Data Analyst

Overview: A public sector client of ours in Austin, Texas is looking for a Business Data Analyst for a 1-year contract that is likely to extend. This role will require up to 3 days onsite in their Austin office. The Business Data Analyst will be responsible for analyzing existing business requirements to understand current functionalities, data flows, and pain points. The role will leverage this understanding to elicit and document comprehensive business requirements for new systems or enhancements. The analyst will also conduct studies and cost/benefit analyses of alternatives, review system capabilities and limitations, and write detailed descriptions of user needs, program functions, and required modifications. A wide degree of creativity and latitude is expected, as the role independently performs a variety of complex tasks and relies on judgment and experience to plan and accomplish goals. Key Responsibilities • Understand business objectives and problems, identify alternative solutions, and evaluate through cost/benefit analysis. • Analyze user requirements, procedures, and problems to automate processes or improve existing systems. • Confer with personnel to gather input and output requirements, such as data inputs, data summaries, and reporting formats. • Write detailed documentation of user needs, program functions, and steps required for development or modification. • Translate complex business needs into actionable requirements, including Epics and User Stories with acceptance criteria. • Collaborate closely with business stakeholders, product owners, and technical teams to align system capabilities with business objectives. • Create and maintain documentation, including business requirement documents, data dictionaries, and mapping specifications. • Facilitate workshops, interviews, and meetings to gather requirements and resolve data-related issues. • Develop and present data models, dashboards, and workflows to communicate project timelines, performance, and trends. Note: Candidates who do not meet the minimum requirements will not be considered for this opportunity. Required Experience: • 13 years of hands-on experience as a business data analyst in the Information Technology industry, with strong analytical and documentation skills. • 13 years of proven ability to collaborate with technical and non-technical teams to analyze complex data-driven business problems and recommend actionable solutions. • 10 years of experience designing and optimizing data workflows and data management processes using modeling or mapping tools. • 10 years of experience writing Epics and User Stories, including acceptance criteria, to communicate functional and non-functional requirements to development and quality assurance teams. • 8 years of experience creating and maintaining data-related documentation, including data dictionaries, business requirement documents, and data mapping specifications. • 8 years of experience designing and presenting visual data models and dashboards to communicate trends, performance, and project timelines. • 8 years of demonstrated ability to lead data-focused meetings and interviews, document outcomes, and drive resolution of data-related issues.