Overview
The Tufts Office of University Strategy and Program Development tackles the most interesting and pressing challenges in higher education through critical strategic planning, advisory, and analytical support. The Office serves the University as a partner to Tufts’ schools and the central administration in the identification and development of mission-related opportunities that transform the University’s model for sustainable success in the 21st century higher education ecosystem. We achieve this mission by providing business analysis and project management expertise for transformational strategic initiatives (often serving as an internal consulting agency), by providing best-in-class market research and business analysis to the Tufts community, by partnering with schools and units across the university to build strategic portfolios of educational programs, and by supporting the university’s strategic planning processes and the cultivation of a strategic mindset in all areas of the institution. Led by an Executive Director, the Office reports to the Executive Vice President and works closely with the Office of the Provost in establishing and implementing its priorities. The Office is comprised of two teams: the Strategic Transformation team and the Strategy and Analysis team. A pool of Senior Analysts support the analysis, research, and operations of both teams.
What You'll Do
The Associate Director of Strategy and Analysis supports and/or implements several of the Office of University Strategy and Program Development’s key ongoing services and functions within the Strategy and Analysis team. Responsible for market research projects, leading business analysis initiatives, and for key activities within the university’s program development and strategy functions. Serves as a key strategic partner to the Office of the Provost, Schools, and Central Units. Assists in managing analyst staff, assigning and monitoring work and assessing performance on managed projects
Essential Functions:
• Serves as a key contributor in continually evolving the vision for Market Research & Analysis, seeking to improve the impact of its offerings for the university as it evolves and contributes to the vision for all functions within the Strategy and Analysis area
• Drives the day-to-day market research and business analysis activities, with an emphasis on educational programming. Manages key data processes and refreshes, reviews junior team members’ draft analyses and provides feedback on market research and data analysis, generates key findings and actionable recommendations by synthesizing market research, data analysis, and knowledge of Tufts / higher education / other industries, and develops formal reports and presentations summarizing meaningful findings and recommendations for an executive audience.
• Manages and performs sophisticated business / financial analysis to support high-level decision making and advance university priorities. Manages modules or sections of university-wide or other critical strategic initiatives and outputs. Develops reports and dashboard on school program portfolios, program performance (admissions, enrollment, financials), and competitive and labor markets for senior leadership and board of trustee audiences.
• Manages the day-to-day operations of the Program Development and Approval Committee (PDAC), a cross-functional committee between the Executive Vice President’s and Provost’s Offices, project managing the end-to-end program development proposal process including timelines, milestones, proposal criteria, functional assessments, and document reviews. Reviews submitted program proposals and provides iterative feedback to development team that will strengthen the business case and ultimately performance outcomes for the program when launched.
• Develops and maintains analyses and presentations on program development activity and impact for a variety of audiences, including senior leadership and board of trustees. Manages the PDAC forms, policies and templates repository and continually enhances the tools to better support program business case development and identifies opportunities to continually improve and advance program development and approval processes and implements new policies and processes in partnership with PDAC stakeholders.
• Assists Director in managing a variety of initiatives that support the cultivation of a strategic mindset culture at the university, providing input to digests of market research and Tufts / higher ed landscape news for executive consumption, distributed to senior leaders as the Tufts Market Mindset monthly newsletter. Supports the Innovation Roundtable, a bi-annual webinar highlighting innovative activities in the market or across the institution.
• Engages in office-wide and university-wide planning, committees when requested, and environment, proactively contributing to the office and university as a whole beyond day-to-day work.
• Mentors, assigns and monitors work, and assesses performance on managed projects of analyst support team. Assists in developing and contributing ‘practice building’ the Office of University Strategy and Program Development as it grows over time.
What We're Looking For
Basic Requirements:
- Knowledge and skills as typically acquired through completion of Bachelor’s degree and 7 years’ related professional experience
- Excellent skills and demonstrated experience in the following areas:
- Critical thinking and creative problem-solving
- Financial, business, and strategic analysis skills (e.g., survey development and analysis, market studies, pricing analysis, competitor benchmarking, financial / database analysis, business case development)
- Development and synthesis of key takeaways and data-driven recommendations for senior audiences in written and verbal form
- Project management and leadership of complex strategic projects
- MS Excel, Word, and PowerPoint
- Excellent communication skills in a variety of settings, e.g., one-on-one , leading large groups, presentations, ability to work with senior and junior stakeholders
- Ability to handle multiple projects and priorities in a fast-paced environment
- Ability to work as an individual contributor and/or on a small team
- Results-oriented - willingness to be hands-on and to execute in addition to thinking big picture; willingness to learn and grow
- Flexible - able to shift and adapt with projects and as the department/office grows
- Proactive - does not need substantial direction, looks for opportunities to go above and beyond
- Empathetic - demonstrates ability to understand, articulate, and adapt to a wide variety of skill sets and perspectives
- Sense of humor, a positive and collaborative attitude, and a team player mentality, willing to take on any task big or small
- Tact, discretion, and ability to maintain confidentiality
- Interest in working in or with education, non-profit, government, or other public sector organizations
Preferred Qualifications
- Knowledge and skills as typically acquired through completion of a Master’s degree in a relevant field
- Experience in management, strategy, operations consulting
- Experience working in or with education, non-profit, government, or other public sector organizations
- Experience working within in a pooled resource environment and overseeing junior team members
