Academic Career & Executive Search is pleased to assist Massachusetts College of Art and Design (MassArt) in its search for Assistant Vice President for Institutional Research and Strategic Effectiveness.

For full consideration, please apply by May 5th.

This critical and highly visible role is ideal for an innovative and proactive IR strategist and leader skilled in collecting, analyzing, and deriving effective strategies and solutions from data. With increased enrollment, MassArt continues to build on their strong national and international reputation and remains the only public school of art and design in the country. This creative environment calls for a nimble, entrepreneurial leader current on the latest practices and trends in their field. Joining a new, energized leadership team the next AVP-IRSE is a hands-on leader working alongside colleagues to impact change and have direct involvement in the strategic direction of the College.

The AVP-IRSE is a collaborative leader with strong knowledge and success in strategic planning, data analytics and methodologies, assessment, and accreditation. Working with diverse constituent groups across campus, the AVP-IRSE has responsibility for leading, developing and sustaining an institutional culture of evidence-based decision making and improvement that aligns strategic planning, budgeting, assessment, and analytics with institutional goals and state and federal strategic education initiatives such as the Massachusetts Department of Higher Education’s Equity Agenda.  

This position reports to the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, and offers a generous benefits package. A flexible, hybrid work environment is possible intermittently, but a fully remote work schedule is not an option.

ESSENTIAL JOB DUTIES:

• Leads the development, implementation, and monitoring of a system of integrated planning, assessment, and evaluation across the institution to include research and analysis, environmental scanning, peer comparisons, benchmarking, trend analysis, key performance indicators, and reporting progress on initiatives to institutional decision making and actions.
• Provides guidance and support to the President, Provost, and senior leadership in planning, policy, strategic initiatives, and institutional improvement.
• Develops statistical models and/or customized analyses to support enrollment and retention goals for the College. 
• Collaborates with Information Technology, Finance, Student Development, and other College offices to develop and implement an integrated plan to ensure integrity of data from all sources, both internal and external.
• Conducts data mining to provide predictive analytics in support of the strategic plan.
• Coordinates reporting efforts to eliminate redundancy and increase effectiveness.
• Prepares data and communications for review, submission, and/or information sharing with a range of internal and external stakeholders including the Department of Higher Education, Board of Trustees, accrediting entities, and government agencies.
• Consults and supports planning, goal setting, and assessment work with an equity lens across academic departments, student support services, and administrative areas.
• Coordinates the submission of data to government and accrediting agencies and to external consortia and serves as the College’s primary accreditation liaison.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, ABILITIES:

• Demonstrated experience identifying appropriate assessment methods and process surveys as well as directing the analysis of assessment data documentation processes and results.
• History of developing actionable change by providing perspective and focus through qualitative and quantitative data on justice, equity and inclusion to impact practice, process, policy and planning.
• Exceptional organizational skills and ability to manage and prioritize multiple tasks and projects simultaneously; design, organize, and manage complex projects. 
• Strong oral and written communication skills, as well as the ability to present complex data in a clear and concise manner to a lay audience. 
• Knowledge of state and federal agencies and regulations pertaining to data collection and research in higher education or not-for-profit organizations 
• Ability to motivate and manage a team to achieve goals
• Expertise creating a welcoming approach to persons of all backgrounds and effectively working with a diverse constituency on-campus and in the community.
• Creativity, flexibility, tenacity, optimism, high energy level, and sense of humor.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor’s degree
• Seven or more years’ experience at a senior level in business intelligence/data analysis, institutional strategic planning, data-driven decision-making, quality improvement, institutional research, or related fields in higher education or not-for-profit organizations. 
• Professional and/or theoretical experience in experimental design, building sophisticated statistical models via multivariate and/or path analysis, regression, segmentation, decision trees, and/or time series. 
• Superior proficiency demonstrated in computer applications, including spreadsheet, word-processing, and database software; functional knowledge of computer statistical applications for data acquisition and analysis (e.g., SPSS, SAS, Qualtrics). 
• Excellent communication skills and demonstrable ability to clarify and simplify data so those who are not versed in data analysis understand the information and how best to use it.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Advanced Degree 
• Higher education experience 
• Massachusetts or other public higher education experience

About the Institution

Founded in 1873, and celebrating its 150th anniversary in 2023, Massachusetts College of Art and Design (MassArt), is the nation's first and only independent, free-standing public college of art and design. MassArt is an inclusive community of thinkers, doers, makers, educators, innovators, and leaders striving to shape the future through art and design. They've spent 150 years demonstrating the truly amazing things that happen when a world-class art and design education is an option for every deserving student. Located in Boston's hub of arts and culture along the Avenue of the Arts, MassArt enrolls 2,000 students and offers a comprehensive range of undergraduate and graduate degrees in 18 disciplines, as well as continuing education and youth programs.

MassArt prepares artists, designers, and educators from diverse backgrounds to shape communities, economies, and cultures for the common good. MassArt provides state-of-the art facilities and studios housed in nine buildings along Huntington Avenue in the Fenway neighborhood of Boston, close by the Museum of Fine Arts and the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. The college offers twenty-two areas of concentration in fine arts, design and art education, and awards one undergraduate degree, the Bachelor of Fine Arts, and graduate degrees including the Master of Fine Arts, the Master of Art in Teaching, Master of Education, Master of Design Innovation, and the Master of Architecture. The college also offers certificate programs in Communication Design, Fashion Design, Furniture Design, and Industrial Design. 

MassArt strives to be a model of diversity and inclusion; the campus community reflects the layers of cultural and self-identity that proudly make up our region, nation, and world. They build effective partnerships with co-workers throughout the College by freely sharing appropriate information and aiding all and maintain an environment that is welcoming to persons of all backgrounds, nationalities, and roles.

The College is NECHE (New England Commission of Higher Education) accredited and a member of AICAD (Association of Independent College of Art and Design), as well as the Colleges of Fenway, a collaboration of five neighboring Boston-based colleges in the Fenway area representing more than 12,000 undergraduate students (16.2% of total Boston undergraduate population attending 4-year colleges, 700+ full time faculty, and 2300-course offerings.
 
Living in the Area

With a population of nearly 700,000, Boston, MA has been called the "Athens of America" and is widely viewed as the intellectual and historic capital of the United States. It is a cosmopolitan city with a complete set of services, a wide range of amenities, and rich tradition and culture. With a modern, attractive, and completely walkable downtown, Boston is dotted with Revolutionary period historic sites along the Freedom Trail and preserved old streetscapes mixed in with modern commercial office buildings.  
 
The surrounding suburbs offer an excellent and well used commuter rail system. Each neighborhood has its own little town center that is functional, accessible by the rail system, and filled with local businesses. Arts and culture amenities in downtown Boston and the entire surrounding area are exceptional, and most, like the Boston Pops and the Museum of Fine Arts, are well known beyond the city limits. Boston’s professional sports, from baseball to ice hockey, are well loved and respected nationally. Education, at all levels, is outstanding in the Boston area. Area public schools are nationally recognized, and a driving reason people move to the area. Additionally, the entire Boston Metro area is centrally located near everything the Northeast has to offer – skiing in New Hampshire, beaches in Rhode Island, and trips to New York City are all only 2 to 3 hours away.  

To Apply 

For full consideration, please apply by May 5th.

Please apply through the application link and do not email applications. 

Applications will be reviewed as they are received and should include a cover letter and curriculum vita. Ideally cover letters should not exceed two pages. All applications are treated confidentially.

Inquiries, referrals, and nominations are also treated confidentially.

Inquiries and questions: Please send to MASSARTAVPIRSE@acesrch.com  
Nominations and referrals: Please send the nominees’ name, title, and contact information if available to nominations@acesrch.com.

Institution’s EEO Statement
MassArt provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, age, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, disability, military status, genetic information, pregnancy or a pregnancy-related condition, or membership in any other legally protected class. MassArt complies with all applicable federal, state, and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment in every location in which the college operates. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment.