DATA/RESEARCH ANALYST

State of Arkansas•Little Rock, AR

About The Position

The Data Specialist for Grants and Federal Reporting supports the Office of Substance Abuse and Mental Health (OSAMH) by serving as the primary analyst for all non‑Medicaid data management and reporting activities. This role supports the agency’s ability to secure funding, maintain compliance, and demonstrate program effectiveness through accurate and timely federal reporting. The Data Specialist is responsible for receiving, consolidating, and analyzing data to support grant applications, annual and quarterly reports, and compliance requirements across multiple behavioral health programs. The position plays a critical role in translating complex data into clear, usable formats to support program monitoring and reporting, and communicates technical data findings clearly to both technical and non‑technical stakeholders. This role works closely with program staff, OSAMH finance teams, and federal contractors to support grant reporting for mental health and substance use disorder programs, including, but not limited to, Mental Health Block Grant applications and annual reports, contributions to the Annual State Profiles Report, Social Services Block Grant reporting, and Substance Use Disorder Unit grant reporting. The Data Specialist ensures data accuracy through validation and reconciliation processes, supports financial and programmatic reporting, and maintains documentation to ensure compliance with federal grant requirements and audit standards. The Data / Research Analyst is responsible for gathering, cleaning, analyzing, and interpreting large datasets to generate actionable insights that drive strategic decision-making throughout the organization. This role bridges the gap between raw data and meaningful business outcomes, ensuring data integrity while applying statistical and analytical techniques. The ideal candidate leverages advanced analytical tools and methodologies to uncover trends, identify opportunities, and support research initiatives that influence product development, market strategies, and operational efficiency.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Data Science, Statistics, Computer Science, Economics, Mathematics, or a related field.
Minimum of 4 years of progressively responsible experience in data analysis, research, or quantitative analysis.
Experience working with statistical software, data visualization tools, and database management systems is highly advantageous.
Solid programming skills in languages such as Python, R, or Structured Query Language.
Familiarity with data visualization tools (e.g., Tableau, Power Business Intelligence) and statistical analysis software.
Strong aptitude for quantitative analysis and identifying actionable insights from complex datasets.
Ability to approach problems methodically and use data-driven reasoning to support solutions.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills to effectively share technical insights with non-technical personnel.
Proven ability to translate complex data findings into clear and persuasive narratives.
Meticulous in verifying and validating data to ensure accuracy and reliability.
A critical thinking mindset that questions assumptions and consistently seeks improvement.
Ability to work well within multi-disciplinary teams and adapt to evolving project requirements.

Nice To Haves

Experience analyzing and managing large, complex datasets and producing clear, actionable reports
Advanced Microsoft Excel skills, including working with data from multiple formats and creating dashboards or visual summaries
Familiarity with federal reporting or grant management systems
Experience using SQL for data extraction and manipulation
Experience with data visualization tools (e.g., Power BI, Tableau) and analytical/statistical tools (e.g., SAS, R, Python)
Ability to coordinate data needs across teams and translate technical information into plain language
Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple deadlines and reporting cycles
Experience supporting grant reporting, compliance, or federal data submissions
Ability to work collaboratively on complex, multi-step processes and perform effectively under tight timeline

Responsibilities

Receiving, consolidating, and analyzing data to support grant applications, annual and quarterly reports, and compliance requirements across multiple behavioral health programs.
Translating complex data into clear, usable formats to support program monitoring and reporting
Communicating technical data findings clearly to both technical and non‑technical stakeholders.
Ensuring data accuracy through validation and reconciliation processes
Supporting financial and programmatic reporting
Maintaining documentation to ensure compliance with federal grant requirements and audit standards.
Identify and source both internal and external datasets relevant to business objectives.
Develop protocols for data acquisition, cleaning, and validation to maintain high data quality and consistency.
Use statistical tools and programming languages (such as Python, R, or Structured Query Language) to analyze datasets and identify significant trends, correlations, and anomalies.
Conduct exploratory data analysis, hypothesis testing, and regression analysis to model relationships and predict future outcomes.
Synthesize complex data findings into clear, concise reports and dashboards using data visualization tools like Tableau, Power Business Intelligence, or similar software.
Present findings in a manner that supports informed decision-making and strategic planning.
Collaborate with cross-functional teams—including marketing, product development, and operations—to define research objectives and methodologies.
Provide consultative support for strategic projects by integrating data insights into business recommendations.
Stay current with the latest trends and best practices in data analysis, machine learning, and statistical methodologies.
Recommend and implement process improvements, ensuring that research practices evolve with the agency’s needs.
Ensure all research activities comply with data governance policies and industry regulations.
Maintain thorough documentation of methodologies, data sources, analytical processes, and outcomes.