Lead Data Analyst

If you’re passionate about building a better future for individuals, communities, and our country—and you’re committed to working hard to play your part in building that future—consider WGU as the next step in your career.

Driven by a mission to expand access to higher education through online, competency-based degree programs, WGU is also committed to being a great place to work for a diverse workforce of student-focused professionals. The university has pioneered a new way to learn in the 21st century, one that has received praise from academic, industry, government, and media leaders. Whatever your role, working for WGU gives you a part to play in helping students graduate, creating a better tomorrow for themselves and their families.

The salary range for this position takes into account the wide range of factors that are considered in making compensation decisions including but not limited to skill sets; experience and training; licensure and certifications; and other business and organizational needs.

At WGU, it is not typical for an individual to be hired at or near the top of the range for their position, and compensation decisions are dependent on the facts and circumstances of each case. A reasonable estimate of the current range is:
 

Grade: Professional 312Pay Range: $106,700.00 - $165,400.00

Job Description

Looking for a role where your data work drives real-world change?
At WGU, we serve over 190,000 students through an innovative, online, competency-based model. But behind every graduation is a team of analysts, researchers, and data scientists who make the student experience smarter, faster, and more equitable. As a Lead Data Analyst on the Curriculum Analytics team, you won’t just analyze—you’ll lead. You’ll shape metrics, mentor teammates, and help steer curriculum strategy using actionable insights grounded in student data.

About the Curriculum Analytics team:
We use WGU’s rich data infrastructure to build tools and metrics that help design better courses and guide student support. Our work blends data science with purpose—we value curiosity, rigor, and a deep focus on student impact.

Why this role matters:
You’ll be at the center of how WGU measures, improves, and scales curriculum effectiveness. Our team creates data products that monitor course performance, guide personalized learning pathways, and help faculty and academic partners make evidence-based decisions. If you love solving hard problems, turning data into stories, and mentoring others in a mission-driven environment, this is your role.

What you’ll do:

• Lead complex analyses that uncover student outcomes and curriculum insights
• Translate business needs into technical requirements and project plans
• Develop dashboards, forecasts, and models that surface trends and outliers
• Present findings to senior leaders, cross-functional partners, and faculty
• Mentor other analysts and contribute to team strategy and operational planning
• Collaborate with Data Engineering on pipelines, quality standards, and documentation
• Advocate for equity, clarity, and purpose in every analysis
• Bring data storytelling to life—compressing time-to-action and driving institutional learning

What you bring:

• Bachelor’s degree in a related field
• 7+ years of experience in data analysis, applied analytics, or data science
• Experience with Python or R
• Advanced SQL skills (joins, CTEs, window functions, performance tuning)
• Proficiency in Tableau or Power BI for data visualization and reporting
• Experience in descriptive statistics, forecasting, regression, and causal inference
• Strong communication skills with a track record of translating insights into action

Bonus if you have:

• Familiarity with higher education or edtech analytics
• A systems-thinking mindset and a learner’s approach to leadership

Experience in lieu of education

An equivalent combination of training, experience, credentials, or accomplishments demonstrating the ability to perform the essential functions of this job may substitute for education degree requirements.

Work Location:

• This is a full-time, in-office position at WGU’s headquarters in Salt Lake City, UT. You’ll work side-by-side with a multidisciplinary team of analysts, researchers, and educators committed to data-informed innovation.

What to Expect
At WGU, our mission drives everything we do—including how we hire. Our interview experience is designed to give qualified candidates the opportunity to show their best work through meaningful conversations, practical problem-solving, and authentic collaboration.

We thoughtfully review every application and invite forward the candidates whose experience and potential best align with the role and our mission. If selected, you’ll hear from a recruiter or hiring manager who will guide you through the process and help you know what to expect at each stage. We aim to communicate decisions promptly and respectfully.

Here’s what that typically looks like:

• Introductory call (~30 minutes): We’ll walk you through who we are at WGU and learn about your relevant experience.
• Hiring manager interview (~45 minutes)
• Technical interview (~45 minutes)

We're looking forward to getting to know you and seeing how you think, collaborate and build. Welcome to WGU.

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Position & Application Details

Full-Time Regular Positions (classified as regular and working 40 standard weekly hours): This is a full-time, regular position (classified for 40 standard weekly hours) that is eligible for bonuses; medical, dental, vision, telehealth and mental healthcare; health savings account and flexible spending account; basic and voluntary life insurance; disability coverage; accident, critical illness and hospital indemnity supplemental coverages; legal and identity theft coverage; retirement savings plan; wellbeing program; discounted WGU tuition; and flexible paid time off for rest and relaxation with no need for accrual, flexible paid sick time with no need for accrual, 11 paid holidays, and other paid leaves, including up to 12 weeks of parental leave.

How to Apply: If interested, an application will need to be submitted online. Internal WGU employees will need to apply through the internal job board in Workday.

Additional Information

Disclaimer: The job posting highlights the most critical responsibilities and requirements of the job. It’s not all-inclusive.

Accommodations: Applicants with disabilities who require assistance or accommodation during the application or interview process should contact our Talent Acquisition team at [email protected].

Equal Employment Opportunity: All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to any protected characteristic as required by law.