Director, Research & Accreditation

About the Opportunity

The mission of American Baptist College (ABC), a historically Black College with a liberal arts emphasis, is to educate, graduate, and prepare diverse students for Christian leadership, service, and social justice.

Teaching Philosophy of ABC

The teaching philosophy at American Baptist College aims to help students develop a rigorous spirit of curiosity that connects theory to praxis, promotes community and inclusion, and cultivates habits of life- long learning through continuous self-reflection and self-evaluation. To accomplish these aims we will teach our students to grow ethically and spiritually by expanding their vision to include the principles of social justice, equity, advocacy, and leadership (SEAL) to build their analytical and interpretative skills in both faith communities and the broader society. 

Job Description

The Director of Research & Accreditation provides strategic leadership in overseeing institutional research, accreditation, assessment, and accreditation processes. This role is responsible for ensuring compliance with accreditation standards, coordinating institutional effectiveness initiatives, and supporting data-driven decision-making across the College via institutional research. The Director works collaboratively with academic and administrative leaders to promote a culture of continuous improvement, accountability, and excellence.

Key Responsibilities

Accreditation & Compliance

• Lead the planning, data-gathering, preparation, and submission of accreditation reports, self-studies, and compliance documents.
• Develop and implement assessment systems for both academic (e.g., student learning outcomes and academic programs) and non-academic units (e.g., Finance, Institutional Advancement) of the college.
• Serve as the primary liaison with the accrediting body and other regulatory agencies.
• Monitor changing accreditation standards and best practices.
• Coordinate site visits, evaluations, and follow-up actions.

Institutional Research & Assessment

• Develop and implement the institution’s research agenda that support institutional effectiveness, strategic planning, and student success.
• Managing data collection, analysis, and reporting related to institutional effectiveness, enrollment, retention, learning outcomes, graduation, and other key performance indicators.
• Utilize advanced data analysis techniques, including statistical analysis and trend identification to provide insights.
• Oversee academic and administrative assessment processes, including program reviews and learning outcomes assessments.
• Provide actionable data and dashboards to inform executive leadership and academic decision-making.

Reporting and Data Governance

• Compile, analyze, and disseminate data to internal and external stakeholders.
• Respond to data requests from local, state, and federal agencies.
• Advance data governance initiatives ensuring data integrity and quality across the College.
• Produce actionable reports, dashboards, and presentations for various audiences.

Strategic Leadership & Support

• Support strategic planning by providing data and research to inform institutional objectives.
• Partner with Academic Affairs (Dean, Faculty) and administrators to align accreditation, assessment, and research efforts with institutional goals.
• Support grant applications and external reporting requirements with relevant data and analyses.
• Promote data literacy and a culture of data-informed decision-making throughout the College.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in higher education administration, research, statistics, or related field. Preferred Doctoral degree in Education or related field.
• 5 years of experience in institutional research, accreditation, and assessment in higher education.
• Strong knowledge of accreditation processes.
• Demonstrated expertise in quantitative and qualitative research methods, data analysis, and reporting and familiarity with institutional research tools (e.g., SPSS, SAS, Tableau, Power BI).
• Excellent written, oral, and people skills with the ability to lead cross-functional teams and manage complex projects.

Core Competencies & Skills

• Strategic and analytical thinking.
• Project management and organizational skills.
• Ability to translate complex data into clear, actionable insights.
• Attention to detail and the ability to meet deadlines.