OPERATIONAL DATA ANALYST - 76014

Executive Service

Who we are and what we do:

The Tennessee Department of Education serves over 900,000 students in 147 districts with both significant urban and rural populations. As a state agency, we are dedicated to improving student academic achievement and committed to the belief that children from all backgrounds can succeed when given the opportunities they deserve. Tennessee K-12 education operates with a common goal- to provide the best for all students.

How you make a difference in this role:

Working collaboratively with program teams and external stakeholders, this role provides technical guidance and analytical expertise to support effective data use, compliance, and continuous improvement.

Job Overview:

This position serves as a key contributor to the departments K-12 data strategy by supporting data analysis, reporting, and operational process improvement initiatives. The role fulfills internal data requests through accurate data extraction, validation, and interpretation; develops and maintains dashboards and analytical tools; and produces comprehensive technical documentation to promote data transparency, consistency, and reproducibility. The position also designs and supports automated workflows to improve operational efficiency and strengthen data quality.

Key Responsibilities:

Program Data Analysis and Reporting (50%)

• Develop advanced knowledge of departmental data systems and structures through active engagement in data extraction, validation, and quality assurance processes.
• Fulfill internal data requests to support strategic decision-making, performance monitoring, compliance reporting, and policy analysis.
• Design, develop, and maintain dashboards, standardized reports, and analytical tools to support program operations and continuous improvement.
• Establish and maintain comprehensive documentation of data management procedures, including data cleaning methodologies, business rules, and annotated code.
• Analyze and interpret technical materials, including statutes, administrative rules, policies, and procedural documentation, to ensure accurate data application and reporting.
• Provide analytical and technical data support to program areas across the department as assigned.

Process Improvement and Data Operations (50%)

• Develop, implement, and oversee standardized processes for district data submission, validation, and appeals to ensure accuracy, consistency, and compliance.
• Design and maintain automated workflows using Power Automate and related tools to improve efficiency and reduce manual effort.
• Provide technical guidance and operational support to program teams and district data administrators to ensure effective implementation of data processes.
• Analyze existing workflows to identify opportunities for process optimization, standardization, and increased operational efficiency.
• Contribute to special projects and cross-functional initiatives related to data strategy, systems improvement, and operational effectiveness.

Minimum Qualifications:

Required Education and Experience: Possession of a master's degree in education, education administration or other related field and substantial educational work experience (5 or more years) including 3 years of education administration or supervisory work.

Preferred Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Proficiency in programming languages for data analysis and management; experience with Python or R and SQL strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated experience producing clear, well-organized technical documentation, including annotated code and reproducible workflows.
• Experience developing or supporting automated processes using Power Automate or similar workflow automation tools.
• Advanced Microsoft Excel skills, including complex lookup functions, logical formulas, pivot tables, and preferably VBA/macros.
• Strong analytical skills, including critical thinking, quantitative reasoning, and deductive problem-solving.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to convey technical information to diverse audiences.
• Experience leading and managing projects, including planning, coordination, and meeting deliverables.
• Demonstrated ability to quickly learn and apply new tools, systems, and processes.
• Ability to exercise initiative and proactively identify and resolve problems.
• Strong time management and organizational skills, with exceptional attention to detail.
• Experience working with K-12 education data or other similar datasets.

Pursuant to the State of Tennessee's Workplace Discrimination and Harassment policy, the State is firmly committed to the principle of fair and equal employment opportunities for its citizens and strives to protect the rights and opportunities of all people to seek, obtain, and hold employment without being subjected to illegal discrimination and harassment in the workplace. It is the State's policy to provide an environment free of discrimination and harassment of an individual because of that person's race, color, national origin, age (40 and over), sex, pregnancy, religion, creed, disability, veteran's status or any other category protected by state and/or federal civil rights laws.