Data Strategy Lead

Our client is responsible for meeting the needs of residents across the Commonwealth by managing programs and services and supporting policies, legislation, and regulations that promote residents' health, safety, and well-being. Our client achieves these goals by ensuring access to high-quality public health and healthcare services and by focusing on prevention, wellness, and health equity for all people. Our client is looking for a highly skilled and experienced candidate to fill the Data Strategy Lead (Data Strategist) position for Data Modernization Initiative (DMI) Projects.

Our client is executing a large-scale data modernization across the agency as part of DMI. This includes creating a consolidated Enterprise Data Platform on modern cloud tools (including AWS & Snowflake,) and re-platforming existing business data applications from solutions such as SAS and legacy databases to the new platform. Client data systems enable epidemiologists, public health researchers, state and local public health officials, and business leaders to analyze public health trends and drive policy decisions.

POSITION SUMMARY:

The Data Strategy Lead will provide thought leadership within the organization and determine strengths, weaknesses, operational effectiveness and opportunities for the modernization of data within the Department of Public Health. The Data Strategy Lead recommends initiatives from internal and external factors that minimize risks and support policy and regulation to formulate plans that achieve the long-term goals of the overall Data Modernization Initiative (DMI).

The Strategy Lead will support, and contribute to, the development of a long-term organizational strategy related to data life cycle management, data storage, security and compliance measures, and analytics products to be used cross functionally and by the Secretary of Health and Human Services.

The Strategy Lead will use razor sharp emotional intelligence to align interdepartmental goals and priorities with the realities of resource constraints and regulatory limitations; all with a longer-term vision of a modern data stack capable of repeatably surfacing insights necessary to provide the best possible service to members.

JOB DUTIES:

• Become proficient in understanding, communicating, and advocating for the Agencies objectives.
• Understand the current challenges and how to measure them in terms of risk and impact to short, medium, and long-term objectives.
• Perform Gap analysis and process improvement ideation.
• Work with senior leadership and agency program teams to create strategy frameworks and roadmaps.
• Build and nurture relationships with cross functional business partners and leaders from teams inside and outside of DPH as well as technical leaders in the Executive Office of Technology Services & Security (EOTSS).
• Become proficient in policies and processes within State Government and practice the appropriate sensitivity and empathy in daily communications and interactions.
• Lead cross functional, internal teams through various projects.
• Participate in, and facilitate, meetings across all levels of state government as well as create and/or contribute to relevant documentation.

SKILLS AND QUALIFICATIONS (Special Skill Set, Abilities & Knowledge):

• Sufficient knowledge of the modern data stack to provide thought leadership across the organization – i.e., Tableau, Snowflake, Informatica, AWS.
• Previous experience supporting or participating in data teams, such as data integration, data warehousing, analytics or reporting.
• Strong problem-solving, with demonstrated expertise in identifying, scoping, breaking down, and resolving complex problems through structured processes.
• Ability to understand complex data and how it fuels business needs.
• Demonstrated understanding of project management principles and practices coupled with the ability to coordinate numerous projects simultaneously to successful completion.
• The ability to navigate a bureaucratic environment that makes use of matrixed support teams.
• Willingness to build an understanding of legacy processes and fill out necessary tickets and collateral to initiate internal processes
• Strong relationship building capabilities with a strong customer service orientation and the ability to understand customer needs
• Skilled communicator and presenter, able to effectively communicate new concepts to a diverse and varied audience
• Build bridges that synergize the working relationships of IT and Business.

EDUCATION and EXPERIENCE: (Education, Years Experience & Certificates):

• Minimum (3) three years of experience in a project or program management role, managing programs from conceptualization through delivery
• Minimum (5) five years of experience in an IT or Analytics role
• Proficiency with MS Office applications including Excel, Word, Visio, Outlook, and PowerPoint
• Working knowledge of data management tools – Tableau, Snowflake, AWS, Informatica or equivalent technologies.
• Solid understanding of various data storage solutions – RDB, Data Mart, Data Warehouse, Data Lake and why/when they are used.
• Skilled communicator who is able to translate between technical and business resources and concepts
• Experience in a health care setting is preferred but not required.
• Experience working in state government preferred but not required.