Data Manager Jobs in Iowa

ABOUT THE ROLE

The Academic Records and Data Manager is a critical leadership role responsible for the lifecycle of the student record and the integrity of institutional data. This position balances high-level compliance—serving as the primary coordinator for federal and accreditation reporting (IPEDS, HLC)—with the management of complex enrollment actions, including university-wide withdrawals, directed studies, internships, and more. The successful candidate will ensure that data management practices are both operationally efficient and compliant with all regulatory standards.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Specialized Academic Operations: Oversee the end-to-end processing of complex enrollment changes: course drops, swaps, and university withdrawals. Coordinate with the Financial Aid office to ensure withdrawal dates and data points are accurately synchronized for Title IV compliance. Manage the approval and administrative workflow for Directed Study and Internship proposals, ensuring all institutional requirements and credit-hour standards are met.

• Data Governance & Institutional Compliance: Serve as the lead coordinator for mandatory institutional reporting, including IPEDS, NC-SARA, HLC, and state-level data requests. Collaborate with stakeholders across the university (Financial Aid, Admissions, IT, and Provost’s Office) to ensure data consistency and accuracy for external audits. Perform regular data audits to safeguard the integrity of the Student Information System (SIS).

• Strategic Records Management: Act as a subject matter expert on FERPA and university policy regarding student records. Maintain and update the technical configuration of the academic catalog and registration modules within the SIS. Perform degree audit checks as needed. Maintain and update program-specific degree audit information in the SIS. Develop standard operating procedures (SOPs) for enrollment workflows to increase intradepartmental efficiency and transparency.

• Department and Faculty Support & Problem Solving: Provide high-level technical and policy guidance to faculty and department heads regarding enrollment exceptions.

• Student Support & Problem Solving: Resolve complex student record issues with a focus on accuracy, empathy, and adherence to university policy.

QUALIFICATIONS

Required:

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in data management, Information Science, Business Administration, or a related analytical field.

• Technical Experience: 1+ years of experience in a Registrar’s office or a highly regulated data environment.

• Ability to bridge the gap between technical data requirements and academic policy for diverse university stakeholders.

Preferred:

• Master’s Degree: Especially in Higher Education Administration or Data Analytics.

• Regulatory Knowledge: Demonstrated understanding of FERPA, IPEDS, and higher education accreditation standards (e.g., HLC).

• Software Proficiency: Advanced skills in Excel (Pivot Tables, data cleaning) and direct experience with Student Information Systems (SIS).