The Education Secretariat is committed to equity and valuing the unique and diverse characteristics and experiences of every member of its workforce. We encourage an authentic workplace where colleagues show up as their full selves, where collaboration, innovation, and connections are key to realizing our mission that all children, youth, and families thrive socially, academically, and economically. We seek teammates who are committed to promoting a diverse and inclusive work environment, where everyone is valued and engaged. We encourage you to apply and identify your strengths in these areas.
The Massachusetts Public Higher Education System
The Massachusetts System of Public Higher Education (“System”) enrolls approximately 260,000 students in credit-bearing programs annually. The System consists of 15 community colleges, 9 state universities, and 5 University of Massachusetts (“UMass”) campuses. The Board of Higher Education (BHE) has coordination and oversight responsibilities for the entire System, and the BHE together with each respective Board of Trustees, expects all students, faculty, and staff to be held to exacting standards in the performance of their roles and responsibilities.
The Massachusetts Board of Higher Education (“Board” or “BHE”) is the Commonwealth’s higher education authority with coordinating and regulatory responsibility for all public and private higher education institutions operating in the Commonwealth that are authorized to grant degrees. The BHE is staffed by the Department of Higher Education (DHE), which is run by a Commissioner who serves as the executive and administrative head of the department. Together, the BHE and DHE are the leading voice and advocate for postsecondary education in the Commonwealth.
In addition, the BHE and DHE’s authority includes administering state financial aid and federal grant programs; managing and responding to consumer complaints; conducting financial assessments of institutions; managing employee relations and benefits for public higher education employees; managing collective bargaining contracts with state university and community colleges employees; and approving degree-granting authority for all public and most private higher education institutions operating within the Commonwealth. Currently, there are 80 private institutions of higher education operating in the Commonwealth and authorized to grant degrees.
The BHE is staffed by its executive agency, the Department of Higher Education (DHE), which is run by Commissioner Ortega. The Department of Higher Education is committed to the Values of Equity, Accountability, Community, Empowerment, Intentionality, and Teamwork, and seeks applicants who value the full diversity of Massachusetts students and who share a sensitivity to and understanding of the academic, socio-economic, cultural, and ethnic backgrounds of the populations served. We employ a hybrid hoteling work model with a fixed weekly team day schedule.
Position Overview
The Department of Higher Education (DHE) seeks a Senior Data Analyst to support the Commonwealth’s centralized higher education data systems and advance evidence-based policymaking. This role blends data analysis, reporting, and data systems management to ensure high-quality data, support institutional partners, and produce insights that inform programs, policy, and strategic decisions.
The Senior Data Analyst works within the Office of Research and Planning to conduct analyses on student outcomes and statewide initiatives, contribute to dashboards, reports, and data tools used across the public higher education system, and maintain and improve the Higher Education Information Resource System (HEIRS).
As a team, Research and Planning seeks to:
Drive organizational transformation by prioritizing evidence over intuition, with data at the center of every conversation
Ensure data accuracy and relevance
Protect student privacy and adhere to legal requirements
Incorporate the best innovative practices for data collection and usage
Provide decision-makers with powerful, sustainable tools to support policymaking
Responsibilities/Essential Job Functions
Integrates, extracts, and manipulates data from disparate internal and external data sources, including HEIRS, using a variety of data management and analysis tools (e.g., SQL, Excel, R, Tableau) for purposes of data analysis and data sharing.
Analyze student affordability, enrollment, equity,
Produce dashboards, reports, and visualizations using Tableau or similar tools.
Respond to internal and external data requests and support cross-agency projects.
Maintain familiarity with higher education policy initiatives and relevant data sources.
Support year-round data collection from Massachusetts public higher education institutions.
Conduct data quality checks and troubleshoot submission issues.
Develop documentation, standard operating procedures, and data process guides.
Competencies/Skills and Abilities
Strong attention to detail and commitment to data accuracy.
Ability to manage multiple projects and meet deadlines.
Effective collaborator with strong communication skills.
Ability to work in a hybrid environment and build productive relationships across teams.
Ensures all digital content, documents, and communication materials created in this role adhere to WCAG 2.1 Level AA accessibility standards.
Ability to plan, organize, and track work using core project-management principles, including defining scope, milestones, and deliverables aligned with agency priorities.
Demonstrated skill in managing tasks and timelines in a structured, transparent way, with comfort coordinating across teams to keep projects on track.
Familiarity with common project-management tools and digital work platforms (e.g., Asana, Trello, Smartsheet, MS365 tools) and the ability to adopt new tools as needed.
Aspires to lead by and practice the DHE Values and Behaviors and commits to embody them through continued learning and personal growth.
Experience working with diverse teams and leveraging their unique perspectives to achieve positive outcomes.
Demonstrated experience in creating an inclusive work environment where everyone feels valued
Promotes a collaborative workplace climate.
Preferred Qualifications
Four years of professional experience in data analysis, data systems, institutional research, or related work.
Strong SQL skills and experience working with relational databases.
Proficiency with Excel and at least one statistical tool (R, SAS, Stata, or SPSS).
Experience with Tableau or other BI/visual analytics platforms.
Ability to communicate data clearly to diverse audiences.
Demonstrated commitment to equity-focused analysis and practice.
Experience with higher education data systems, especially HEIRS.
Familiarity with the Massachusetts public higher education system.
Experience with large relational databases or cloud data platforms.
Experience with research and evaluation in higher education
Reporting and Location
One Ashburton Place, Boston, Massachusetts
In-state hybrid work
To Apply:
Interested candidates should submit the following with their application:
Resume
Cover letter outlining your relevant experience and interest in the position
MINIMUM ENTRANCE REQUIREMENTS:
Applicants must have at least (A) five (5) years of full-time or, equivalent part-time, professional, administrative, supervisory, or managerial experience in business administration, business management, public administration, public management, clinical administration or clinical management of which (B) at least one (1) year must have been in a project management, supervisory or managerial capacity or (C) any equivalent combination of the required experience and substitutions below.
Substitutions:
I. A certificate in a relevant or related field may be substituted for one (1) year of the required (A) experience.
II. A Bachelor's degree in a related field may be substituted for two (2) years of the required (A) experience.
III. A Graduate degree in a related field may be substituted for three (3) years of the required (A) experience.
IV. A Doctorate degree in a related field may be substituted for four (4) years of the required (A) experience.
Comprehensive Benefits
When you embark on a career with the Commonwealth, you are offered an outstanding suite of employee benefits that add to the overall value of your compensation package. We take pride in providing a work experience that supports you, your loved ones, and your future.
Want the specifics? Explore our Employee Benefits and Rewards!
An Equal Opportunity / Affirmative Action Employer. Females, minorities, veterans, and persons with disabilities are strongly encouraged to apply.
The Commonwealth is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age, disability, national origin, veteran status, or any other basis covered by appropriate law. Research suggests that qualified women, Black, Indigenous, and Persons of Color (BIPOC) may self-select out of opportunities if they don't meet 100% of the job requirements. We encourage individuals who believe they have the skills necessary to thrive to apply for this role.