Data Solutions Analyst

Position Summary:
The Data Solutions Analyst is part of the Office of Data & Strategic Analytics (DSA) at Vanderbilt University and is a key contributor, utilizing institutionally designated approaches and technologies to ensure successful delivery of high-quality and relevant data solutions to meet consumer needs. Reporting directly to the Associate Director, the position is responsible for performing moderately complex project and analytical work in a wide range of business intelligence activities that ensure the uniformity, accuracy, and semantic consistency of enterprise data through the application of effective data management, security, stewardship, and governance processes.

The Data Solutions Analyst will be responsible for thinking critically and creatively to tell stories with data and deliver actionable insights. The Data Solutions Analyst are proficient in utilizing Business Intelligence (BI) tools and knowledgeable of university data; performing assigned activities such as defining data requirements, designing data models, building dashboards, developing BI reports, performing ad-hoc analysis, and writing SQL code to assist consumers in achieving operational and strategic goals. The position also partners closely with information technology to build out our data warehouse and create metadata reporting solutions. The position may also employ predictive modeling and analytics techniques to aid decision making in areas of strategic interest to the university administration.

About the Work Unit:
Vanderbilt University is a dynamic institution, pushing new ideas into the frontiers of discovery, challenging the limits of what is possible and working diligently in the service of others. To help make this possible, the Chief Data Officer and DSA are based in the Chancellor’s Office and work collaboratively with decision-makers and stakeholders across the university, supporting the strategic use of data.

DSA is comprised of three teams (Administrative Partnering; Institutional Research & Academic Partnering; and Data Governance, Solutions, & Consulting). DSA works closely with data leads in other parts of the university and with Information Technology (VUIT).

The Data Solutions Analyst position is part of the Data Governance and Solutions team. Data Governance and Solutions is a key driver in efforts to improve and enhance data quality and analytics in support of data-driven decisions.

Key Functions and Expected Performance:

Business Intelligence Tools: Uses BI tools such as Oracle Analytics Cloud, Tableau, SQL (Oracle and Snowflake), to provide insightful reporting solutions to meet consumer data needs.
•    Develop new analytics solutions; support and maintain existing solutions.
•    Perform testing and evaluation of new BI analysis and reporting solutions, tool upgrades, enhancements and change requests.
•    Develop and maintain database tables for use in reporting.
•    Explore new techniques and technologies in BI to generate new ideas and insightful analytics.
•    Use standardized practices in developing data solutions.
    
Data Analysis: Successfully delivers reporting solutions through detailed analyses.
•    Analyze complex data sets to develop in-depth understanding and deliver actionable insights.
•    Participate in requirements gathering and analysis, technical design, building, testing, and documentation of data solutions.
•    Ensure a high quality of accuracy and timeliness in data reported.
•    Develop and adhere to official definitions and DSA standards in reporting.
•    Present information in a clear, concise and understandable format.
•    Contribute to the compliance of Federal and external agency reporting.
•    Utilize BI Tools to identify potentially problematic data and recommend possible solutions.
•    Collaborate with consumers to improve data quality and consistency.
•    Use analytic techniques to develop test cases for report, analysis, and data warehouse changes.
•    Maintain data confidentiality and observe all regulations such as FERPA.
 

Data Governance: Utilize Data Governance principles to ensure ongoing compliance with internal policies and guarantee data is used in a consistent way.
•    Document data sources and flow to guide reporting accuracy.
•    Maintain a glossary of business terms and concepts to aid the understanding of data.
•    Implement reporting standards for visual consistency.

Supervisory Relationships:
This position does not have supervisory responsibilities; this position reports administratively and functionally to the Associate Director of Data Governance and Solutions within the Office of Data & Strategic