The salary range for this role takes into account the wide range of factors that are considered in making compensation decisions including but not limited to skill sets; experience and training; licensure and certifications; and other business and organizational needs.

At WGU, it is not typical for an individual to be hired at or near the top of the range for their role, and compensation decisions are dependent on the facts and circumstances of each case. A reasonable estimate of the current range is:

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Current WGU employees should submit an internal application before 12/5/2023 to be considered.

Reporting directly to the VP of Institutional Analytics & Research the Senior Manager of Analytics Operations & Project Management is a senior leader in the analytics department. Plays a crucial role in shaping the future of our data-driven initiatives. Responsible for translating the department's strategic vision into actionable projects, driving the adoption of self-service analytics solutions, overseeing communication of analytical insights, and leading project management for critical process improvement initiatives. Facilitates collaboration across teams and ensures the successful execution of analytics-related projects, fostering a collaborative and results-driven culture within the analytics department.

Essential Functions and Responsibilities:

Strategy and Leadership:

• Collaborates closely with the VP of Institutional Analytics & Research and other senior analytics leaders to translate the department's strategic vision into actionable projects and initiatives.

• Assists in setting strategic goals and KPIs to ensure alignment with the university's mission.

• Manages a team of data analysts and project managers, including hiring, training, development, coaching, mentoring, and performance management.

Adoption of Self-Service Solutions:

• Develops and execute strategies to drive the adoption of self-service analytics solutions and tools within the organization.

• Identifies opportunities for process improvement and implement efficient workflows to facilitate self-service analytics.

Communication and Insights:

• Oversees the development of communication plans for sharing analytical insights and discoveries across the organization.

• Ensures data-driven insights are effectively communicated to relevant stakeholders, fostering a culture of data-driven decision-making.

Project Management:

• Takes a leading role in project management for key analytical process improvement projects, ensuring successful execution, on-time delivery, and measurable outcomes.

• Fosters a collaborative and results-driven culture within the analytics department.

Prioritization and Intake Process:

• Establishes an efficient intake process to manage incoming projects and requests.

• Creates an analytical calendar that aligns with the institution’s planning calendar and processes of engineering and product teams.

Collaboration with Engineering Teams:

• Fosters strong collaboration between the analytics team and the data engineering and ML Ops teams to ensure seamless collaboration and alignment on analytics-related projects.

• Drives integration efforts to enhance data infrastructure and analytical capabilities.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Proven track record of leading teams in completing large-scale projects with minimal guidance, emphasizing time sensitivity.

• Strong business and project leadership skills, demonstrating assertiveness and diplomacy, capable of managing both upwards and downwards in the organization, with a commitment to accountability.

• Excellent communication and listening skills, capable of articulating the big picture impact while maintaining attention to detail.

• Demonstrates dynamic problem-solving and analytical skills, with a focus on project timeline development, risk assessment, and prioritization.

• Highly organized and detail-oriented, exhibiting a strong bias for action and experienced in leading analytical projects or developing analytical data tools.

• Comfortable collaborating with analytical and data engineering organizations, contributing to a collaborative and cross-functional working environment.

Competencies:

Organizational Impact:

• Results-Driven Focus: Drives for results with a strong outcomes-based orientation, persisting in achieving objectives despite obstacles and setbacks.

• Exemplary Goal Attainment: Demonstrates a track record of consistently exceeding goals, showcasing a history of high achievement.

• Strategic Planning: Develops plans aligned with departmental goals to fulfill division or job area responsibilities, recognizing the potential impact on overall departmental results.

• Organizational Awareness: Requires knowledge of the University to understand the broader impact of decisions, acknowledging that performance may influence departmental outcomes.

Problem Solving and Decision Making:

• Collaborative Problem Resolution: Coordinates activities and maintains relationships with internal and external parties to address broad and undefined challenges.

• Strategic Request Management: Challenges incoming requests, rephrasing them for maximum impact, and demonstrates a strategic approach to problem-solving.

• Informed Decision-Making: Comfortably makes trade-off decisions, proposes unbiased scenarios, and leverages analytical thinking for well-informed solutions.

• Process Enhancement: Takes charge of improving processes and systems to boost job area performance.

Communication and Influence:

• Strategic Communication: Influences and communicates effectively, adapting messages and styles to fit diverse audiences and situations.

• Collaborative Teamwork: Promotes teamwork, decision-making, and problem-solving through effective communication, encouraging diverse ideas, and listening/responding to others.

• Feedback and Support: Provides timely and constructive feedback, working cooperatively with others across the organization to achieve shared objectives, gaining buy-in, trust, and support.

• Adaptive Influence: Represents own interests while being fair to others, partnering with diverse stakeholders to accomplish tasks, and adjusting communication approaches to win support universally.

Leadership and Talent Management

• Proactive Leadership: Demonstrates a strong bias for action and self-direction, leading performance and process improvements, while maintaining a keen interest in both students and organizational success.

• Team Management and Oversight: Effectively manages a team of professionals, overseeing their work with a focus on results, while providing guidance and allowing independence in assignments.

• Inspirational Influence: Possesses the ability to influence, guide, and inspire others, leading cross-departmental projects with impact, even without formal authority.

• Results-driven Collaboration: Actively contributes to achieving impactful results for WGU and its students, pushing oneself and supporting others in their efforts.

• Talent Development and Decision-making: Ensures proper training for team members, actively participates in hiring and promotion decisions, and conducts performance reviews to foster talent development within the organization.

Job Qualifications:

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in a relevant field, such as analytics or data science, or equivalent experience

• 8 - 10 years of hands-on experience in a role related to analytics.

• Experience operating in medium to large matrixed organizations with a fast growth trajectory, and 5 - 7 years leading teams or projects/programs.

• Skilled at using data, domain knowledge, and business judgement to influence, persuade, and shape decisions.

• Proven track record of successful project management, including managing complex projects and implementing process improvement initiatives.

• Exceptional communication skills for the development and execution of effective communication plans.

• Familiarity with a range of analytics and data tools, as well as relevant software and platforms. Understanding of data infrastructure and analytical capabilities.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Demonstrated success in driving the adoption of self-service analytics solutions and tools, coupled with the ability to identify and implement process improvements to enhance self-service analytics capabilities.

• PMO Certification or any other project management certification equivalent.

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