Data Analyst, Alumni Engagement Services

Position Job Title: Data Analyst, Alumni Engagement Services

Location: Vancouver (hybrid)

Reports To: Associate Director, Alumni Engagement Services

Primary Purpose

The Data Analyst, Alumni Engagement Services (AES) is a key member of the AES, overseeing and implementing data management practices to ensure effective use of constituent data. As an experienced data management professional, the analyst collaborates with team members engaging various constituents through events, volunteer roles, committees, boards, affinity, and lifelong learning opportunities. This supports the development and execution of meaningful alumni engagement strategies, fostering lifelong connections and advancing University Canada West's alumni relations goals.

The analyst works closely with Institutional Accountability, IT, Data and Privacy, Student Affairs and Services, and the Office of the Registrar to uphold data integrity. Responsibilities include data preparation, transformation, query writing, statistical analysis, and report preparation.

Specific Responsibilities

DATA ANALYSIS AND REPORTING

• Configure alumni database systems and oversee data entry and updates to meet team needs.
• Identify and categorize alumni according to established protocols for tracking linkages and interests.
• Ensure compliance with university data collection and management policies.
• Accountable for working with sensitive information and ability to maintain strict confidentiality.
• Design monthly statistical reports and dashboards to monitor key performance indicators.
• Manage alumni data imports/exports, conduct accuracy audits, and advise management.
• Provide statistical data for engagement activity development, conducting quantitative and qualitative research, analysis, and interpretation of alumni and constituent data.
• Conduct database analysis and assess needs, recommending technologies to support institutional research, predictive analysis, and meaningful alumni engagement.
• Utilize statistical software for data analysis and stays updated on best practices in alumni data management.
• Develop protocols to safeguard alumni data and provide recommendations for approval.

RESEARCH

• Provide analytical and research support for alumni initiatives, leveraging existing relationships to engage alumni and respond to their interests.
• Contribute to planning and implementing reports, data requests, and research. Proactively identify opportunities and manage projects to support data-informed decision-making, advancing university goals for increased alumni engagement.
• Independently develop methodologies and evaluation criteria based on recent trends in alumni relations and data management.
• Review literature in alumni relations, identify research opportunities, and share best practices with the alumni team and campus partners.

ALUMNI ENGAGEMENT STRATEGY

• Utilize research and alumni data analysis to contribute to annual planning for alumni identification, cultivation, engagement, and stewardship.
• Collaborate with the team to create and deploy data analysis tools for monitoring objectives, metrics, and success indicators.
• Conduct surveys using institutional tools, translating results into visualizations or concise summaries.

PROGRAM AND EVENT SUPPORT

• Configure database to facilitate seamless import/export of constituent participation and data capture for alumni benefits, programming, events, and communications, utilizing tools such as the alumni portal, Mailchimp, and virtual/in-person interactions.
• Collaborate with the team to monitor progress of programming and events towards key performance indicators.

FUND DEVELOPMENT AND EXTERNAL RELATIONS

• Configure the database to track affinity partner promotions, event/program revenue, sponsorship engagement, and other revenue sources as directed.
• Conduct and manage constituent research to support team interactions with various stakeholders, including alumni, sponsors, affinity partners, campus champions, professional associations, university promotional materials, alumni recognition, and the Alumni Advisory Board.
• Conduct and track constituent research to support interactions with alumni, sponsors, affinity partners, campus champions, professional associations, university promotional materials, alumni recognition, the Alumni Advisory Board, and other stakeholders.

VOLUNTEER MANAGEMENT

• Configure database to track alumni volunteer participation in university committees, events, panels, and external associations.
• Provide reports to the team on alumni volunteer involvement to monitor progress towards key performance indicators.

MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS

• Configure database to support and track alumni communications, ensuring compliance with legislation and best practices.
• Manage returned email/mail, entering or distributing updates as needed.
• Present research results clearly through narrative, tables, graphs, and oral presentations using institutional software.
• Design data formats, reports, charts, and graphics in line with graphic design standards.
• Creates concise and user-friendly research briefs for a general audience.

RELATIONSHIP BUILDING

• Offer recommendations to enhance institutional awareness of impactful alumni engagement, focusing on actionable insights, high-impact activities, and best practices for advancing alumni relationships.
• Collaborate with Institutional Accountability to integrate alumni engagement goals into routine campus reports, conducting research like campus-wide surveys and focus groups.
• Present research findings to various campus groups, including leadership, administration, and staff from Student Affairs & Services, Academic Affairs, Faculty, and the Registrar’s Office.

COLLABORATION AND SUPERVISION

• While this role has no direct reports, it oversees supervision of the University’s alumni data systems.
• Design and provide training on data entry and management protocols, use of monthly statistical reports and customized dashboards that monitor progress towards key performance indicators.
• Provide back-up for the operations assistant as required.

ADMINSTRATION AND FINANCE

• Coordinate the import of alumni data with the Office of the Registrar into alumni data management systems as determined by annual schedule.
• Send pre-approved university and external partner messages and updates alumni records.
• Identify and resolve duplicate records in the database through manual deletion or merging.
• Design reports and queries for mailings/invitations and assists with mail and email merges.
• Identify third party sources of information to improve and enhance database; remain current with trends in database technology.
• Act as the primary contact for technical support, troubleshooting issues, and recommending upgrades.
• Implement and monitor the assigned operational budget in accordance with university policies and procedures, ensuring financial goals are met.
• Prepare, review, and finalize reports on all data systems to support the development of annual operational budget.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Maintain a high degree of confidentiality and handles sensitive issues with tact.
• Proficient in reporting tools, capable of designing custom reports, dashboards, and pivot reports.
• Proactive approach to project identification, research, recommendation development, procedure creation, and implementation.
• Statistical experience in the social sciences or education.
• Ability to develop metrics, templates, and tools for continuous improvement tracking and monitoring of key indicators, promoting data-informed decision-making.
• Willingness to learn tools and technologies to support research, data analysis, and visualization.
• Detail-oriented with a focus on accuracy.
• Ability to work independently and manage projects under tight timelines.
• Adaptable to shifting priorities.
• Experienced in survey design.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree
• Two years of professional experience in data analysis and/or visualization.
• Intermediate knowledge of excel (including but not limited to VLOOKUP, pivot tables, calculations, basic visualizations, power pivot, and power query).
• Basic knowledge of statistical concepts and applications.
• Experience using constituent relationship management software.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree.
• Experience conducting applied social/educational research and/or assessment projects.
• Three to five years of progressively responsible professional full-time experience in higher education or a non-profit organization.
• Experience data visualization tool with additional knowledge in using scripting language like R, Python, or SQL.
• Experience using data visualization tools such as Tableau or Power BI an asset.

To apply for this role, please submit your resume and cover letter in one PDF file.

We greatly appreciate your time and efforts in applying for the position at UCW, however, please note only successful candidates will be contacted.

University Canada West is strongly committed to equity, diversity and inclusivity within its community and especially welcomes applications from racialized persons / persons of colour, women, Indigenous / Aboriginal People of North America, persons with disabilities, LGBTQ2S+ persons and others who may contribute to the further diversification of ideas.

The University recognizes that applicants may have had obligations outside of work that have negatively impacted their record of achievements (e.g., parental, elder care and/or medical). You are not required to disclose these obligations in the hiring process. If you choose to do so, the University will ensure that these obligations do not negatively impact the assessment of your qualifications for the position.

If you require any accommodations at any point during the application and hiring process, please include this note in your application.