Located in Boulder, Colorado.
Position Description:
SHEEO is seeking a policy analyst to support the State Higher Education Finance (SHEF) project. This position will assist with the collection of higher education finance data, provide quality controls and quantitative analysis, contribute to writing the SHEF report and related issue briefs, and support efforts to improve and expand the report in new directions. The ideal candidate for this position will be enthusiastic about state higher education policy and interested in using state funding data to inform policy decisions that improve equity and outcomes for all students.
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:
SHEEO is seeking diverse applicants who can fulfill the following key responsibilities:
- Communicate clearly and provide support to employees of state higher education offices regarding higher education finance data collections and other issues.
- Use large datasets to create actionable, policy-relevant insights for state systems of higher education.
- Leverage statistical software packages to create reproducible analyses and accompanying data visualizations, descriptive tables, and trend comparisons.
- Communicate empirical findings to non-technical audiences through presentations, reports, white papers, and policy briefs.
- Develop and maintain knowledge regarding current activities and future trends in public higher education finance.
- Identify and promote best policies and practices related to closing equity gaps in higher education.
- Represent SHEEO at state, regional, and national meetings and conferences.
- Respond to information requests and provide other member services.
- Other duties as assigned.
Required Experience and Qualifications:
- A bachelor’s degree in a relevant field, or equivalent experience.
- Two years of work experience in a role with similar skills or a master’s degree in a relevant field (higher education, public policy, etc.).
- Experience in data analysis or research.
- Enthusiasm and curiosity for higher education finance policy and the data used to inform policy-related conversations.
- Sophisticated skills in Microsoft Excel, including setting up, managing, using, and manipulating large quantitative datasets, the use of pivot tables and formulas, and creating data visualizations.
- Strong written, verbal, and customer service communication skills.
- Strong attention to detail.
- Creative with an eye for design and new ways of presenting data.
- An identifiable commitment to advancing equity and student success in higher education.
Preferred Qualifications:
- Knowledge of the SHEF report and interactive report website.
- Experience working with data from a variety of higher education and related sources (e.g., ACS, BLS, IPEDS, NASSGAP, NPSAS, etc.).
- Proficient in advanced statistical software packages (Stata or R).
- Familiarity with relational database systems (particularly SQL Server).
- Familiarity working with WordPress sites.
- Experience conducting higher education policy data analysis or research.
Salary and Term:
Salary will be commensurate with the successful candidate’s education, experience, and demonstrated skill level. The starting salary for this position is $55,000. SHEEO provides excellent staff benefits, including generous paid sick and vacation leave, retirement contributions, education and professional development benefits, and a hybrid working environment.
This is a two-year contract position. Contract may be renewed or extended at the end of the two-year term.
Application Process:
Please apply by email to sheeo@sheeo.org and include the following:
- A letter describing how you meet the position’s requirements, addressed to Sophia Laderman, SHEEO, 3035 Center Green Drive, #100, Boulder, CO 80301.
- Résumé or curriculum vitae.
- 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 August 6, 2021. This position is based in Boulder, Colorado. SHEEO is committed to providing equal employment opportunities and believes that recruiting and developing a diverse and inclusive staff is vital to the organization’s success.
