New

Associate Director for Competitive Intelligence

University of Texas at Dallas

$115,000; depending on qualifications

medical insurance, paid time off, retirement plan

United States, Texas, Richardson

Feb 21, 2026

Posting Details

Posting Number	S06890P
Position Title	Associate Director for Competitive Intelligence
Functional Title	Associate Director for Competitive Intelligence
Department	VP Strategic Initiatives
Salary Range	$115,000; depending on qualifications
Pay Basis	Monthly
Position Status	Regular full-time
Location	Richardson
Position End Date (if temporary)
Posting Open Date	02/20/2026
Posting Close Date
Open Until Filled	Yes
Desired Start Date	03/16/2026
Job Summary	UT Dallas seeks an Associate Director for Competitive Intelligence to establish and lead a new, institution-wide, proactive competitive intelligence (CI) function. Embedded within the integrated institutional research and effectiveness unit in the Office of Institutional Success and Decision Support ( OISDS) and working alongside multiple partners across the university, this role will systematically monitor, analyze, and communicate information about competitors, markets, and external trends to support strategic decisionmaking in a variety of mission-critical areas, such as research development, academic program development, and enrollment management. The role will deliver environmental scans tied to UT Dallas's strategic pillars, synthesize emerging themes for the strategic vision, and produce actionable insights for executive leaders. The successful candidate will be a critical thinker who is intellectually curious, strategically insightful, and able to effectively convey information and insights to a wide range of audiences. This is a highvisibility individual contributor role with the opportunity to shape and grow a modern CI capability at UT Dallas.
Minimum Education and Experience	Bachelor's degree in a related field; 5-7 years related professional experience; or any equivalent combination of education and experience.
Preferred Education and Experience	Preferred Education & Experience: 5+ years of progressively responsible experience in competitive/market intelligence, institutional research/analytics, strategy, consulting, or related fields. Demonstrated record of delivering high impact CI or strategy projects for executive stakeholders. Advanced degree preferred (e.g., MBA, MPP/MPA, MS in Analytics/Data Science, MS in Information/Library Science with research intelligence focus, or related). Higher education experience preferred (research universities strongly preferred). Relevant analytics/BI certifications (Tableau, Power BI) and/or research analytics credentials (InCites/SciVal) a plus. Experience establishing a new CI function or maturing a nascent capability; familiarity with university governance and decision processes. Knowledge, Skills & Abilities (KSA) Expertise in environmental scanning, competitor analysis, market sizing, SWOT/TOWS, scenario planning, and thematic synthesis for strategic planning. Advanced analytic and presentation skills; adept at translating evidence into clear recommendations and compelling executive narratives. Proficiency with qualitative and quantitative methods; ability to use or oversee tools such as: BI/Visualization: Tableau, Power BI. Statistical/analysis: R, Python, or equivalent. Research intelligence: Clarivate InCites/SciVal, Dimensions, Web of Science/Scopus; NIH RePORTER, NSF Award Search. Market/labor analytics: Lightcast (Emsi/Burning Glass) or equivalent. CI monitoring: Competitor monitoring platforms (e.g., Crayon, AlphaSense) and ethical web research. Exceptional written and oral communication; facilitation skills; ability to build trust and social capital across diverse stakeholder groups. Strong organization and project management; manages multiple priorities and delivers on tight timelines. Missiondriven and institutionally committed; takes visible pride in advancing UT Dallas's objectives. Ability to work in a highly collaborative environment that requires prioritizing communication across the departmental and university hierarchy while executing directives with autonomy. Performance Metrics (Year 1) Establish CI framework, ethics/compliance standards, and operating cadence for the University. Complete initial environmental scan aligned to UT Dallas's strategic pillars; collaborate with OISDS colleagues to deliver thematic syntheses of the strategic plan data gathering. Conduct an inventory of internal and external data sources for the CI function to identify additional data needs and to support the prioritization of ongoing data integration projects in OISDS. Produce core CI deliverables (competitor dossiers, research funding landscape, program market scans) with documented decision impacts, as directed. Build strong stakeholder relationships; achieve high satisfaction in executive feedback. Present a resourcing/tooling plan with cost/benefit rationale to mature the CI function at UT Dallas.
Other Qualifications	To the extent this position requires the holder to research, work on, or have access to critical infrastructure as defined in Section 117.001(2) of the Texas Business and Commerce Code, the ability to maintain the security or integrity of the critical infrastructure is a minimum qualification to be hired and to continue to be employed in the position.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities	Strategy, Environmental Scanning, and Executive Support Develop a university CI function and operating framework-including ethics and compliance guardrails aligned with the Strategic Consortium of Intelligence Professionals (SCIP) and applicable state, federal, and UT System requirements. Lead comprehensive environmental scans aligned to UT Dallas's three strategic pillars; proactively identify market gaps, emerging opportunities, and attendant risks; craft thematic syntheses to inform the strategic plan and institutional priorities. Contribute to preparing OISDS executive briefs for the broader Strategic Initiatives office, Cabinet, and President by providing regular CI-specific reports and ad hoc decision support analyses to respond to targeted inquiries from deans and administrative units. Perform SWOT and TOWS analyses for institutional strategies, research areas, academic programs, and market-facing initiatives; translate findings into accessible reports and actionable recommendations. Competitive and Market Intelligence Delivery Support core functions in the Office of Strategic Initiatives, Office of Research and Innovation, Office of Admission and Enrollment Services, Curricular Services in the Office of the Provost, and Office of Development and Alumni Relations. Produce a standard portfolio of CI deliverables, including: Competitor dossiers and benchmarking (research strengths, funding portfolios, faculty recruitment, partnerships, facilities). Market scans for new and existing programs (demand, pricing, modality trends, regional/national competition). Research funding landscape assessments (federal, industry, philanthropic), bibliometrics analyses, and positioning opportunities. Rankings/brand diagnostics and variance analyses; narrative insights to improve visibility and reputation. Regular CI briefings, issue spotlights, and risk/opportunity watch lists. Synthesize and communicate insights in clear narratives, dashboards, and decision memos tailored to executive audiences. Collaboration, Data, and Methods Partner closely with departmental teams, such as the OISDS Institutional Research and Data Warehouse, and business intelligence colleagues to ensure data quality, harmonize data sources and definitions, and align CI outputs with institutional KPIs. Audit existing data sources, subscriptions, and tools upon onboarding; recommend and justify additions to build a robust CI toolkit (e.g., bibliometrics, research funding databases, labor market analytics, competitor monitoring platforms, state and federal datasets). Establish lightweight standards for CI research methods, evidence grading, and documentation to support reproducible, ethical, and policycompliant analyses. Build relationships across schools/units to surface intelligence needs and ensure CI findings are embedded in planning and decision cycles. Develop partnerships, as appropriate, with faculty members for collaborative research opportunities that support CI function. Operating Model and Maturation Create an annual CI plan and cadence (e.g., quarterly environmental scans, monthly situation briefs for Cabinet, annual competitive landscape report); define intake and prioritization for ad hoc requests aligned with OISDS processes and strategic goals. Develop CI-specific artifacts that augment the OISDS production of templates, dashboards, and communications; coach stakeholders on interpreting and sharing CI outputs. Prepare business cases that articulate impact, ROI, and resourcing needs to mature the CI function and, over time, propose team structure as demand grows.
Physical Demands and Working Conditions
Physical Activities
Working Conditions
Additional Information	Additional information to know: Presence on the UT Dallas campus is essential for success; flexible/hybrid work arrangements permitted as project intensity allows. Minimal travel; as needed for professional society conferences and partner engagements. Role may include extended hours during strategic planning cycles. What We Can Offer UT Dallas is an Equal Opportunity Employer with an employee-friendly and supportive work environment. Our comprehensive compensation and benefits package that is effective as of your hire date includes: Competitive Salary Tuition Benefits BCBS PPO Medical Insurance Options - including *100% paid* employee medical coverage for full-time employees AD&D Insurance Dental & Vision Plan Options Long and short-term disability TRS Retirement Plan Fertility Benefits Paid time off All UT Dallas employees have access to various professional development opportunities, including a membership to Academic Impressions, LinkedIn Learning, and UT Dallas Bright Leaders Program. Visit https://hr.utdallas.edu/employees/benefits/ for more information.
Special Instructions Summary
Important Message	1) All employees serve as a representative of the University and are expected to display respect, civility, professional courtesy, consideration of others and discretion in all interactions with members of the UT Dallas community and the general public. 2) The University of Texas at Dallas is committed to providing an educational, living, and working environment that is welcoming, respectful, and inclusive of all members of the university community. UT Dallas does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, national origin, disability, genetic information, or veteran status in its services, programs, activities, employment, and education, including in admission and enrollment. The University is committed to providing access, equal opportunity, and reasonable accommodation for individuals with disabilities. To request reasonable accommodation in the employment application and interview process, contact the *ADA Coordinator* . For inquiries regarding nondiscrimination policies, contact the Title IX Coordinator.