Senior Manager, Academic Portfolio Research

If you're passionate about building a better future for individuals, communities, and our country-and you're committed to working hard to play your part in building that future-consider WGU as the next step in your career.

Driven by a mission to expand access to higher education through online, competency-based degree programs, WGU is also committed to being a great place to work for a diverse workforce of student-focused professionals. The university has pioneered a new way to learn in the 21st century, one that has received praise from academic, industry, government, and media leaders. Whatever your role, working for WGU gives you a part to play in helping students graduate, creating a better tomorrow for themselves and their families.

The salary range for this position 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 position, and compensation decisions are dependent on the facts and circumstances of each case. A reasonable estimate of the current range is:

Job Description

Primary Responsibilities:

• Lead and develop a high-performing research team.
• Drive workforce alignment and ROI analysis to optimize program offerings.
• Utilize tools like Lightcast, BLS data, and IPEDS for labor market insights.
• Provide concise, high-level reports for executive decision-making.
• Guide research strategy and standardize methodologies.
• Manage five direct reports, ensuring strategic alignment.
• Collaborate with internal and external partners to enhance WGU's workforce impact.
• Champion diversity and equity in workforce research.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Strong leadership and mentorship skills.
• Expertise in workforce analytics, labor market research, or higher ed research.
• Proficiency in data visualization (Tableau, PowerPoint) and analytics tools (SQL, Python, R preferred).
• Excellent communication and strategic thinking abilities.
• Project management skills with a focus on execution and impact.
• Commitment to WGU's mission of workforce-aligned education.

Education & Experience:

• Master's in Data Science, Economics, Statistics, Public Policy, Business, or related field.
• 7+ years in workforce research or analytics.
• 3+ years managing research teams.
• Higher education, government, or workforce development experience preferred.

To explore more about our company and what makes working here special, visit our website at https://www.wgu.edu/about. To view current career opportunities and apply, please visit https://www.wgu.edu/careers.

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Position & Application Details

How to Apply: If interested, an application will need to be submitted online. Internal WGU employees will need to apply through the internal job board in Workday.

Additional Information

Disclaimer: The job posting highlights the most critical responsibilities and requirements of the job. It's not all-inclusive.

Accommodations: Applicants with disabilities who require assistance or accommodation during the application or interview process should contact our Talent Acquisition team at recruiting@wgu.edu.

Equal Employment Opportunity: All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to any protected characteristic as required by law.