Data Strategist

Chicago Public Schools (CPS) is a district on the rise, serving over 320,000 students in 500 schools and employing over 44,000 people, most of them teachers. CPS has set ambitious goals to ensure that every student, in every school and every neighborhood, has access to a world-class learning experience that prepares each for success in college, career, and civic life. In order to fulfill this mission, we make three commitments to our students, their families, and all Chicagoans : academic progress, financial stability, and integrity. Six core values are embedded within these commitments - student-centered, whole child, equity, academic excellence, community partnership, and continuous learning.

The Office of Internal Audit and Advisory (IAAS) provides assurance and advisory services through independent and objective reviews to continuously improve systems and processes across the district that better prepare every child for success in college, career, and civic life.

Job Summary :

Reporting to the IT Audit Manager, the Data Strategist is responsible for developing, executing, and maintaining the data analytics frameworks and its activities in compliance with applicable audit standards, regulations, governmental requirements, and policies consistent with CPS' strategic and operational objectives, mission and vision. The Data Strategist plays an integral role in partnering with audit staff in using data analytics to identify material risks and underlying process deficiencies. This coordination will require collaboration with all IAAS tracks, including but not limited to : School Audits, Core Functions / Operational Audits, and Enterprise Risk Management.

The Data Strategist is responsible for a disciplined approach to decision-making that is risk-based, data-driven, and agile to shifting demands and expectations of CPS' obligations, knowledge, skills, and experience necessary in the performance of internal audit services.

The Data Strategist will be held accountable for the following responsibilities :

• Develop, execute, and maintain IAAS data analytics framework and its activities.
• Proactively identify data analysis as well as maintain existing data analytics projects that can be used by the internal audit team in making strategic, informed decisions. Specifically, to support planning and scoping of audits and risk assessments as well as continuous auditing and monitoring.
• Demonstrate a practical understanding of data analysis concepts, basic programming techniques, and complex and diverse technology to deliver analysis and reports. Provide technical expertise on data extraction, data cleansing, data mining, and analysis.
• Build relationships with business partners across the organization for data gathering, data initiative, and data governance purposes to provide quality service to stakeholders, which includes obtaining and demonstrating a strong understanding of the business process and associated data.
• Perform data validation to ensure the completeness and accuracy of the data extracted and maintain the integrity of the extracted data.
• Develop new and conduct existing training on a regular basis to encourage and facilitate the widespread use of analytics within the internal audit team.
• Coordinate and communicate effectively with internal auditors, CPS management, and other key stakeholders, as necessary, to meet objectives, and with the support of the Internal Audit Leadership, engage in special projects, critical process reviews, and investigations as necessary.
• Serve as the resident expert and liaison to all others serving in data analytics (DA) functions.
• Maintain knowledge of best practices by participating in educational opportunities, reading professional publications, performing benchmarking, maintaining networks, and participating in professional organizations.
• Perform internal audits as part of a team.
• Contribute on audit engagements to effectively plan and scope all audit and risk management engagements with data analytic considerations, providing data expertise and insights.
• Communicate effectively with various stakeholders to present data analytic results, observations and recommendations, as well as understand business processes, technology, and data to support audit scope and objectives.
• Design, test, and deliver useful data insights (i.e., trends, patterns, outliers) to support the development of the scope and objectives and to identify risk and control weaknesses.
• Perform information technology audits in evaluating information technology infrastructure, applications, data use and management, technology assets, policies, procedures, and operational processes against recognized standards, established policies and / or industry best practices.

In order to be successful and achieve the above responsibilities, the Data Strategist must possess the following qualifications :

Education Required :

Experience Required :

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities :

Conditions of Employment

As a condition of employment with the Chicago Public Schools (CPS), employees are required to :