Title: Senior Director of the TBR Data Lab

Employee Classification: Executive/Admin & Managerial

Institution: System Office

Department: Policy & Strategy

Campus Location: Tennessee Board of Regents System Office

Job Summary

TBR—The College System of Tennessee serves community colleges and technical colleges across the state. The Office of Policy & Strategy works at the front lines of TBR’s efforts to develop insights into student success through data analysis, policy research, and innovation.

Through the Office of Policy & Strategy’s data and research, TBR turns research findings into actionable information to support postsecondary access and success. Within the Office of Policy & Strategy, the TBR Data Lab is responsible for the system’s data strategy, including data collection, reporting, and the development of modern data systems that support informed decision-making. The TBR Data Lab currently leads projects to modernize data collection and reporting across TBR colleges, develop new data systems and data partnerships, and create real-time tools for tracking trends in student enrollment and success. The TBR Data Lab also collaborates closely with other TBR divisions, including the TBR Policy Lab and TBR Innovation Lab, which lead policy analysis and field‑based pilot projects designed to improve student success.

The Senior Director of the TBR Data Lab provides strategic and operational leadership for the system’s data efforts. This role leads the design and execution of large‑scale data modernization efforts; establishes and maintains data standards; and oversees systemwide data collection, reporting, and infrastructure. The Senior Director also manages complex projects and coordinates the work of internal teams, colleges, and external partners to ensure that TBR’s data environment is high‑quality and responsive to emerging needs.

In this role, the Senior Director engages regularly with system leaders, college partners, and research collaborators, serving as a key advisor on data strategy and the use of data to inform policy and practice. Research and data analysis are embedded across the Office of Policy & Strategy, and the Senior Director works closely with the Associate Vice Chancellor for Policy & Strategy to support the data needs of the division and other areas of TBR.

This position may have the opportunity to work remotely within the state of Tennessee, but with periodic visits to the TBR System Office (Nashville, TN) at the employee’s expense, and potential travel to Tennessee TBR colleges may be necessary.

Job Duties

• 15% - Lead the development and execution of a comprehensive data strategy for TBR, informed by ongoing engagement with system, college, and external stakeholders. - (Essential)
• 15% - Supervise the TBR Data Lab team and collaborate closely with leaders and staff in the Policy Lab and Innovation Lab to meet the research, data, and analytics needs of the TBR system. - (Essential)
• 5% - Identify emerging data needs, assess feasibility, and set clear collection priorities, timelines, and approaches. - (Essential)
• 10% - Advance the modernization of TBR’s data collection processes and data infrastructure to support an expansive, agile, and high‑quality data environment. Establish clear extraction practices to improve data consistency, reliability, and usability across the system. - (Essential)
• 10% - Manage large-scale, systemwide data initiatives that expand the availability and usefulness of data while streamlining required reporting for colleges. - (Essential)
• 10% - Oversee the maintenance and evolution of student data standards and common data processes, working closely with system and college staff to design and implement new or revised data requirements. - (Essential)
• 10% - Strengthen data capacity across colleges by developing training strategies, guidance, and shared resources. Engage regularly with institutional research, admissions, records, and financial aid staff, and oversee the development of dashboards, data resources, and reporting supports. - (Essential)
• 10% - Serve as a trusted data resource and advisor to system staff, colleges, external agencies, and research partners. Guide the appropriate use of TBR data and support data-informed decision‑making. - (Essential)
• 10% - Cultivate data-sharing partnerships and strong working relationships with state agencies and external partners. - (Essential)
• 5% - Perform other duties as assigned. - (Marginal)

Minimum Qualifications

• Graduate degree in data science, public policy, higher education, statistics, computer science, or a related field.
• Five or more years of progressive professional experience in data strategy, analytics, institutional research, or a related field, including experience leading projects or teams.
• Experience working with higher education data, state or federal reporting, or other similar data environments.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience leading or contributing to data modernization efforts, such as system redesigns, data warehouse development, or reporting transformation.
• Demonstrated experience working across organizational boundaries, including with colleges, state agencies, or external research partners.
• Familiarity with student, enrollment, workforce, or postsecondary data systems.
• Experience supervising or mentoring data, research, or analytics staff.
• Technical fluency with tools such as SQL‑based databases, Power BI or similar visualization platforms, or statistical software, with an emphasis on guiding and reviewing work rather than daily hands‑on use.
• Familiarity with the use of artificial intelligence and emerging technologies to strengthen data capacity and analytic practices in higher education.
• Knowledge of data security and privacy best practices, including appropriate handling of personally identifiable information (PII) and secure data sharing with external partners.
• Experience with enterprise student information systems (e.g., Ellucian Banner).

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Demonstrated ability to lead and implement data strategy in a complex organization, balancing technical feasibility with stakeholder needs.
• Strong understanding of data governance, data standards, and data quality practices, particularly in higher education or public‑sector contexts.
• Ability to translate complex data concepts and findings into clear, actionable insights for technical and non‑technical audiences.
• Demonstrated experience managing multiple, large‑scale projects with both short‑ and long‑term priorities.
• Strong interpersonal, facilitation, and communication skills, including excellent writing and presentation skills.
• Ability to build trusted relationships with leaders, college staff, and external partners.
• Knowledge of data tools (e.g., data warehouses and SQL‑based environments), with the ability to guide technical work without serving as the sole technical expert.

Physical Demands / Working Conditions