Senior Forecasting & Business Analytics Consultant (AI)

IWU is seeking a Senior Forecasting & Business Analytics Consultant (AI) (Independent Contractor ‑ 1099 / Contract-to-Hire) for a large-scale technology reorganization project.

ABOUT THE ROLE:

• IWU is re-platforming its enterprise on a multi-data center, AI-first data foundation with a dedicated analytics planning, design, and build track on the roadmap. We need reporting that executives trust and forecasts that hold up under scrutiny. We are seeking a Senior Forecasting & Business Analytics Consultant with strong hands-on forecasting and actuarial modeling skills to lead IWU's forward-looking analytics functions.
• This is not a dashboard-only role. You will run a small analytics team , and the enterprise reporting portfolio, and stay hands-on in the models – cohort retention, tuition and aid scenarios, headcount and capacity forecasts, and multi-year financial projections that Finance, Leadership, and the CIO rely on.
• You will partner across IT, Institutional Research, Finance, and academic operations while standing up analytics capabilities on our on-premises data platform .
• You will be a people leader who still opens the spreadsheet, SQL editor, Python, or modeling tool when the forecast matters – you set standards for the team, quality-check the math, and explain variance to leadership in plain language.

Reporting and Analytics Program Leadership

• Drive the forward-looking analytics portfolio – executive dashboards, operational reports, self-service datasets, and KPI definitions aligned to IWU's strategic and re-platforming priorities.
• Develop the analytics workstream through planning, design, and build phases – requirements, data sourcing, semantic models, report catalog, and release governance per the re-platforming roadmap.
• Define reporting standards – naming, refresh cadence, data lineage documentation, access controls, and change management so reports do not become conflicting sources of truth.

Forecasting and Actuarial Modeling (Hands-On)

• Develop and maintain enrollment and retention forecasts – cohort models, persistence curves, channel mix (online vs on-campus, graduate vs undergraduate), and scenario analysis leadership uses for planning.
• Build revenue and tuition forecasting models – net tuition, financial aid impact, discount rates, and program-level projections with documented assumptions and sensitivity analysis.
• Apply advanced statistical and forecasting methods – survival analysis for retention and persistence, cohort-based attrition modeling, confidence intervals, Monte Carlo simulations, scenario trees, and back-testing against actual enrollment, completion, and financial outcomes.
• Own the forecast cadence – monthly actuals vs forecast variance analysis, re-baseline triggers, and executive-ready narrative on what changed and why.

Data Foundation and Analytics Delivery

• Partner with Data Platform and DBA teams on our Single-Source-of-Truth and Data Warehouse – source integration, dimensional models, metric layers, and vector/analytics adjacency for AI-enabled reporting where standards apply.
• Design trusted datasets and semantic models – single definitions for headcount, enrollment, completion, revenue, and operational KPIs used across reports and forecasts.
• Implement data quality checks on reporting inputs – reconciliation to systems of record, anomaly detection, and escalation when source data breaks forecasts or dashboards.
• Align analytics delivery with identity and security standards – row-level security, FERPA-appropriate access, and audit trails for sensitive institutional data.

Stakeholder Partnership and Governance

• Partner with Finance, Institutional Research, enrollment management, and academic leaders – translate their questions into models and reports they will actually use in decisions.
• Present forecast results and uncertainty honestly – ranges, assumptions, and risks – not false precision that collapses at the first bad semester.
• Support audit, accreditation, and compliance reporting – Title IV, FERPA, board materials, and SOX-adjacent controls where IT spend and headcount evidence is required.
• Document methodology and model governance – version control, assumption logs, approval workflows, and reproducibility so forecasts survive leadership transitions.

WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR:

Required

• According to Indiana Wesleyan University policy, all employees and contract-to-hire contractors must possess a strong Christian commitment and adhere to the standards outlined in the IWU Community Lifestyle Statement .
• 8+ years of progressive experience in business intelligence, institutional analytics, financial analysis, or actuarial science, with 3+ years in a people-management or team-lead capacity.
• Demonstrated hands-on forecasting experience – you personally build and maintain models, not only delegate them – with track record of forecasts reviewed by Finance or executive leadership.
• Actuarial or advanced statistical modeling skills – cohort/survival methods, regression, time series, scenario modeling, or equivalent techniques applied to enrollment, retention, or financial outcomes.
• Strong SQL and analytics tool proficiency – complex queries, data modeling, and production reporting in Python, Power BI, Tableau, or equivalent enterprise BI platforms.
• Experience delivering executive and board-ready reporting – clear visuals, accurate numbers, and narrative that non-technical leaders can act on.
• Financial acumen – tuition revenue, aid, budgets, variance analysis, and multi-year planning vocabulary comfortable in higher-ed or similarly complex institutions.
• Bachelor's degree in Actuarial Science, Statistics, Finance, Economics, Information Systems, or a related field – or equivalent demonstrated experience .

Strongly Preferred

• Higher-education , non-profit, or other mission-driven institutional experience – enrollment management, registrar, or institutional research collaboration.
• Experience with Python or R for forecasting, statistical modeling, and reproducible analytics pipelines .
• Familiarity with SQL Server, data lake/warehouse design, and on-premises analytics platforms – not analytics exclusively in SaaS warehouses.
• Experience supporting Title IV, IPEDS, accreditation, or board reporting in a university context .
• Knowledge of FERPA and data governance for student and financial analytics.
• Background in ERP/student system analytics – Colleague or similar – and migration reporting during re-platforming.
• Experience integrating AI-assisted analytics – natural-language query, embedded insights, or ML forecasts – within governance and data-classification standards.
• Relevant certifications (Microsoft Power BI, Tableau, FMVA, or equivalent demonstrated depth).

How You Work

• You trust but verify the data – a beautiful chart on bad joins is worse than no chart at all.
• You show assumptions and uncertainty – actuarial discipline means leadership knows what the model depends on.
• You stay hands-on – managers who cannot debug a model lose the team when variance hits.
• You translate quantitative results for humans – enrollment deans and CIOs should not need a statistics degree to use your output.

WHY THIS ROLE?

• Dual mandate: lead and model . You build the analytics function and personally own the forecasts that matter – rare combination with real institutional impact.
• Higher-ed complexity done right . Online/campus mix, graduate/undergraduate split, aid, and mission-driven growth – the modeling is genuinely interesting, not generic SaaS metrics.
• Executive visibility . Enrollment and revenue forecasts reach leadership and the board – your work informs real decisions about IWU's future.
• Mission and meaning . IWU is a century-old Christ-centered university. The forecasts and reports you deliver help stew resources wisely in service of roughly 15,000 learners.

PROJECT REMUNERATION:

Estimated annual project remuneration is $155,000 - $185,000 for this independent contractor (1099) / Contract-to-Hire role.

Contractor Insurance/Bond Requirements

• General Liability: $1m per occurrence / $2m aggregate
• Cyber Liability: $2m per occurrence
• Workers’ Compensation / Employers’ Liability: $500,000; not applicable for approved sole operators
• Professional Liability / Errors & Omissions: $1m per occurrence / $3m aggregate

Equipment & Travel Expenses

• IWU will provide required equipment and software. Personal devices and software are generally not permitted for assigned work unless approved by IWU.
• IWU will pay for required and approved travel and other expenses.
• Specific policies, rules, and details will be included in the executed contract.

Engagement Process

1. Easy-Apply on LinkedIn
2. LinkedIn Survey
3. Phone Screen
4. Video Interviews
5. On-Site Interview/Tour
6. Contract Engagement Begins

Compliance & Disclaimers

IWU is an equal opportunity employer committed to compliance with Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Educational Amendments of 1972 and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 or other federal, state, or local laws or executive orders except as claimed in a filed religious exemption.

Indiana Wesleyan University is managing this search directly. Third-party recruiters, staffing agencies, search firms, subcontracting firms, and candidate marketers may not submit candidates for this role unless they have a current, written agreement with IWU that specifically authorizes recruitment support for this opening.

Unsolicited candidate submissions will not create any obligation, fee, commission, placement right, or ownership claim . Any candidate submitted without prior written authorization may be contacted directly by IWU and considered without payment of any recruiting or placement fee.

Candidates must apply directly through this LinkedIn posting or the official IWU application process. This role does not authorize third-party representation, bench submissions, or agency-to-agency candidate referrals.