Discover
The Opportunity
Halifax, NS Other Experienced Full-time
Date Posted: April 15th, 2026
Posting Deadline: April 29th, 2026
Department: Enterprise Information Technology (EIT)
Type of Employment: Permanent, Full-Time
Group Affiliation: APC Group, Group 5 ($61,218 - $78,893 annually)
At Saint Mary's University, you will be surrounded by a talented and dedicated team of professionals committed to accessibility, diversity, and the provision of a positive and supportive learning environment. We recognize the importance of the contribution and growth of each individual in the University's success. We are currently looking to fill the position of Institutional Researcher to join our Enterprise Information Technology (EIT) team.
What we offer
As a team member at Saint Mary's, we are proud to offer many benefits. Some of these include:
- Competitive compensation
- Comprehensive benefits package
- Defined Contribution Pension plan
- Vacation
- Personal days
- Flexible Workplace
- Professional development
- Holiday closure
- Summer hour schedule
- Employee Transit EPass through Halifax Transit
Job Information and Responsibilities
Under the direction of the Director of Institutional Analysis and Planning, the Institutional Researcher will:
- Implements supporting systems and processes to aid in the production and maintenance of statistical reports on enrolment, grades, teaching load, student demographics in support of planning by deans and other senior administrators.
- Assesses data requirements through consultation with Director of IDAP and/or client.
- Performs comprehensive analyses and produces detailed reports on findings related to informed decision-making
- Identifies innovative and effective solutions to extract, organize, analyze and visualize data from the Banner student information system on student applications, acceptances, transfer, enrolment and graduation.
- Provides trending and historical analysis of admissions, enrolment, and retention and attrition rates to support and develop meaningful enrolment projections and forecasts for the upcoming year.
- Curates data to ensure reports are presented in a format that is both representative and useable for the purpose at hand (i.e. creation of dashboards and/or automation of particular data reports).
- Develops alternatives, models, and projections to improve processes and operational effectiveness. Effective solution necessitate that Institutional Researchers understand the client's problem and that results are supported by appropriate interpretation and education.
- Links survey and institutional data to inform decision-making on student persistence and success.
- Conduct Secondary Research analysis (environmental scans)
- Responds to survey from external sectors
- Provides structured opportunities such as workshops, tutorials, and documentation to help users produce and use reports on identified platforms.
- Writes, updates, and distributes report documentation
- Writes user-level documentation for database, reports, queries, exports, etc.
Experience and Education Requirements
To be the successful Institutional Researcher you will have:
- Completion of a Master's degree in Data Analytics, Statistics, Computer Science or a related quantitative research field with a minimum of 3 years related experience OR
- Bachelor's degree level Data Analytics, Statistics, Computer Science or a related quantitative research field with a minimum of 5 years of related experience.
- Experience writing reports from a relational database and query structure.
- Experience writing scripts in R, Python, PHP and/or Java Script.
- Experience using APIs to retrieve and parse data.
- Experience coding in at least one language.
- One or more years of data modelling and database schema experience.
- Excellent analytical, organizational, and interpersonal skills.
- Ability to work independently and in a team.
- Effective communication skills, including the ability to clearly and concisely express complex concepts in simple terms and communicate technical information to non-technical staff.
- Demonstrated skill and experience in data manipulation, management, and analysis. Knowledge of project management principles and experience completing complex projects within timelines.
- Experience working in a university environment would be considered an asset.
- Experience working with Banner/Oracle databases would be considered an asset.
Application Details
Apply for this opportunity online using our online application system through Career Beacon. Click on "Apply Now" and complete all required information fields. Qualified candidates should submit the following with their application:
- Resume
- Cover Letter
- Three Professional References
Late applications may not receive consideration. We appreciate all applications and note that only candidates selected for an interview will be contacted. No telephone calls please.
At Saint Mary's University, equity and diversity are integral to excellence and enrich our community. As an institution committed to fostering an environment of inclusion and respect, we encourage all qualified candidates to apply; however, preference will be given to applicants who self-identify as Black/African Nova Scotians, Indigenous peoples, racialized persons/visible minorities, persons with disabilities and women. If you require accommodations during the recruitment process, please contact Talent Acquisition at hr@smu.ca.
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