Policy Analyst

The State Higher Education Executive Officers Association (SHEEO) seeks a talented professional to support our efforts to develop state data and information resources and to provide technical assistance and professional development to SHEEO agency researchers and policy analysts. The ideal candidate for this position will be enthusiastic about working with higher education data, understand how data can inform policy and practice, and use this enthusiasm and knowledge to inform our members and the community about current practices and future trends in public higher education.

SHEEO serves the chief executives of statewide governing, policy, and coordinating boards of postsecondary education and their staffs. Founded in 1954, SHEEO promotes an environment that values higher education and its role in ensuring the equitable education of all Americans, regardless of race/ethnicity, gender, or socioeconomic factors. Together with its members, SHEEO aims to achieve this vision by equipping state higher education executive officers and their staffs with the tools to effectively advance the value of higher education, promoting public policies and academic practices that enable all Americans to achieve success in the 21st century, and serving as an advocate for state higher education leadership. For more information, visit www.sheeo.org.

Key Responsibilities Include:

• SHEEO is seeking diverse applicants who are qualified to undertake the following responsibilities:
• Assisting in the development, administration, and analysis of SHEEO’s “Strong Foundations” survey of state postsecondary systems.
• Developing technical assistance and professional development materials for state-level data practitioners.
• Contributing to agenda development for SHEEO’s national convenings of data practitioners, researchers, and policy analysts.
• Creating resources to communicate data and research results to multiple audiences.
• Developing and maintaining knowledge regarding current activities and future trends in public higher education.
• Contributing to reports, white papers, and policy briefs.
• Responding to information requests and providing other member services.
• May represent SHEEO at state, regional, and national meetings and conferences.
• Other duties as assigned.

Required Experience and Qualifications:

• A bachelor’s degree in a relevant field plus at least two years of experience in a role that requires similar skills. A master’s degree may serve as a substitute for one year of experience.
• Experience with or knowledge of state postsecondary data systems.
• Knowledge of external data resources such as IPEDS, NPSAS, or U.S. Census Bureau.
• Successful completion of coursework or demonstrated experience in statistics.
• Advanced knowledge of Microsoft Excel. • Knowledge of Qualtrics or other survey platform.
• Ability to establish priorities and coordinate work on multiple projects.
• Strong written and verbal communications skills.
• Ability to creatively analyze and visualize data and present it to non-technical audiences.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Knowledge of state higher education policy and issues.
• Experience developing or providing professional development or technical assistance resources.
• Experience conducting education, social science, public policy, or other research.
• Knowledge of Tableau or other data visualization programs.

Salary: Salary will be commensurate with successful candidate’s level of education and experience. SHEEO provides excellent staff benefits, including educational assistance.

Term: This is a two-year contract position. Contract may be renewed or extended at the end of the two-year term.

Application Process:

1. Letter describing how you meet the requirements of the position, addressed to Dr. Christina Whitfield, SHEEO, 1233 20th Street NW, Suite 360, Washington, DC 20036.
2. Resume or curriculum vitae.
3. Names and contact information of three professional references. (References will not be contacted until you have given permission for us to do so.)

Applications will be accepted until the position is filled, but full consideration will be given to those received by September 17, 2021.

This position is based in Washington, D.C.

SHEEO is committed to providing equal employment opportunities and believes that recruiting and developing a diverse and inclusive staff is vital to the success of the organization.