Data and Insights Specialist

Position Title:Data and Insights Specialist
Reports To:Head of Data Practices and Insights
Department: Corporate/Impact
Term: Permanent Full-Time

Work Arrangements: This is a hybrid role. You will work in our office in Waterloo, ON a minimum of two (2) assigned, consecutive days every other week, plus a fifth (5th) assigned day per month. You are welcome to work from the office more than the minimum requirement and there may be some roles that are required to work in our office more than the minimum requirement.

The Opportunity:Equitable is growing! We are looking for a Data and Insights Specialist to join our Corporate/Impact team!
The Data and Insights Specialist is a key role supporting the Head of Data Practices and Insights. The focus of the role is to guide the business in conceptualizing and implementing reporting / BI solutions while leveraging enterprise data capabilities and leading data practices and aligning to the Enterprise Data Strategy. The individual is a subject matter expert who will partner Business team members to design, implement, and evolve reporting / BI solutions. They will also provide the coaching / guidance / influence necessary to enable a high performing / outcome focused cross functional team.
Now is an exciting time to join one of the Waterloo Area's and Southwestern Ontario's Top Employers for 2024!

What you will be doing:

• Data Practices and Community: Research Reporting / BI leading practices and tools; advise business on best approaches to obtain, manage, and visualize/design visualizations of data across the full journey of creating a BI solution. Develop and sustain a Community of Practice for Data and analytics to share learnings / successes, collaborate on issues / initiatives, and elevate the data expertise within the organization.
• Visualization and Reporting/BI solutions: Leverage leading practices to build and evolve reporting / BI solutions for the business using enterprise tools and platforms. This includes assessing and advising on design directions and reporting / BI requirements, analysing and sourcing data, data modelling, designing / implementing visualizations, completing robust documentation, aligning with Data Strategy, Governance & Quality expectations, and guiding the business to utilize the solutions.
• Data Subject Matter Expertise: Build expertise about Data and data flows in the business applications (source systems) and enterprise data platform (s); share that knowledge with business and technology teams in support of reporting/BI, analytics, and digital initiatives. Ensure a sustainable process is in place to allow this knowledge to be retained and shared for the organization.
• Data Initiatives Support: Partner with the business, technology, and data teams to support data initiatives involving the enterprise data platform, reporting, analytics, operations, and digital capabilities. This includes eliciting data requirements, analyzing security/access expectations, aligning to Data Governance & Quality standards, and recommending robust data practices.
• Data Governance Alignment: Partner with the enterprise Data Governance and Quality team to build and run the processes, policies, and tools to oversee and manage Equitable's data. Contribute to the collection and maintenance of metadata, identification of appropriate data quality rules, and participate in data issue investigation/resolution as appropriate.
• Stakeholder Collaboration and Relationship Management: Build and maintain robust relationships with business and technology stakeholders rooted in strong collaboration and delivery of impact through data advice and reporting/BI solutions.
• Performance and Effectiveness: Support with the definition and implementation of key performance indicators (KPIs) and metrics to measure the impact / value from supporting the business with data advisory and Insights delivery; provide regular reports / updates to senior management.

What you will bring:

• 5+ years of experience with a mix of reporting/BI, data analytics/data science, business/data analysis, project management, and data governance
• Post-secondary education or equivalent combination of education and experience in the following or related disciplines: Computer Science, Information Systems, Engineering, Business or another relevant field
• Experience with databases / data warehouses, data integration, and data modelling concepts and tools; expertise with data extraction and manipulation using SQL or similar tools (including advanced Excel skills for data analysis); experience using Power platform suite such as Power Apps, Power BI etc. to build reporting / BI visualizations.
• Experience with either user experience (UX) design or reporting design optimization
• Familiarity with data governance, data management, and data quality processes and techniques; knowledge of coding/programming languages (e.g. Python, Java, C#) is highly desirable
• Excellent interpersonal and stakeholder management skills, with a proven ability to advise, influence, and collaborate effectively across business partners at different levels.
• Demonstrable track record of working cross-functionally with stakeholders to secure buy-in, creating accepted solutions, and working flexibly to accommodate changing priorities.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities, with meticulous attention to detail and a commitment to continuous improvement; robust prioritization and organizational skills to remain focused on the key outcomes.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills with the ability to communicate clearly and concisely and present complex / technical concepts simply.
• Analytical mindset and problem-solving approach; focus on bridging the gap between business and technical teams from a data perspective.
• Experience in Insurance or Financial Services industry is an asset; specifically, familiarity with insurance-specific data models and operational/business processes, with experience in insurance core systems (e.g., policy administration, claims management) is highly desirable.

What's in it for you:

• A healthy work-life balance with employee wellness top of mind
• Annual bonus program, annual vacation allowance, and company-paid benefits program
• An additional paid volunteer day each year so you can spend time giving back to the community
• Immediate enrollment in the company's pension program with employer matching
• Employee resource groups that support an inclusive work environment
• Tuition support and specialized program assistance
• An onsite, full-service cafeteria with a variety of daily options
• Discounts on company products and services, and access to exclusive employee perks
• Regular EQ Together events focused on company togetherness and collaboration
  

As part of the recruitment/offer process you will be required to:

• Provide two professional references (minimum one supervisor and above)
• Undergo a criminal background check

To learn more about Equitable, we encourage you to explore our organization.
At Equitable, we are committed to providing equal access to employment opportunities across our organization. Please contact our HR team at careers@equitable.ca if you would like to receive our job postings in an alternative format or require an accommodation with the application process.
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