Accela Strategic Business/Data Analyst

Strategic Business/Data AnalystWe are seeking a skilled Strategic Business/Data Analyst for a 6 to 12 months contract role in Lawrenceville, GA to support Planning & Development through data analysis, reporting, system support, quality assurance, automation, and technical solution delivery. The position will work with business stakeholders, Product Owners, Business Analysts, developers, and GIS professionals to translate operational needs into reliable data products and system improvements. The ideal candidate combines strong analytical and technical capabilities with the ability to communicate findings clearly, validate data and system functionality, and develop maintainable solutions. Experience with local government planning, permitting, licensing, code enforcement, or Accela Civic Platform is preferred but not required.Skills: Bachelor's degree in Data Analytics, Computer Science, Information Systems, Business, Statistics, or a related field, or equivalent professional experience.Preferred Experience: 3+ years of experience in data analysis, systems analysis, business intelligence, application support, or a related technical role. Experience developing and maintaining dashboards and reports using Power BI, including data modeling, Power Query, and DAX. Experience querying, validating, and integrating data using SQL and working with relational databases and enterprise data sources. Experience developing scripts, applications, or automation using Python, JavaScript, APIs, or other programming languages. Experience conducting quality assurance testing, documenting defects, and validating data and system functionality. Experience with Accela Civic Platform, local government planning and permitting systems. Strong customer-facing, presentation, documentation, and cross-functional collaboration skills. Experience with Agile methodologies and tools such as Jira, SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS), basic programming tools, SharePoint, Teams, Visio, Excel, and PowerPoint.Responsibilities: Perform advanced data and business analysis to support operational and strategic decisionmaking; validate data sources, calculations, and methodologies; and present findings in a clear, timely, and actionable format. Develop, maintain, and enhance Power BI dashboards, reports, and other visualizations that provide accurate and meaningful insights; monitor refresh performance, usage, and stakeholder feedback to continuously improve reporting capabilities. Develop scripts, applications, reusable tools, and automation using Python, JavaScript, SQL, APIs, and other technologies to reduce manual effort, improve data quality, and enhance operational efficiency. Advise Product Owners and departmental leadership on system configuration, data quality, reporting, performance, risks, and areas requiring improvement or additional attention. Prepare technical documentation and conduct demonstrations, training, and knowledge-sharing sessions to strengthen team capabilities and promote consistent use of tools, data standards, and best practices. Maintain and enhance existing dashboards, integrations, scripts, and automation solutions to ensure reliability, performance, security, and long-term maintainability. Identify opportunities for continuous improvement in reporting, data management, system performance, quality assurance, and business processes, and recommend practical, data-informed solutions.