sitting, occasional walking, standing and driving; occasional handling objects, pushing/pulling; frequent reaching with hands/arms, and use of finger movements; occasional lifting, carrying, pushing or pulling objects up to 50 lbs.  Constant written and oral communication and the ability to reason and analyze and perform calculations occasionally. Work is performed using a computer and standard office equipment daily and driving a vehicle occasionally. 

CMC is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. As part of this commitment, the College will assist individuals who have a disability with any reasonable accommodation requests related to employment, including completing the application process, interviewing, completing any pre-employment testing, participating in the employee selection process, and/or to perform essential job functions where the requested accommodation does not impose an undue hardship. If you have a disability and require reasonable accommodation to ensure you have a positive experience applying or interviewing for this position, please direct your inquiries to our ADA Coordinator, Human Resources, benefits@coloradomtn.edu 

NOTE: This position description is intended to indicate the basic nature of positions allocated to this class and provide examples of typical duties that may be assigned.  It does not imply that all positions within the class perform all of the duties listed, nor does it necessarily list all possible duties that may be assigned.  Employees may perform other related duties as required to meet the ongoing needs of the organization.