Data Analyst - Sponsored Programs Administration

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign•Urbana, IL

About The Position

The Data Analyst in Sponsored Programs Administration (SPA) analyzes sponsored program data, including proposal, award, and expenditure activity, administrative process performance, and compliance and regulatory indicators. Reporting to the Senior Assistant Director of Data and Systems, the role produces, maintains, and secures reports and data visualizations supporting SPA’s pre-award and post-award functions. It combines knowledge of the sponsored research lifecycle with technical expertise in reporting, business intelligence, and data management. The analyst draws on Banner ERP, the Kuali-based START myProposals and myResearch portals, and SPA’s homegrown applications to provide information that helps SPA and campus research leadership make decisions. The position develops and maintains reports and dashboards, supports data pipelines and integrations, and helps ensure data accuracy across systems. It also supports the migration of legacy MS Access data to SQL Server and Denodo, builds and maintains Denodo views, and uses AI-assisted capabilities in analysis and report development. The analyst develops functional expertise in sponsored research processes, documents key data terms and report logic, trains staff in self-service reporting, and responds to reporting and data requests. The position may be eligible for hybrid or remote work depending on unit operational needs. It is a 100% full-time, 12-month Civil Service appointment, with an expected start as soon as possible after the close date. The budgeted salary range is $75,000 to $90,000.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Statistics, Data Science, Data Analytics, Computer Science, Information Systems, or a closely related field.
Two years of experience writing and optimizing SQL queries (T-SQL, PL/SQL, or similar) against relational databases such as SQL Server and/or Oracle.
Experience building reports, dashboards, and/or data visualizations using a business intelligence tool such as Power BI, Tableau, or similar.
Experience with ad hoc reporting and data analysis to support business and/or administrative decision-making.
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with attention to data accuracy and integrity.
Ability to translate functional or business requirements into technical reporting and data solutions.
Strong communication skills and ability to explain data and technical concepts to non-technical audiences.
Strong time management skills and demonstrated ability to manage concurrent requests and re-prioritize based on user needs.
Ability to collaborate successfully as a member of a small team.
Proven record of customer service excellence.

Nice To Haves

Experience with Power BI, including data modeling, DAX, report/dashboard publishing, and workspace administration.
Experience with sponsored research administration, grants management, or research compliance in a higher education or research institution setting.
Familiarity with the University’s Banner ERP system and/or Kuali Research (START myProposals/myResearch).
Experience with Azure Data Factory or other ETL/data pipeline tools.
Experience with Denodo or other data virtualization/federation platforms.
Experience migrating or modernizing legacy MS Access databases to SQL Server or similar platforms.
Experience with Oracle databases.
Light application development experience with C#, ASP.NET Core, and Entity Framework, sufficient to build, deploy, and maintain visualizations within a homegrown web application ecosystem.

Responsibilities

Analyze proposal, award, and expenditure activity, administrative process performance, and compliance and regulatory indicators to identify trends, evaluate performance, and inform decisions.
Develop, run, and maintain ad hoc and standard reports using data from Banner, Kuali-based START, and SPA homegrown applications.
Manage user access and security for reports and dashboards.
Design, build, and maintain data visualizations and dashboards, primarily using Power BI.
Leverage AI-assisted features to accelerate analysis and report development.
Train and support staff in self-service reporting and dashboard use.
Support data pipelines and integrations using Azure Data Factory and develop or apply manual and automated data verification and validation checks.
Assist with transforming and migrating data from legacy MS Access databases to SQL Server and Denodo, and build and maintain Denodo views for data virtualization.
Develop functional expertise in sponsored program pre-award and post-award business processes to inform data and reporting work.
Create and maintain documentation and a data dictionary for key terms, fields, and report logic.
Respond to reporting and data assistance requests in a timely, professional manner.
Use project management techniques to plan, prioritize, and track concurrent reporting and analysis requests.
Perform other duties as assigned consistent with the mission of Sponsored Programs Administration and the University.