Business Intelligence Architect

Atlanta, GA / Baltimore, MD / Bellevue, WA / Chicago, IL / Fairfield, NJ / Fort Lauderdale, FL / Libertyville, IL / Los Angeles, CA / New York, NY / Reno, NV / Schaumburg, IL / Overland Park, KS / Denver, COBusiness Operations – Information Technology /Full Time /HybridWork with a Top 20 CPA and advisory firm that Accounts for Anything. Aprio has 40 U.S. office locations, as well as international office locations and more than 3,200 team members that speak 60+ languages across the globe. By bringing together proven expertise, deep understanding, and strategic foresight for fast-growing industries, Aprio ensures clients are prepared for wherever life or business may take them. Discover a top-rated culture, vast growth opportunities and your next big career move with Aprio.Join Aprio's Information Technology team and you will help clients maximize their opportunities. Aprio Advisory Group, LLC is a progressive, fast-growing firm looking for a Business Intelligence Architect to join their dynamic team. Aprio’s Insights & Analytics team is expanding its Microsoft Fabric platform capabilities and is seeking a skilled Power BI & Fabric Semantic Model Architect to lead the design, development, and governance of enterprise-grade semantic models. This role bridges the gap between raw data and business insight—translating complex stakeholder requirements into well-structured, performant data models that power decision-making across the firm. The ideal candidate is both technically deep and interpersonally strong—someone who can lead and coach a team of report developers, facilitate requirements sessions with business stakeholders, and architect scalable solutions within Microsoft Fabric and Power BI. As Aprio accelerates its AI strategy, this role will play a central part in enabling natural language query (NLQ) capabilities, AI-powered analytics, and Copilot integration across the firm’s reporting ecosystem.Responsibilities:Semantic Modeling & Architecture Design and build enterprise semantic models in Microsoft Fabric using Direct Lake mode, Power BI Datasets, and Dataflows Gen2 Develop well-structured star and snowflake schemas optimized for Power BI performance, NLQ discoverability, and Copilot compatibility Author complex DAX measures, calculated columns, and KPI logic following organizational standards; ensure measure naming and descriptions support AI-assisted querying Establish and maintain a governed, reusable semantic layer across reporting domains (finance, operations, marketing, HR, growth) Evaluate and implement incremental refresh, aggregations, and query reduction strategies Architect semantic models to support natural language query (Q&A, Power BI Copilot, Azure OpenAI integration) by enforcing descriptive field names, synonyms, and measure annotations Define and maintain Q&A synonyms, linguistic schemas, and field-level descriptions that enable accurate AI-driven query interpretation AI, Natural Language Query & Copilot Enablement Lead Aprio’s adoption of Power BI Copilot and Microsoft Fabric AI features, including AI-generated report summaries, smart narratives, and anomaly detection Design semantic models and data products with AI-readiness in mind—ensuring metadata quality, field descriptions, and schema consistency support large language model (LLM) integrations Collaborate with IT and data engineering to evaluate and implement natural language query interfaces, including Power BI Q&A, Copilot for Microsoft 365, and Azure OpenAI Service connections to Fabric data Develop prompting strategies and governance guardrails for AI-generated insights to ensure accuracy, auditability, and alignment with firm standards Evaluate emerging Microsoft AI capabilities (Fabric Workload Hub, Copilot Studio, OneLake AI catalog) and provide architectural recommendations for phased adoption Partner with business stakeholders to identify high-value use cases for AI-assisted analytics, self-service insights, and conversational BI Educate and upskill team members and business users on responsible use of AI tools within the BI ecosystem Team Coaching & Development Mentor and coach a team of 4+ report developers, providing technical guidance on best practices, model design, DAX, and AI-era BI patterns Conduct code and model reviews, establishing a culture of quality and continuous improvement Create internal documentation, standards guides, and reusable component libraries for the team Support onboarding of new team members and facilitate skill development in Power BI, Fabric, and emerging AI analytics tools Business & Stakeholder Engagement Lead requirements-gathering sessions with business stakeholders, translating needs into data model specifications and AI-assisted analytics roadmaps Serve as a trusted advisor, clearly communicating model design decisions, tradeoffs, and AI capability opportunities to executive and non-technical audiences Collaborate with data engineers, DevOps, and business analysts to ensure analytical models support downstream use cases including Copilot and self-service BI Champion data literacy and responsible AI use across the organization in collaboration with the data governance manager and data governance committee Fabric Platform & Governance Own the semantic model layer within the Aprio Microsoft Fabric Lakehouse architecture (OneLake, Lakehouse, Notebooks) Define and enforce naming conventions, model governance standards, certification processes, and AI metadata standards for published datasets Coordinate with the data engineering team to ensure clean, well-documented source data is available for modeling and AI consumption Monitor model health, performance, and usage via Power BI Admin portal and Fabric Monitoring Hub Ensure compliance with data security, row-level security (RLS), and data privacy requirements across all published models and AI-accessible data products Establish AI governance practices including prompt auditability, output validation standards, and acceptable use policies for AI-generated content within BI workflows Qualifications:5–8 years of experience designing and publishing Power BI semantic models in enterprise environments Proficiency in DAX, Power Query (M), and data modeling concepts (star schema, relationships, cardinality) Hands-on experience with Microsoft Fabric (OneLake, Lakehouses, Dataflows Gen2, Direct Lake mode) Demonstrated experience with Power BI Q&A, linguistic schema authoring, and synonym configuration for natural language query Familiarity with Power BI Copilot, Microsoft 365 Copilot, or Azure OpenAI Service integrations with Fabric data sources Demonstrated ability to gather, document, and translate business requirements into data models and AI-readiness roadmaps Experience coaching or mentoring junior analysts or developers Strong communication skills with the ability to explain technical concepts—including AI capabilities and limitations—to non-technical audiences Familiarity with data governance, RLS, dataset certification, and Power BI deployment pipelines Understanding of responsible AI principles, data privacy considerations, and AI output auditability in enterprise analytics contexts Preferred Qualifications:Microsoft certifications: PL-300 (Power BI Data Analyst), DP-600 (Fabric Analytics Engineer), or DP-100 (Azure Data Scientist) Experience with Azure OpenAI Service, Semantic Kernel, or LangChain in analytics or data product contexts Exposure to Copilot Studio or Power Automate AI flows for automating insight delivery Experience in a professional services or accounting firm environment Familiarity with Microsoft Purview for data cataloging, lineage, and AI governance Core Competencies: Data Modeling Proficiency Performance Optimization AI & NLQ Enablement Translating to Tech and Non-Tech Analytical Thinking Coaching & Mentorship Attention to Detail Internal/External Team Collaboration Strong Communication Continuous Learning Mindset Business Acumen Responsible AI Judgment Why work for Aprio:Whether you are just starting out, looking to advance into management or searching for your next leadership role, Aprio offers an opportunity to grow with a future-focused, innovative firm.Perks/Benefits we offer for full-time team members:- Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance on the first day of employment- Flexible Spending Account and Dependent Care Account- 401k with Profit Sharing- 9+ holidays and discretionary time off structure- Parental Leave – coverage for both primary and secondary caregivers- Tuition Assistance Program and CPA support program with cash incentive upon completion- Discretionary incentive compensation based on firm, group and individual performance- Incentive compensation related to origination of new client sales- Top rated wellness program- Flexible working environment including remote and hybrid optionsWhat’s in it for you:- Working with an industry leader: Be part of a high-growth firm that is passionate for what’s next.- An awesome culture: Thirty-one fundamental behaviors guide our culture every day ensuring we always deliver an exceptional team-member and client experience. We call it the Aprio Way. This shared mindset creates lasting relationships between team members and with clients.- A great team: Work with a high-energy, passionate, caring and ambitious team of professionals in a collaborative culture.- Entrepreneurship: Have the freedom to innovate and bring your ideas to help us grow to become the CPA firm of choice nationally.- Growth opportunities: Grow professionally in an environment that fosters continuous learning and advancement.- Competitive compensation: You will be rewarded with competitive compensation, industry-leading benefits and a flexible work environment to enjoy work/life balance.EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYERAprio is an Equal Opportunity Employer encouraging diversity in the workplace. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race; color; religion; national origin; sex; pregnancy; sexual orientation; gender identity and/or expression; age; disability; genetic information, citizenship status; military service obligations or any other category protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.Aprio, LLP and Aprio Advisory Group, LLC, operate in an alternative business structure, with Aprio Advisory Group, LLC providing non-attest tax and consulting services, and Aprio, LLP providing CPA firm services.We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses and identifying potential inconsistencies or verification signals in application materials based on available information. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. 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