Data Quality Analyst: The Job Description

Data quality analysts play critical roles in many organizations.

Data quality analysts help organizations maintain high-quality data. They are responsible for defining rules to evaluate data quality and creating test plans that work. Employment of computer systems analysts such as data quality analysts was projected to increase 20 percent from 2008 to 2018, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Senior data quality analysts in 2010 earned between $48,000 and $72,000, according to PayScale.com.

Data Warehouse Duties

Data quality analysts review data placed into a data warehouse for accuracy, according to The Data Administration Newsletter website. These professionals recommend enhancements to record systems, as well as data acquisition processes to improve the accuracy of operation data. In addition, data quality analysts are responsible for reviewing the referential and historical integrity of data warehouse information. They are in charge of quality assurance for information systems.

Other Responsibilities

Data quality analysts also oversee an organization's data privacy policy or monitor compliance of data flows against data quality standards. In addition, data quality analysts develop, document and maintain data quality goals and standards. They report to management on the progress of data quality improvement and help resolve data quality problems through appropriate process design strategies, as well as error detection and correction tests and procedures. They also might document any return on investment linked with data quality enhancements and provide training to other employees in the organization.

Skills

Data quality analysts must have the technical skills necessary to work with computer systems. This includes knowledge of office software such as Microsoft Word, Excel and Access, as well as knowledge of data manipulation tools and analysis techniques. These professionals also must be willing to interact with data users and managers. They must have strong written and verbal communication skills to present findings and recommendations, be able to work in teams and manage time and projects. They also should be detail-oriented, have good problem solving and research skills and understand the importance and benefits of data quality. They additionally should be able to work independently and possess strong customer service skills, according to Akoya, an Illinois company that provides product cost management solutions for manufacturers.

Environment

Data quality analysts usually are placed high enough in the hierarchy of an organization, so as to be able to influence various areas but also must be able to interact with teams at every level of an organization. Data quality analysts might alternate between the data quality function team and other cross-functional teams in a variety of businesses and industries. They can work in offices or even telecommute. These types of professionals typically work 40 hours a week, but some might work 50 hours, according to the BLS.

Education

Data quality analysts typically must have a bachelor's degree in a technical discipline. Degrees in fields such as finance, economics, marketing, business or mathematics also are helpful, according to the Target Careers website. Some companies look for those who have a degree focusing on computer science combined with humanities studies, according to Intelius in Washington, a leading information commerce company. Data quality analysts who have master's degrees in statistics of information systems also have an employment advantage. Some companies also require individuals to have at least a year of experience in data quality management or data testing.

References

• The Data Administration Newsletter: Data Quality Analyst
• Akoya: Senior Data Quality Analyst
• Linked n: Data Quality Analyst
• Target Careers: Senior Data Quality Analyst
• BLS: Computer Systems Analysts