Director, Business Analysis & Management
Samuelmerritt, Madison, WI, United States
# **Description:**## Job Description Summary:The Director leads a cross-functional analytical and strategic initiatives function that supports executive leadership in improving institutional performance across academic programs, operations, and financial sustainability. This role transforms institutional data into actionable insights and improvement initiatives, working collaboratively with leaders across Academic Affairs, Finance, HR, Facilities, and Research Administration.
The position focuses on institutional performance improvement rather than pure reporting, with approximately 35% of time devoted to data preparation and analytics and 65% dedicated to strategic insight, initiative development, and executive collaboration.
The Director serves as a trusted partner to executive leadership, supporting portfolio strategy, pricing discipline, contribution margin improvement, operational efficiency, and board-level reporting.# Duties and Responsibilities:**Key Responsibilities****1. Market & Academic Portfolio Analysis**Lead strategic analysis of program competitiveness and value positioning.Responsibilities include:* Conduct **US News and peer-benchmark ranking analysis** for all academic programs.* Identify **strategic levers that drive ranking performance**, including outcomes, reputation metrics, and faculty indicators.* Evaluate **program pricing strategy relative to quality and competitive positioning**.* Support leadership in **portfolio strategy decisions**, including growth opportunities and program repositioning.* Provide executive briefings on **market demand, competitive position, and program economics**.**2. Contribution Margin Performance Management**Ensure program-level financial sustainability and improvement initiatives.Responsibilities include:* Monitor **contribution margin performance by program** across the institution.* Lead analysis to identify **drivers of margin erosion or opportunity**.* Partner with program leadership to develop **improvement initiatives and financial discipline plans**.* Prepare **quarterly performance updates for executive leadership**.* Support preparation of **annual Board of Regents presentations on program financial performance**.**3. Facilities Strategy & Utilization Optimization**Support strategic utilization of institutional facilities.Responsibilities include:* Analyze **campus capacity vs utilization across all facilities**.* Identify opportunities to **increase space utilization and revenue generation**.* Lead or support **project management of initiatives designed to fill underutilized space**.* Develop dashboards and reports for leadership on **facility performance metrics**.**4. Human Resources Strategic Analytics**Maintain and enhance the **COO operational dashboard for HR performance**.Responsibilities include:* Maintain detailed **institutional headcount analytics**.* Track and analyze **recruitment pipeline performance**, including:
+ Recruitment aging schedules
+ Hiring delay Pareto analysis
+ Candidate loss analysis* Monitor **employee turnover trends and drivers**.* Partner with HR and Risk Management to analyze **workers’ compensation performance and trends**.* Support evaluation of **HR training effectiveness**, including baseline measurement and post-training impact.**5. Financial Analytics & Operational Efficiency**Provide analytical support to improve financial performance and operational discipline.Responsibilities include:* Conduct **institutional discount rate analysis and financial aid strategy evaluation**.* Provide **budget vs actual performance analysis** across key institutional units.* Lead **spend analytics initiatives**, identifying opportunities for strategic sourcing and cost efficiencies.* Enhance institutional **revenue forecasting models**, including gross revenue by program and semester.**6. Research Administration Support**Provide analytical and forecasting support for research activities.Responsibilities include:* Support **research revenue forecasting and trend analysis**.* Provide analytical insight to improve **grant performance and planning**.* Assist Research Administration leadership in **data-driven decision-making**.**7. Board & Executive Dashboard Development**Develop and maintain executive-level performance dashboards.Responsibilities include:* Design and maintain **board-level dashboards modeled after leading university examples (e.g., Marquette University and George Washington University)**.* Ensure dashboards provide **clear institutional performance visibility across finance, enrollment, operations, and academic programs**.* Prepare materials supporting **Board of Regents presentations and executive briefings**.* Maintain institutional **strategic KPI tracking and reporting systems**.**Required Qualifications*** Bachelor’s degree required; Master’s degree preferred (Business, Finance, Public Administration, Analytics, or related field).* Demonstrated ability to translate complex data into **actionable strategic insights**.* Experience working with **executive leadership teams and governing boards**.* Strong project management and cross-functional leadership skills.**Core Competencies**The successful candidate will demonstrate:* **Strategic thinking** – ability to connect data to institutional strategy.* **Analytical rigor** – ability to synthesize complex institutional datasets.* **Executive communication** – ability to present insights clearly to senior leadership.* **Collaborative leadership** – ability to work across academic and administrative units.* **Initiative execution** – ability to translate analysis into measurable improvement initiatives.**Success Measures**Performance will be evaluated based on the ability to:* Improve **program-level contribution margins**.* Deliver **actionable strategic insights to executive leadership**.* Develop effective **board-level performance dashboards**.* Identify and implement **operational and financial improvement initiatives**.* Strengthen institutional **data-driven decision-making** across the university.### Employee Status:Regular### Exemption Status:United States of America (Exempt)### Time Type:Full time### Job Shift:**Pay Range:**Pay Range: 123,610 ~ $160,690 annually, depending on experience.Samuel Merritt University currently provides base salary ranges for all positions-on job advertisements-in the United States based on local requirements. Individual compensation will ultimately be determined based on a variety of relevant factors including but-not limited to qualifications, geographic location, and other relevant skills.**SMU is a health sciences institution offering high-quality instruction, outstanding faculty, and state-of-the-art facilities. We have a deep commitment and proven track record of preparing professionals to address today’s healthcare needs.****Our Mission**
We educate students to become highly skilled and compassionate healthcare professionals who positively transform the experience of care in diverse communities.**Our Vision**
Samuel Merritt University will become nationally recognized as a premier, multi-specialty health sciences institution. Expert faculty and staff will shape an inclusive learning environment where all students experience best teaching practices and state-of-the-art learning approaches. The University will select and support students who will flourish in the rigorous academic programs, learn to practice expertly, and pass licensure or certifications examinations on their first attempt.**Our Philosophy of Teaching and Learning**
We see faculty and students as partners in the teaching and learning process. Our programs, curricula, and courses are designed to encourage active, experiential learning as well as collegial, scholarly, and effective communications.
We believe that clinical and practical applications, #J-18808-Ljbffr
The position focuses on institutional performance improvement rather than pure reporting, with approximately 35% of time devoted to data preparation and analytics and 65% dedicated to strategic insight, initiative development, and executive collaboration.
The Director serves as a trusted partner to executive leadership, supporting portfolio strategy, pricing discipline, contribution margin improvement, operational efficiency, and board-level reporting.# Duties and Responsibilities:**Key Responsibilities****1. Market & Academic Portfolio Analysis**Lead strategic analysis of program competitiveness and value positioning.Responsibilities include:* Conduct **US News and peer-benchmark ranking analysis** for all academic programs.* Identify **strategic levers that drive ranking performance**, including outcomes, reputation metrics, and faculty indicators.* Evaluate **program pricing strategy relative to quality and competitive positioning**.* Support leadership in **portfolio strategy decisions**, including growth opportunities and program repositioning.* Provide executive briefings on **market demand, competitive position, and program economics**.**2. Contribution Margin Performance Management**Ensure program-level financial sustainability and improvement initiatives.Responsibilities include:* Monitor **contribution margin performance by program** across the institution.* Lead analysis to identify **drivers of margin erosion or opportunity**.* Partner with program leadership to develop **improvement initiatives and financial discipline plans**.* Prepare **quarterly performance updates for executive leadership**.* Support preparation of **annual Board of Regents presentations on program financial performance**.**3. Facilities Strategy & Utilization Optimization**Support strategic utilization of institutional facilities.Responsibilities include:* Analyze **campus capacity vs utilization across all facilities**.* Identify opportunities to **increase space utilization and revenue generation**.* Lead or support **project management of initiatives designed to fill underutilized space**.* Develop dashboards and reports for leadership on **facility performance metrics**.**4. Human Resources Strategic Analytics**Maintain and enhance the **COO operational dashboard for HR performance**.Responsibilities include:* Maintain detailed **institutional headcount analytics**.* Track and analyze **recruitment pipeline performance**, including:
+ Recruitment aging schedules
+ Hiring delay Pareto analysis
+ Candidate loss analysis* Monitor **employee turnover trends and drivers**.* Partner with HR and Risk Management to analyze **workers’ compensation performance and trends**.* Support evaluation of **HR training effectiveness**, including baseline measurement and post-training impact.**5. Financial Analytics & Operational Efficiency**Provide analytical support to improve financial performance and operational discipline.Responsibilities include:* Conduct **institutional discount rate analysis and financial aid strategy evaluation**.* Provide **budget vs actual performance analysis** across key institutional units.* Lead **spend analytics initiatives**, identifying opportunities for strategic sourcing and cost efficiencies.* Enhance institutional **revenue forecasting models**, including gross revenue by program and semester.**6. Research Administration Support**Provide analytical and forecasting support for research activities.Responsibilities include:* Support **research revenue forecasting and trend analysis**.* Provide analytical insight to improve **grant performance and planning**.* Assist Research Administration leadership in **data-driven decision-making**.**7. Board & Executive Dashboard Development**Develop and maintain executive-level performance dashboards.Responsibilities include:* Design and maintain **board-level dashboards modeled after leading university examples (e.g., Marquette University and George Washington University)**.* Ensure dashboards provide **clear institutional performance visibility across finance, enrollment, operations, and academic programs**.* Prepare materials supporting **Board of Regents presentations and executive briefings**.* Maintain institutional **strategic KPI tracking and reporting systems**.**Required Qualifications*** Bachelor’s degree required; Master’s degree preferred (Business, Finance, Public Administration, Analytics, or related field).* Demonstrated ability to translate complex data into **actionable strategic insights**.* Experience working with **executive leadership teams and governing boards**.* Strong project management and cross-functional leadership skills.**Core Competencies**The successful candidate will demonstrate:* **Strategic thinking** – ability to connect data to institutional strategy.* **Analytical rigor** – ability to synthesize complex institutional datasets.* **Executive communication** – ability to present insights clearly to senior leadership.* **Collaborative leadership** – ability to work across academic and administrative units.* **Initiative execution** – ability to translate analysis into measurable improvement initiatives.**Success Measures**Performance will be evaluated based on the ability to:* Improve **program-level contribution margins**.* Deliver **actionable strategic insights to executive leadership**.* Develop effective **board-level performance dashboards**.* Identify and implement **operational and financial improvement initiatives**.* Strengthen institutional **data-driven decision-making** across the university.### Employee Status:Regular### Exemption Status:United States of America (Exempt)### Time Type:Full time### Job Shift:**Pay Range:**Pay Range: 123,610 ~ $160,690 annually, depending on experience.Samuel Merritt University currently provides base salary ranges for all positions-on job advertisements-in the United States based on local requirements. Individual compensation will ultimately be determined based on a variety of relevant factors including but-not limited to qualifications, geographic location, and other relevant skills.**SMU is a health sciences institution offering high-quality instruction, outstanding faculty, and state-of-the-art facilities. We have a deep commitment and proven track record of preparing professionals to address today’s healthcare needs.****Our Mission**
We educate students to become highly skilled and compassionate healthcare professionals who positively transform the experience of care in diverse communities.**Our Vision**
Samuel Merritt University will become nationally recognized as a premier, multi-specialty health sciences institution. Expert faculty and staff will shape an inclusive learning environment where all students experience best teaching practices and state-of-the-art learning approaches. The University will select and support students who will flourish in the rigorous academic programs, learn to practice expertly, and pass licensure or certifications examinations on their first attempt.**Our Philosophy of Teaching and Learning**
We see faculty and students as partners in the teaching and learning process. Our programs, curricula, and courses are designed to encourage active, experiential learning as well as collegial, scholarly, and effective communications.
We believe that clinical and practical applications, #J-18808-Ljbffr