Director, Data and Analytics

Overview

The Director, Data and Analytics leads the development and execution of the data strategy for the Division of Communications and Marketing (MarComm) at Vanderbilt University. This role transforms raw data into actionable insights that improve the effectiveness of marketing and communications, strengthen audience engagement, enhance operational performance, and inform strategic decision-making across the division. As a key contributor to innovation and continuous improvement, the Director drives efforts in campaign performance tracking, audience segmentation, behavioral analysis, and operational forecasting. This position blends strong technical expertise with strategic thinking, institutional awareness, and cross-functional collaboration. The Director partners closely with teams across the university—including the Office of Data and Strategic Analytics—to support a culture of data-informed decision-making and shared measurement frameworks. This position reports to the Senior Director, Organizational Excellence and serves as a strategic advisor to MarComm leadership, offering insight into performance trends, risks, and opportunities that shape divisional priorities.

About The Work Unit The Communications and Marketing team at Vanderbilt is a dynamic and deeply collaborative group. The division, with all of its departments and sub-teams, serves as the institution-wide center of excellence for communications and marketing, developing and executing strategies that inform, engage and inspire others to participate in Vanderbilt University’s global academic and research mission. The division is a key strategic adviser and partner for other divisions in the university, providing comprehensive plans and thoughtful analysis on messaging opportunities and constraints. The Communications and Marketing team continuously seeks innovative solutions to new and emerging challenges in order to deliver results at scale to advance the larger mission, values and priorities of the university.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the development and execution of data-driven communications and marketing strategies by analyzing campaign performance, audience behavior, and engagement trends.
• Design and develop actionable Tableau dashboards and reports leveraging Snowflake data to support strategic and operational decision-making across the division.
• Serve as the primary liaison between MarComm and the Office of Data and Strategic Analytics to ensure alignment on data practices, platform integration, and measurement strategies.
• Manage the development and maintenance of data pipelines to ensure high-quality, accessible data across communications and marketing systems, including Salesforce and website analytics platforms.
• Build and maintain a centralized analytics infrastructure to support campaign performance tracking, operational planning, and strategic reporting.
• Develop and automate ETL workflows to move and transform data from platforms such as Salesforce and Google Analytics into Snowflake using tools like Fivetran, dbt, or custom SQL/Python scripting.
• Oversee integration of data from Google Analytics 4, CRM systems (e.g., Salesforce, Slate), email platforms, social media analytics, and project management tools.
• Ensure strong data governance practices, including data quality, documentation, access control, and compliance with university privacy policies (e.g., FERPA).
• Design and maintain interactive dashboards, scorecards, and reports using tools such as Tableau, Power BI, or Looker Studio.
• Conduct advanced analyses—including audience segmentation, A/B testing, attribution modeling, engagement scoring, and predictive modeling—to uncover insights and guide strategy.
• Translate complex data findings into clear, actionable recommendations to improve campaign performance, audience targeting, digital user experience, and resource allocation.
• Empower internal teams by educating stakeholders on interpreting dashboards, understanding KPIs, and applying data to daily workflows.
• Advise senior leadership on emerging trends, performance risks, and data-driven opportunities to inform divisional strategy and planning.
• Collaborate with and support the Senior Director, Organizational Excellence in advancing strategic data initiatives and aligning analytics priorities with broader divisional goals.
• Stay current with analytics tools, industry best practices, and trends in higher education communications, marketing, and digital strategy.

Supervisory Relationships

This position will work independently at first and may – once needs are assessed by this leader and appropriate resourcing is secured - have direct supervisory responsibility over a data and analytics specialist. This position reports administratively and functionally to the Senior Director, Organizational Excellence.

Experience And Skills

• Bachelor’s degree in data science, analytics, marketing, information systems, or a related field; Master’s degree preferred.
• 5+ years of experience in data analytics, preferably in a marketing, communications, advancement, or higher education setting.
• Advanced proficiency in SQL, Excel, and one or more of: Python, R, or similar scripting tools.
• Experience with GA4, CRM systems (Salesforce, Slate, etc.), email marketing platforms, and digital media analytics.
• Proficiency with data visualization tools such as Tableau, Power BI, or Looker Studio.
• Familiarity with cloud-based data environments (e.g., Snowflake, AWS Redshift, etc.).
• Strong analytical and storytelling skills—the ability to distill complex data into actionable, audience-friendly insights.
• Demonstrated ability to collaborate across cross-functional teams and communicate with both technical and non-technical audiences.
• Experience supporting or collaborating with fundraising, alumni engagement, or advancement teams a plus.