Senior Data Analyst

University Overview

The University of Pennsylvania, the largest private employer in Philadelphia, is a world-renowned leader in education, research, and innovation. This historic, Ivy League school consistently ranks among the top 10 universities in the annual U.S. News & World Report survey. Penn has 12 highly-regarded schools that provide opportunities for undergraduate, graduate and continuing education, all influenced by Penn’s distinctive interdisciplinary approach to scholarship and learning. As an employer Penn has been ranked nationally on many occasions with the most recent award from Forbes who named Penn one of America’s Best Large Employers in 2023.

Penn offers a unique working environment within the city of Philadelphia. The University is situated on a beautiful urban campus, with easy access to a range of educational, cultural, and recreational activities. With its historical significance and landmarks, lively cultural offerings, and wide variety of atmospheres, Philadelphia is the perfect place to call home for work and play.

The University offers a competitive benefits package that includes excellent healthcare and tuition benefits for employees and their families, generous retirement benefits, a wide variety of professional development opportunities, supportive work and family benefits, a wealth of health and wellness programs and resources, and much more.

Posted Job Title

Senior Data Analyst

Job Profile Title

Data Analyst Senior

Job Description Summary

Wharton School Overview

Founded in 1881 as the world’s first collegiate business school, the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania is shaping the future of business by incubating ideas, driving insights, and creating leaders who change the world. With campuses in both Philadelphia and San Francisco, Wharton has over 850 staff, a faculty population of more than 235 renowned professors, and 5,000 undergraduate, MBA, executive MBA, and doctoral students. Each year 13,000 professionals from around the world advance their careers through Wharton Executive Education’s individual, company-customized, and online programs. More than 104,000 Wharton alumni form a powerful global network of leaders who transform business every day. Wharton is home to a dynamic community of staff, bringing a wide range of skills, experiences, and perspectives. To learn more, visit www.wharton.upenn.edu.

Reporting to the Senior Director, Office of the Deputy Dean, the Senior Analyst for Institutional Research and Data Administration at the Wharton School is responsible for the collection, validation, maintenance, analysis, and dissemination of data in support of the School's teaching and research mission. This role works with and serves a broad constituency of clients and collaborators, supporting the Dean, Deputy Dean, and Academic and Administrative departments. This team also produces reports and information shared with University leadership and organizations external to the University. The incumbent provides detailed, actionable insights through advanced data analysis, reporting, and visualization, and facilitates data-driven decision making, strategic planning, policy development, and assessment and evaluation. This position requires the ability to develop and execute formalized approaches to process design and maintenance, policy development, and procedures that ensure data quality and integrity.

The Senior Analyst is part of a team of two overseeing institutional research and data administration within the Deputy Dean's Office, regularly working with sensitive and confidential data. The incumbent designs, manages, and executes complex projects with a range of stakeholders and end-users, and collaborates with technical colleagues across Wharton. Key projects and responsibilities include technical project leadership and execution of annual faculty reporting and merit processes, survey management for external ranking surveys, data visualization to identify trends and patterns in complex data sets, data management and automation, and course evaluations for undergraduate and graduate teaching.

Job Description

Job Responsibilities

• Faculty Data Projects: Serve as project lead for full life cycle of compilation, analysis, and reporting on faculty activity and performance for the Dean and Deputy Dean. Collect, compile, and analyze relevant data and documentation from faculty and academic departments. Facilitate effective communication across relevant departments with regard to confidential and sensitive data. Manage processes and reporting related to faculty compensation, including annual faculty merit and summer research compensation.
• Internal and External Survey Projects: Design, manage, and execute project life cycles in the context of both external ranking surveys and internal surveys and data collection projects such as external ranking surveys, online course evaluations, and faculty reporting. Plan, organize, and manage complex details of data projects, including collaboration with IT on software conversions and modifications, gathering data from relevant departments and divisions, communicating with external constituents, faculty, staff, students, and alumni, ensuring data quality and validity, and delivering results.
• Data Analysis & Visualization: Identify trends and patterns in complex datasets. Use visualization tools (e.g. Tableau, Power BI) to create compelling data stories and dashboards that communicate complex findings to non-technical stakeholders and facilitate decision making. Apply advanced analytical techniques to transform complex data sets into intuitive and easy-to-understand formats, providing contextual information and insights that help stakeholders understand the significance and implications of data. Provide recommendations for actions or next steps where appropriate.
• Data Reporting Projects: Manage assigned ad hoc and cyclical reporting requests from the Dean and Deputy Dean in a timely and client-centered manner. Utilizing data from disparate sources, design, code, test/simulate, debug, and document data processes. Set up automated processes to produce regular data reports, filter and clean data, and develop data validation and quality assurance processes for each project.
• Data Governance & Administration: Lead collaborations with colleagues to maintain data processes, documentation, and reporting structures for the Dean and Deputy Dean's Office. Work with Wharton Computing to ensure that applications, analysis, and databases are secure, reliable, and scalable to support the growing needs of the school. Design quality assurance procedures for data and projects. Maintain up-to-date knowledge of emerging technologies to ensure that systems remain current. Contribute to data governance and security efforts, and participate in efforts to standardize data maintenance and perform systematic audits to ensure data accuracy.
• Other duties and responsibilities as assigned

Qualifications

• A bachelor's degree in data science, statistics, economics, business analytics, computer science, or a related field.
• 4-6 years of progressively responsible professional experience in data analysis, survey design, project management, and reporting in a higher education setting strongly preferred.
• Proficiency in data visualization and analytics tools (e.g. Tableau, PowerBI) with proven ability to develop and maintain dashboards for executive-level decision-making.
• Demonstrated experience managing and leading large, complex data projects, including collaboration across multiple stakeholders and departments.
• Strong knowledge of database management, query optimization, as well as knowledge of programming languages such as Python or R for advanced data analysis.
• Understanding of data governance principles related to data quality, security, access, and ethical use, as well as an understanding of formalized approaches to system design and maintenance.
• Experience automatic reporting processes and developing/implementing quality assurance and data validation protocols.
• Proven ability to provide strategic insights and recommendations to leadership and other non-technical stakeholders based on data analysis.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to prepare and present clear, concise reports for senior administrators.
• Demonstrated ability to maintain confidentiality and manage sensitive information responsibly.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Master's degree in data analytics, statistics, business, information systems, or a related field.
• Experience with survey platforms, learning management systems, and faculty reporting systems.
• Familiarity with project management tools and methodologies.
• Understanding of national higher education context.

Job Location - City, State

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Applicants must submit a cover letter detailing the reasons for their interest in the position, as well as how their experiences align with the position responsibilities. Applications without cover letters will not be considered.

Department / School

Wharton School

Pay Range

$84,961.00 - $120,000.00 Annual Rate

Salary offers are made based on the candidate’s qualifications, experience, skills, and education as they directly relate to the requirements of the position, and in alignment with salary ranges based on external market data for the job’s level. Internal organization and peer data at Penn are also considered.

Equal Opportunity Statement 

The University of Pennsylvania is an equal opportunity employer. Candidates are considered for employment without regard to race, color, sex, sexual orientation, religion, creed, national origin(including shared ancestry or ethnic characteristics), citizenship status, age, disability, veteran status or any class protectedunder applicable federal, state or local law.

Special Requirements 
Background checks may be required after a conditional job offer is made. Consideration of the background check will be tailored to the requirements of the job.

University Benefits

• Health, Life, and Flexible Spending Accounts: Penn offers comprehensive medical, prescription, behavioral health, dental, vision, and life insurance benefits to protect you and your family’s health and welfare. You can also use flexible spending accounts to pay for eligible health care and dependent care expenses with pre-tax dollars.

• Tuition: Take advantage of Penn's exceptional tuition benefits. You, your spouse, and your dependent children can get tuition assistance here at Penn. Your dependent children are also eligible for tuition assistance at other institutions.

• Retirement: Penn offers generous retirement plans to help you save for your future. Penn’s Basic, Matching, and Supplemental retirement plans allow you to save for retirement on a pre-tax or Roth basis. Choose from a wide variety of investment options through TIAA and Vanguard.

• Time Away from Work: Penn provides you with a substantial amount of time away from work during the course of the year. This allows you to relax, take vacations, attend to personal affairs, recover from illness or injury, spend time with family—whatever your personal needs may be.

• Long-Term Care Insurance: In partnership with Genworth Financial, Penn offers faculty and staff (and your eligible family members) long-term care insurance to help you cover some of the costs of long-term care services received at home, in the community or in a nursing facility. If you apply when you’re newly hired, you won’t have to provide proof of good health or be subject to underwriting requirements. Eligible family members must always provide proof of good health and are subject to underwriting.

• Wellness and Work-life Resources: Penn is committed to supporting our faculty and staff as they balance the competing demands of work and personal life. That’s why we offer a wide variety of programs and resources to help you care for your health, your family, and your work-life balance.

• Professional and Personal Development: Penn provides an array of resources to help you advance yourself personally and professionally.

• University Resources: As a member of the Penn community, you have access to a wide range of University resources as well as cultural and recreational activities. Take advantage of the University’s libraries and athletic facilities, or visit our arboretum and art galleries. There’s always something going on at Penn, whether it’s a new exhibit at the Penn Museum, the latest music or theater presentation at the Annenberg Center, or the Penn Relays at Franklin Field to name just a few examples. As a member of the Penn community, you’re right in the middle of the excitement—and you and your family can enjoy many of these activities for free.

• Discounts and Special Services: From arts and entertainment to transportation and mortgages, you'll find great deals for University faculty and staff. Not only do Penn arts and cultural centers and museums offer free and discounted admission and memberships to faculty and staff. You can also enjoy substantial savings on other goods and services such as new cars from Ford and General Motors, cellular phone service plans, movie tickets, and admission to theme parks.

• Flexible Work Hours:Flexible work options offer creative approaches for completing work while promoting balance between work and personal commitments. These approaches involve use of non-traditional work hours, locations, and/or job structures.

• Penn Home Ownership Services: Penn offers a forgivable loan for eligible employees interested in buying a home or currently residing in West Philadelphia, which can be used for closing costs or home improvements.

• Adoption Assistance: Penn will reimburse eligible employees on qualified expenses in connection with the legal adoption of an eligible child, such as travel or court fees, for up to two adoptions in your household.

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To learn more, please visit: https://www.hr.upenn.edu/PennHR/benefits-pay