Director of Business Insights

The Director of Business Insights will lead our data analytics and reporting function, championing the use of business intelligence (BI) across the organization. This is a technical leadership role responsible for transforming manual reporting (e.g., Excel/Google Sheets) into automated, interactive dashboards and actionable data insights. As the head of our Tableau reporting function, the Director will design and implement BI solutions that support departments from Sales and Operations to Finance and beyond. Initially a hands‑on, individual‑contributor role, this position will embed across teams to identify needs and deliver dashboards, eventually building and managing a BI/Analytics team as the function grows. Key Responsibilities: The following are considered essential functions of the position, which must be performed with or without reasonable accommodation. BI Strategy & Roadmap: Define and own the business intelligence strategy – prioritize high-impact areas where reporting automation will drive efficiency. Create a roadmap to convert critical manual reports and spreadsheets into centralized BI dashboards. Work with leadership to ensure BI initiatives align with strategic goals (e.g., sales performance, operational efficiency). Dashboard Development: Serve as the lead designer and developer of Tableau dashboards (and other BI tools as needed). Collaborate with functional teams to gather requirements and understand pain points from existing reports. Re‑build key reports (currently in Excel or static formats) as dynamic dashboards that provide real‑time insights. Ensure dashboards are user-friendly and tailored to each audience (from executives to frontline managers). Data Management & Integration: Work with IT and data engineering teams as necessary to access and unify data sources. Write complex SQL queries or use ETL tools to fetch and prepare data for analysis. Consolidate data from multiple systems (CRM, ERP, etc.) into meaningful datasets. Champion data quality by identifying discrepancies in source data and working with data owners to clean and maintain accuracy. Technical Leadership: Leverage strong coding skills (e.g., Python, SQL, SAQL) for advanced data analysis and automation tasks. For example, use Python scripts for data transformation or to extend Tableau capabilities when required. Evaluate and potentially introduce additional BI and analytics tools (such as Power BI, Domo, or QlikView) to complement Tableau, ensuring we use the right tool for each need. Stay up-to-date on BI technology trends and best practices. Cross‑Functional Collaboration: Act as an internal consultant, embedding with various departments to deeply understand their reporting and analytics needs. For each department (Sales, Operations, Finance, etc.), identify key metrics and design dashboards that replace spreadsheets with automated solutions. Educate stakeholders on how to interpret and utilize new dashboards for decision‑making. Champion a data-driven culture by demonstrating the value of insights in day‑to‑day operations. Training and Enablement: Develop documentation and training materials for end‑users on new BI tools and dashboards. Conduct workshops or one‑on‑one sessions to upskill team members in basic analytics (for example, how to filter or drill down in Tableau). Over time, establish a self‑service analytics environment where appropriate, empowering teams to perform ad‑hoc analysis while maintaining data governance. Team Leadership & Growth: As the BI initiative proves its value, take the lead in building a Business Insights team. Define team roles and recruit BI analysts or data scientists as needed. Provide mentorship and technical guidance to junior team members. Foster an environment of curiosity, continuous improvement, and innovation in analytics. In the early stages, this role is a standalone “BI champion,” requiring a self‑driven approach to manage projects independently and deliver results without immediate team support. Reporting & Executive Insights: Prepare and present executive‑level reports on BI findings. Summarize insights from dashboards into narratives or slide presentations for leadership meetings. Highlight trends, opportunities, and red flags (e.g., sales trends, operational bottlenecks) uncovered through analytics. Recommend business actions based on data. In essence, translate data insights into strategic guidance for the company’s leadership. Data Privacy & Governance: Ensure all BI activities comply with applicable data protection regulations. When handling personal or sensitive data (whether employee or customer information), enforce data privacy best practices (e.g., appropriate data anonymization and access controls on confidential dashboards). Coordinate with the company’s legal/compliance team or Data Privacy Officer (if applicable) to evaluate new BI projects for privacy considerations. Maintain strict confidentiality and security of company data assets at all times. Required Qualifications & Experience: Education: Bachelor’s degree in data science, Computer Science, Statistics, Business Analytics, or a related field. (Equivalent professional experience will also be considered.) Experience: 8+ years of experience in business intelligence, data analytics, or a related field with a track record of increasing responsibility. Prior experience leading BI or analytics projects is required. Experience managing a small analytics team or serving as the lead BI developer in a cross‑functional project is a strong plus. The ideal candidate may have served as a Senior BI Analyst, Data Analytics Manager, “Head of BI,” or as a Data/Analytics Consultant delivering dashboard solutions. Technical Skills: Advanced proficiency in BI tools – especially Tableau (ability to develop complex dashboards, create calculated fields, etc.). Familiarity with other platforms like Power BI or Qlik is beneficial, as is experience with cloud‑based data visualization tools. Strong foundation in SQL is required (adept at writing and optimizing complex queries across large datasets). Proficiency in Python for data manipulation or automation is also required; experience with libraries such as pandas or building data pipelines is a plus. Knowledge of SAQL (Salesforce Analytics Query Language, used in tools like Tableau CRM) is a plus. Comfort working with various data formats and sources (databases, APIs, flat files, etc.). Analytical Skills: Excellent data analysis and problem‑solving abilities. Able to interpret complex datasets and statistical outputs to identify meaningful trends and insights. Experience translating business questions into analytical queries. Some exposure to statistical or predictive analysis methods (e.g., regression, forecasting) is a bonus, though this role is primarily focused on descriptive and diagnostic analytics delivered via dashboards. Business Acumen: Broad understanding of typical business KPIs across multiple departments – for example, sales funnel metrics, operational efficiency indicators, financial KPIs. Ability to link data findings to business context (for instance, understanding how a change in a sales pipeline metric might affect revenue, or how operations data correlates with service levels). This role involves engaging with senior stakeholders, so a high level of professionalism and strategic thinking is expected, including the confidence to challenge assumptions and propose data‑driven solutions. Communication & Collaboration: Exceptional ability to communicate complex data concepts in simple terms. Comfortable interacting with non‑technical stakeholders and senior leaders – data storytelling is key. Strong interpersonal skills to build trust while “embedding” in various teams; must be a good listener to truly understand departmental challenges. A self‑starter attitude with the ability to work independently (especially in the early phase as a one‑person BI unit) is essential. Equally important is being a team player who can collaborate across departments and eventually lead a team effectively. Data Governance & Compliance: Familiarity with U.S. data protection and privacy regulations (e.g., understanding of frameworks such as the California Consumer Privacy Act and other relevant federal or state laws) and data governance best practices in analytics. Committed to ethical data handling and privacy. The candidate should be conscious of eliminating bias in data interpretation and in how insights are presented, aligning with our values of diversity and inclusion. Work Authorization: Must be legally authorized to work in the United States (current and ongoing authorization without sponsorship). Job Type: Full Time, M-F Hours: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM Salary Range: $140-160K #J-18808-Ljbffr COGENCY GLOBAL INC