Senior Business Intelligence Analyst at Rice University in Houston, Texas

Job Description:

As a member of the Enterprise Data and Business Intelligence (EDBI) group, part of the Office of Institutional Effectiveness (OIE), you will be pivotal in supporting Rice University's mission through data-driven insights. The EDBI team is responsible for maintaining and advancing the university's business intelligence (BI) infrastructure and data warehouse, ensuring seamless access to institutional data for decision-making and strategic planning across campus.

Join us to make a lasting impact on Rice University's ability to harness data for institutional effectiveness and strategic success.

We are seeking a Senior Business Intelligence Developer to lead our Data Warehouse and Business Intelligence (BI) initiatives, with a focus on enhancing data-driven decision-making in the context of higher education. The ideal candidate will use agile methodologies to develop and improve data-centric solutions that support the university's strategic objectives. Key responsibilities include designing, developing, and maintaining BI solutions, creating insightful dashboards, and applying storytelling techniques to communicate data insights effectively to academic and administrative stakeholders.

This role requires strong technical skills in data warehousing, BI tools, and data visualization, alongside experience working in agile development environments. The successful candidate will collaborate with stakeholders across the university to turn complex requirements into actionable insights, contribute to the design and architecture of robust data systems, and promote best practices in data management and BI. This is a unique opportunity to play a pivotal role in projects that advance the university's mission and foster a culture of innovation and data-driven excellence in higher education.

Hybrid position: "This position is offered as a hybrid role, combining both in-office and remote work to provide flexibility and support collaboration. (Insert hybrid schedule). Per Rice policy 440 , work arrangements may be subject to change."

*Exempt (salaried) positions under FLSA are not eligible for overtime.

Minimum Requirements:

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  Bachelor's degree
  
  
  • In lieu of the education requirement, additional related experience, above and beyond what is required, on an equivalent year-for-year basis may be substituted.
  
  
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  4 years of experience that should include the following:
  
  
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    Advanced knowledge of higher education data systems and reporting needs, with deep expertise in statistical analysis, data modeling, and interpreting trends in academic and administrative data.
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    Proven leadership experience in managing complex data-driven projects within higher education, including guiding teams to deliver insights that inform institutional strategy.
  • 
    Expertise in advanced business intelligence (BI) tools and platforms used in higher education, such as Tableau, Power BI, and Cognos, as well as proficiency with statistical software and programming languages like Python and R.
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    Strong communication and presentation skills to effectively translate complex data insights into actionable recommendations for diverse stakeholders, including senior university leadership and faculty.
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    Strategic thinker with the ability to align data insights with the university's long-term goals, contributing to the development of data-driven strategies for institutional success.
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    Commitment to staying current with emerging trends and technologies in business intelligence, data analytics, and higher education data practices, ensuring continuous innovation in BI solutions.
    
    
    • In lieu of the experience requirement, additional related education and/or experience, above and beyond what is required, may be substituted on an equivalent year-for-year basis.
    
    
  
  

Skills:

• Proficiency in data warehousing, higher education data, and BI tools (e.g., Tableau, Power BI).
• Expertise in agile project management software (e.g., Jira, Trello).
• Strong leadership, communication, and interpersonal skills.
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving abilities.
• Ability to make data-driven decisions and implement continuous improvement processes.
• Adaptability to work in a fast-paced and dynamic environment.

Preferences:

• Extensive experience working with higher education data systems and processes, including student information systems, learning management systems, and other institutional data platforms.
• Experience with advanced data analytics and machine learning techniques, applying them to solve challenges and drive insights within higher education.
• Strong knowledge of data governance and data quality management practices, ensuring the accuracy and reliability of data in an academic context.
• Proven ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously in a dynamic, fast-paced higher education setting.
• Experience driving digital transformation initiatives, particularly in adopting new technologies and processes that enhance data accessibility and usability across campus.
• Demonstrated success in leading large-scale data integration projects, aligning various data sources to create unified, actionable insights.
• Familiarity with data security and compliance regulations specific to the education sector, including FERPA and GDPR.
• Excellent organizational and time-management skills to prioritize tasks and meet deadlines efficiently in a complex environment.
• Strong presentation skills, capable of communicating complex technical concepts in a clear, understandable manner to non-technical stakeholders across the university.

Essential Functions:

• Lead strategic data analysis initiatives to provide insights that inform business strategy and decision-making.
• Develop and implement advanced data models, algorithms, and statistical analyses to extract valuable insights.
• Design and create sophisticated dashboards and visualizations using advanced Business Intelligence (BI) tools.
• Establish and enforce data governance policies to ensure data accuracy, consistency, and compliance with industry standards.
• Collaborate with business leaders, executives, and cross-functional teams to understand business objectives and provide data-driven recommendations.
• Provide mentorship and guidance to junior BI analysts, fostering their professional development.
• Utilize advanced BI and analytics tools, predictive analytics, and machine learning for complex data analysis.
• Work closely with stakeholders to gather and understand complex business requirements for analytics and reporting.
• Identify and forecast business trends using advanced statistical and predictive modeling techniques.
• Integrate data from multiple sources, ensuring a holistic view for comprehensive analysis.

Rice University HR | Benefits: https://knowledgecafe.rice.edu/benefits-overview

Rice Mission and Values: Mission and Values | Rice University

Rice University is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to diversity at all levels. It considers for employment qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national or ethnic origin, genetic information, disability, or protected veteran status.

About Us

Boasting a 300-acre tree-lined campus in Houston, Rice University is ranked among the nation's top 20 universities by U.S. News & World Report. Rice has a 6-to-1 undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio, and a residential college system, which supports students intellectually, emotionally and culturally through social events, intramural sports, student plays, lectures series, courses and student government. Developing close-knit, diverse college communities is a strong campus tradition, which is why Rice is highly ranked for best quality of life and best value among private universities.

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