Data Manager

WELCOME TO MHEC

The Midwestern Higher Education Compact (MHEC) brings together leaders from 12 Midwestern states to strengthen postsecondary education, advance student success, and promote regional economic vitality. MHEC programs and initiatives save member states and students millions of dollars annually through time- and cost-savings opportunities. MHEC research supports workforce readiness and improves the quality, accessibility, and affordability of postsecondary education. MHEC convenings bring together leaders and subject experts to share knowledge, generate ideas, and develop collaborative solutions. One of four regional higher education compacts in the

U.S., MHEC

was authorized through legislation in 1991. Its contracts, research, programs, initiatives, and convenings are available to all public and private nonprofit institutions of higher education in the Midwest.

OUR MISSION MHEC

brings together Midwestern states to develop and support best practices, collaborative efforts, and cost-sharing opportunities. Through these efforts it works to ensure strong post-secondary educational opportunities for all.

OUR VISION

To improve student success and regional economic vitality through collective problem-solving and partnerships that strengthen postsecondary education.

DATA MANAGER PROFILE

The Data Manager is a technically proficient and knowledgeable professional with a strong background in designing and developing comprehensive data solutions. They possess the expertise to provide actionable insights for senior leaders and stakeholders within higher education, both regionally and nationally.

CHARACTERISTICS

• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple priorities effectively within a dynamic, lean environment.
• Outstanding analytical and organizational skills, detail-oriented, with ability to prioritize competing priorities and exercise sound judgment.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills.
• Collaborative and flexible style, committed to continuous improvement and learning.
• High personal integrity, good judgment, and maturity.
• Demonstrated resourcefulness in setting priorities, proposing efficiencies and systems.
• Displays an entrepreneur mindset, high energy, and innovative approach to problem solving.
• Demonstrates strong problem-solving and analytical skills to translate organizational needs into technical data solutions.
• Comfortable working both independently and collaboratively within a team, with the ability to communicate complex data concepts to non-technical stakeholders.

THE ROLE

The Data Manager will be an integral member of MHEC in the design and management of advanced data solutions for reporting and operational needs, supporting senior leaders and stakeholders in our organization. The role focuses on optimizing our data-driven environment by developing dashboards and ensuring data quality and system integrations. Reporting directly to the Senior Director of Operations, the Data Manager will serve as the organization's internal expert on data systems, reporting, and infrastructure, reducing reliance on external resources. The key responsibilities of the Data Manager include, but not limited to: Data System Management - 50%

• Maintain and support additional development data environments (i.e, Microsoft Fabric, OneLake, and Azure).
• Design and deliver sophisticated data solutions that are innovative and sustainable.
• Ensure data infrastructure is secure, reliable, and scalable.
• Manage and improve how data is brought into the organization from multiple sources.
• Maintain accurate, well-structured, consistent, and complete data that ensure high quality and useability for internal staff.
• Monitor and enhance data accuracy and reliability through ongoing data cleaning, validation, and quality assurance processes.
• Develop and oversee standards on how data is collected, stored, and protected across departments.
• Support MHEC's customer relationship management (CRM) system, ensuring data integrity, integration with other platforms, and alignment with organizational needs.
• Partner with teams across the organization to monitor processes and make recommendations.
• Partner with research staff to understand data access patterns and develop storage strategies that accelerate research and analytics. Reporting and Visualization - 30 %
• Develop and maintain Power BI dashboards and reports to deliver clear insights to senior leaders and decision-makers.
• Help support other data visualization tools such as Tableau.
• Ensure staff have access to timely, clear, and meaningful data visualizations.
• Train staff to use reports and dashboards effectively.
• Support departments in using data to guide decision- making. Tools, Documentation, and Internal Support - 20%
• Document data pipelines, integrations, and system processes.
• Recommend tools and practices that help MHEC grow its data capacity.
• Monitor developments in Microsoft's data platforms and assess future needs.
• Develop and maintain data governance practices to ensure data is sustainable and accessible to technical and nontechnical users.

ESSENTIAL QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience preferred.
• 4+ years' experience with data platforms and systems, preferably with Microsoft data platforms including Power BI, Azure, and/or Fabric. Master's degree or higher can be used in leu of experience.
• Experience designing and maintaining data systems and dashboards.
• Experience in higher education or nonprofit sectors preferred.

TECHNICAL ACUMEN

• Strong technical understanding of Microsoft Fabric, OneLake, Azure, or other data infrastructure tools and systems.
• Experience with data visualization platforms (Tableau, Power BI, or similar)
• Experience with Microsoft Dynamics and Power Automate is a plus but not required.
• Ability to plan, optimize, build, and maintain data pipelines and dashboards.
• Demonstrated understanding of data modeling and data integration practices.
• Proficiency demonstrated in Python, R, SAS, or other statistical/data management software
• Ability to develop processes for data cleaning, validation, and quality assurance
• Effective communicator who can explain technical topics to non-technical audiences.
• Experience with data governance practices and data management policies.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong organizational, time management, and problem-solving skills.
• Flexibility to adapt to changing priorities and deadlines.
• Willingness to take initiative, learn new tools, and support organization-wide data growth.
• Ability to prioritize tasks and work independently with minimal supervision.
• Professional demeanor and customer service orientation.

PERSONAL & PROFESSIONAL COMPETENCIES

• Mission-driven and results-oriented, building high-performance teams through delegation, motivation, and support, fostering a positive succession culture
• Collaborative and flexible style, committed to continuous improvement and learning
• High personal integrity, good judgment, and maturity
• Strong analytical skills and experience interpreting strategic visions into operational models
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Team player, collaborative, flexibly, energetic
• Strong interpersonal skills, ability to communicate and collaborate well at all levels of the organization.
• Experience working directly with senior leaders and executives
• Sound problem solving skills and the ability to exercise sound judgment and make decisions based on accurate and timely analysis.
• A multi-tasker with the ability to wear many hats in a fast-paced environment

COMPENSATION & BENEFITS

The compensation range for this role is between $90-118k. MHEC offers a competitive benefits package: Health, dental, and vision insurance Retirement plan contributions with match Short-term, long-term, and life insurance Paid Family and Medical Leave Vacation and flexible scheduling Cell phone stipend Annual professional development funds

TO APPLY

Midwestern Higher Education Compact has retained CLA Talent Solutions to spearhead our search efforts. Please send note of interest and resume to:

• LeAnn Cantwell, Sr. Lead Recruiter | leann.cantwell@claconnect.com
• Octavia Gilmore, Principal & National Search Leader | octavia.

gilmore@claconnect.com