Data Quality Analyst Job Description: How to create a compelling data quality analyst job description

How do you create a compelling data quality analyst job description?

If you are on the road to data quality and governance maturity then you will need to hire a Data Quality Analyst at some point.

This resource is designed to make that process painless by providing a superset of data quality skills and sections that are typically required for a Data Quality Analyst Job Description.


Caveat: There is no single definition for the role of a Data Quality Analyst so we have taken hundreds of past job placements from our Data Quality Pro Job Board and tried to aggregate the most commonly sought after skills.


Data Quality Analyst: Job Description Sections

Company Overview:

<COMPANYTAG> is a successful <WHAT DOES YOUR COMPANY DO?> in the <WHAT INDUSTRY SECTOR?> sector.

We need an experienced/junior/senior/ data quality analyst to help us <SHORT GOAL DESCRIPTION>.

In return we are offering competitive salary/great working conditions/challenging projects/performance bonuses/structured career path/formal training/certification.

If you are passionate about data quality and want to help make an impact in our organisation then please read the following job description and contact us via the methods below.

Position Overview: Data Quality Analyst

<COMPANYTAG> requires a junior/experienced/senior/ data quality analyst to help them:

  • <GOAL 1>

  • <GOAL 2>

  • <GOAL 3>

  • <GOAL ..>

Responsibilities

The successful applicant will be responsible for:

  • Raising data quality and performance levels in our <INSERT DEPARTMENT OR BUSINESS UNIT>

  • Providing a high level of data quality awareness across multiple staff profiles e.g. manager, front-line staff etc.

  • Proactively improving the quality of company reporting

  • Evaluating and identifying where system enhancements are required

Personal skills

The following personal skills are desirable for this role:

  • Proven passion for the data quality discipline

  • Good interpersonal skills

  • Extremely meticulous in approach to work

  • Outstanding attention to detail

  • Ability to work with little or no supervision

  • Proven ability to meet established deadlines

  • Talent for quickly learning new tasks

  • Strong analytical and problem solving skills

  • Good multi-tasking skills

  • A strong drive for results

  • Good influencing skills

  • Extensive latitude for independent judgment

  • Strong leadership and mentoring skills

  • High levels of concentration

  • Ability to work calmly under pressure

  • Strong character, Team Player, Flexibility

  • Demonstrated focus for customer satisfaction

  • Able to manage client relationships

  • Detail oriented with strong organizational skills

  • Excellent relationship management skills

  • Objective, creative, and diplomatic team player

  • Ability to function in a high volume setting with tight deadlines

  • Strong stakeholder engagement

Data Quality Skills

(This section is OPTIONAL: You may choose to list data quality skills in their own section to help differentiate from the standard personal and technical skills required)

The following data quality skills will be required for this role:

  • Data profiling

  • Data discovery

  • Information chain analysis and management

  • Root cause analysis

  • Cost-benefit analysis and ROI discovery

Technical Skills

This role will require experience with the following software:

  • <LIST TECHNICAL SKILLS>

Qualifications and Experience

Candidates must possess the following qualifications and experience:

  • Between X and Y years experience in a data quality focused role

  • Greater than X years total industry experience

  • Educated to degree level or equivalent

Candidates will be looked upon favourably if they have the following qualifications and experience:

  • A recognised data quality certification e.g. IQCP, CIMP, ISO 8000

  • Experience of presenting on Data Quality at a major industry conference

  • Published papers or articles on Data Quality in a major media site, industry journal or trade magazine

How to Apply

Please follow these instructions to apply for this role:

<INSERT APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS>

Legal

Editor's note: The legal section below is not intended as legal advice, seek the relevant legal disclaimers required for your job promotion in your particular jurisdiction.

US Example: 
"<OUR COMPANY> is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to a diverse workforce. In order to help ensure reasonable accommodation for individuals protected by Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Vietnam Veteran’s Readjustment Act of 1974, and Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, applicants who wish to request accommodation in the job application process can contact <OUR EMAIL ADDRESS>

UK Example:
<OUR COMPANY> does not discriminate against job applicants on the basis of age, disability, gender reassignment, marital or civil partner status, pregnancy or maternity, race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation. Experience stipulated in this job description serves as a guide only and all applications will be consider on their merits, irrespective of experience.


Additional Resource: Interview Questions for Data Quality Analyst Roles

These questions were kindly submitted by Nicola Askham, a Data Governance consultant and coach in the UK:

  • Briefly describe a basic process for undertaking Root Cause Analysis and explain why Owners of data would be important?

  • Briefly describe an experience where you have mentored other members of the team on data analysis?

  • Briefly describe how you have previously identified data governance / quality process failures and have taken corrective action?

  • Have you had experience of management of the stakeholder community at all levels? If so what difficulties did you face and how did you overcome them?

  • Do you have experience of managing risks and issues which may arise out of the analysis activity? If so what was the approach to communicating the issue?

  • Do you have experience of other environments where adherence to regulatory requirements is essential? If so what type of environment and level of regulation?

  • Briefly describe how you have in the past undertaken analysis to extract data quality requirements from the business and translated them into data quality rules which can be used in a profiling tool?


Sample Data Quality Analyst Job Templates

Use these examples of data quality analyst job postings to help you shape your data quality job placements:


Example 1: Job description – Data Quality Analyst (DQA)

Role Overview

We have a great opportunity for a dynamic and passionate individual to join our Data Quality team to help develop and grow our data quality and data governance offering.

The team focus is on the complete data quality cycle, from logging and auditing the receipt of data to ensuring data leaving is of the highest quality.

You will be responsible for the execution of data quality routines. This individual will proactively monitor, measure, analyse, execute, track and report on data quality issues.

The DQA will interact with business users to resolve data quality problems using techniques such as root cause analysis as well as collecting user requirements.

Key Responsibilities

  • To be responsible for the tracking and auditing of all data in and out of the business

  • To maintain in-house and third party datasets, systems and services

  • To assist in the processing of client and prospect data through our in-house data cleaning suite

  • Design and develop our existing Data Processing product, for use by all clients locally and internationally

  • To aid the Operations Director in ensuring that the products and services that are provided by the Group comply with both external and internal requirements and standards, including any relevant legal compliance and customer expectations

  • Identify, assess, monitor, document, and communicate potential quality issues in the way data is collected, stored, processed, or used

  • Undertake and Conduct Data Quality Management activities such as (but limited to):

    • Identify, compare, and resolve data quality problems

    • Evaluate large dataset for quality and accuracy

    • Determine business impact level for data quality issues

    • Work with Programmers to correct data quality errors

    • Determine root cause for data quality errors and make recommendations for long-term solutions

    • Research and determine scope and complexity of issue so as to identify steps to fix issue

    • Develop process improvements to enhance overall data quality

    • Develop and execute data clean-up measures

    • Maintain a record of original data and corrected data

    • Ensure adherence to data quality standards

    • Resolve all internal data exceptions in timely and accurate manner

    • Identify areas of improvement to achieve data quality

    • Analyse, query and manipulate data according to defined business rules and procedures.

    • Monitor and report on data quality assurance / production performance metrics

    • Work with Service Management teams to establish and monitor service level agreements, communication protocols with data suppliers, and data quality assurance policies

    • Provide data quality advisory services to clients and to internal stakeholders

    • Provide data quality training and presentations to external clients and internal teams

    • Document the DQAs contribution to other projects and participate in cross-functional teams

Essential Skills

Handling and Qualifications/Requirements: Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science, Engineering or related field and a minimum of 2 years of IT experience OR in lieu of a degree, a minimum of 4+ years of hands on, mixed experience in technology and process excellence

Minimum of 2 years of experience with Data Management, Data Governance or Data Quality (preferably in a in banking, financial services or pharmaceutical industries).

Proven experience of having worked on and data quality skills in:

  • Data Profiling, quality rules definition and automation

  • Data discovery

  • Data quality measurement and metric generation, and aggregation into quality performance indicators

  • All aspects of data quality management including a full end to end data quality implementation

  • Information chain analysis and management

  • Root cause analysis

  • Cost benefit analysis and ROI discovery

  • Minimum 2 years of experience using data quality tools such as: Informatica, Ab Initio, SAP, SAS

  • Experience of data manipulation and enhancement to correct common file issues

  • Client facing with excellent communication, presentation and documentation skills – ability to communicate at all levels within business from C-level to end users, with ability to communicate technical matters in non-technical business terms

  • Strong data analysis skills across multiple source systems of various formats

  • Intermediate/Advanced MS Office Suite skills including Power Point, Excel, Access, Visio

  • Strong relationship management and influencing skills to build enduring and productive alliances across matrix organisations (both internal/external)

  • Demonstrated success in managing multiple deliverables concurrently often within aggressive timeframes; ability to cope under time pressure

  • A team player who works collaboratively and provides coaching and support to transfer technical & data knowledge

  • Ability to work under pressure with strong planning and prioritisation to meet tight deadlines whilst remaining detail orientated with strong problem solving skills and innovative thinking

  • Protection our information, reporting security events and implementing appropriate policies and procedures

Desirable Skills

  • Experience of Data Quality and Data Matching Rules

  • Performance Tuning or DBA experience using SQL Server

  • Business Analysis and Scoping of Client Requirements and Deliverables

  • Worked in an Agile SCRUM environment

  • Experience using data governance tools such as: Collibra

  • Experience in partnering with a diverse team in multiple locations

  • A recognised data quality certification e.g. IQCP, CIMP, ISO 8000

  • Experience of presenting on Data Quality at a major industry conference

  • Published papers or articles on Data Quality in a major media site, industry journal or trade magazine

does not discriminate against job applicants on the basis of age, disability, gender reassignment, marital or civil partner status, pregnancy or maternity, race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation. Experience stipulated in this job description serves as a guide only and all applications will be consider on their merits, irrespective of experience.


Example 2: Job description – Data Quality Analyst

We are currently looking for a Data Quality Analyst in .

We have been rated by Forbes as one of the best small companies to work for. We work hard and we play hard. Think you have what it takes?

This role is mainly responsible for supporting our data quality infrastructure, specializing on data consolidation, data analysis and responding to user issues and requests.

This position works closely with the Business Support team to develop reporting solutions to meet the needs of end-users.

What You Will Do:

  • Responsible for maintaining a high level of data quality through rigorous analysis and auditing of all data used in reporting

  • Responsible for working with internal customers, external customs and vendors to ensure timely resolution of data issues and problems

  • Responsible for analyzing and communicating information in a strategic and accurate manner

  • Responsible for following up on deadlines to ensure all material is entered in a timely fashion

  • Suggest and participate in IT projects, offering skills and insights in an effort to bring value to the organization by leveraging our technological and reporting infrastructure

  • Adhere to IT department policies and procedures when performing tasks so as to ensure controls are in place and departmental goals are met

What we’re looking for:

  • Bachelor’s degree in Business, Financial Analysis, Computer Science or equivalent work experience.        

  • 1-3 years of experience in corporate reporting

  • Experience with sales reporting is a plus

  • Data analysis experience preferred.

  • Knowledge of SQL programming a plus

Job Benefits:

A variety of benefits including extensive training programs, excellent healthcare, a discount stock purchase plan, a 401K program with a generous company match, and a competitive compensation package.

is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to a diverse workforce. In order to help ensure reasonable accommodation for individuals protected by Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Vietnam Veteran’s Readjustment Act of 1974, and Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, applicants who wish to request accommodation in the job application process can contact for assistance.

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How to Design, Build and Execute a Data Governance Framework; interview with Guy Harvey

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Measuring Data Quality for Ongoing Improvement: Interview with Laura Sebastian-Coleman