Data Analytics Specialist
Waltham, MA - USA
Job Summary
Job Description Summary
Reporting to the Associate Director of Data Analytics and Insights on the Data Engineering and Operations team the Data Analytics Specialist supports Bentley Universitys enterprise data and analytics ecosystem by translating business needs into well-defined data requirements building and maintaining trusted reporting and dashboard solutions and partnering with data engineering and business teams to deliver scalable data products. The role combines business analysis BI development data modeling testing and hands-on engineering support across the analytics delivery lifecycle. The position may apply statistical predictive or machine learning techniques when they are appropriate to the business need while maintaining a primary focus on reliable data actionable analysis and decision-ready reporting.Essential Duties & Responsibilities:
Business Analysis & Data Requirements
- Collaborate with business partners cross-functional teams and IT units to gather clarify and document detailed business data and reporting requirements.
- Translate business needs into technical specifications user stories acceptance criteria data mappings semantic model requirements and analytics deliverables.
- Lead or support stakeholder interviews discovery sessions process mapping workflow analysis and use-case development.
- Conduct data discovery and profiling to understand source systems data structures data quality lineage and end-to-end data movement.
- Research and work with the data governance manager to resolve complex questions related to enterprise reporting data definitions business rules and data usage across systems.
- Partner with data governance stakeholders to define shared terminology document data definitions and promote consistent and responsible data use.
Reporting Dashboards & BI Development
- Analyze define design build test deploy andmaintainreports and interactive dashboards across BI platforms including Power BI and SQL-based outputs.
- Develop andmaintainsemantic models relationships calculations queries and measures using Power BI DAX Power Query (M) and SQL.
- Create intuitive data visualizations that communicate insights clearly to technical and non-technical audiences and support data-informed decision-making.
- Perform exploratory and statistical analysis to identify trends patterns relationships and actionable insights.
- Apply predictive analytics machine learning or other advanced analytical methods selectively when they add clear value; evaluate results and communicate limitations appropriately.
- Provide dashboard prototyping iterative refinement performance optimization release support and ongoing maintenance across the full BI development lifecycle.
- Provide training documentation and ongoing support toreportconsumers and business users.
- Identifyopportunities for business process optimization reporting consolidation self-service enablement and data quality improvement.
- Support continuous improvement of dashboard standards naming conventions documentation expectations accessibility practices and BI development best practices.
Data Engineering & Analytics Enablement
- Collaborate with data engineers to design refine test and monitor data pipelines and curated datasets that support enterprise analytics.
- Develop and maintain data transformations reusable queries data models and analytics-ready structures across structured semi-structured and unstructured sources.
- Validate data completeness accuracy timeliness and consistency across source systems pipelines semantic models and reports; document and help resolve data quality issues.
- Support ETL/ELT workflows data integration requirements source-to-target mappings and troubleshooting of data movement across the Azure data ecosystem.
- Contribute to scalable maintainable analytics solutions through sound development practices technical documentation version control deployment discipline and monitoring.
System Testing & Project Delivery
- Coordinate and perform testing to confirm that documented requirements and quality expectations are met.
- Develop test plans test cases expected results reconciliation approaches and supporting evidence for data and BI solutions.
- Manage andfacilitateUser Acceptance Testing (UAT) track issues through resolution validate corrections and obtain end-user approval.
- Support projectdeliverylifecycle activities including estimation design review backlog refinement documentation release readiness and training.
- Communicate status risks dependencies decisions and data issues to project stakeholders and delivery partners.
- Balance multiple concurrent priorities while meeting agreed-upon delivery commitments andmaintainingsolution quality.
Documentation Governance & Continuous Improvement
- Create andmaintainbusiness requirements documents technical requirements documents data dictionaries process flows source-to-target mappings test documentation release notes and user guides.
- Ensure solutions align with confidentiality privacy security accessibility and data governance expectations.
- Provide recommendations and actionable insights based on analytical findings andassistin the development of data-informed strategies and initiatives.
- Stay current on developments in business intelligence data engineering analytics artificial intelligence and responsible data practices; recommend practical improvements whenappropriate.
Minimum Qualifications:
- Bachelors degree in data analytics information systems computer science statistics mathematics economics or a related field.
- Two or more years of progressive experience in data analytics business systems analysis enterprise reporting business intelligence or a related discipline.
- Demonstrated expertise in requirements-gathering methodologies including stakeholder interviews process mapping use-case development and workflow analysis and in translating business requirements into detailed technical specifications for reporting dashboards data models and data solutions.
- Two or more years of hands-on experience with Power BI or other similar tools including data modeling DAX Power Query (M) semantic model design dashboard prototyping iteration deployment and ongoing optimization across the full BI development lifecycle.
- Two or more years of experience with data modeling and the design of efficient analytics-ready data structures.
- Proficiency with SQL and experience extracting transforming validating and analyzing structured and semi-structured data; familiarity with unstructured data is beneficial.
- Strong understanding of data warehousing concepts relational and dimensional data models ETL/ELT frameworks and cloud data platform concepts preferably within the Azure ecosystem such as Data Lake Synapse Fabric or comparable technologies.
- Proven experience collaborating with data engineering teams to refine data pipelines validate data quality support data governance troubleshoot data flow issues and deliver scalable analytics solutions.
- Experience planning and executing system data integration and User Acceptance Testing including issue tracking and resolution validation.
- Ability to create high-quality business and technical requirements data dictionaries process documentation test plans source-to-target mappings and user guides with strong attention to detail and version control.
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to transform complex datasets into clear findings and actionable insights for technical and non-technical audiences.
- Excellent communication facilitation and collaboration skills with the ability to lead cross-functional discovery sessions build alignment and support decision-making.
- Ability to manage multiple projects and priorities work independently and collaboratively and adapt in a dynamic environment.
Preferred Qualifications:
- Experience in higher education and familiarity with academic or administrative data domains.
- Experience with Python or R for data preparation automation statistical analysis or selective advanced analytics use cases.
- Experience with Azure data services Microsoft Fabric datalakehouseor warehouse platforms Git-based version control and deployment workflows.
- Familiarity with data privacy security governance and compliance requirements associated with institutional or student data.
- Experience applying predictive analytics or machine learning techniques to well-defined business problems including evaluation and communication of model limitations.
- Relevant certifications in Power BI Microsoft Fabric Azure data engineering data analytics or related technologies.
Work Environment:
- This position requires working on-site several days a month and is not available as a fully remote role.
- Typical office setting with extensive computer-based work.
- May require occasional travel across campus for meetings and other work-related events.
Pay Transparency
Salary Grade Range:
$67960 - $113126 per year
If you have questions about the salary grade range or need additional information please contact us at .
Bentley University requires references checks and may conduct other pre-employment screening.
DIVERSITY STATEMENT
Bentley University strives to create a campus community that welcomes the exchange of ideas and fosters a culture that values differences and views them as a strength in our community.
Bentley University is an Equal Opportunity Employer building strength through diversity. The University is committed to building a community of talented students faculty and staff who reflect the diversity of global business. We strongly encourage applications from persons from underrepresented groups individuals with disabilities covered veterans and those with diverse experiences and backgrounds.
Required Experience:
IC
About Company
A degree from Bentley University will prepare you to lead and succeed no matter what you want to do. Your education is built around business and designed by you.