Data Specialists Consultant

Data Specialist (Consultant) – Posting #219-26

Salary: $48-58 per hour (commensurate with skills and experience).

Department:
Department of Children and Families (DCF), Office of Data Management and Reporting.

Position:
Contract, 35‑hour work week, 12‑month term with a potential extension. Predominantly remote with once‑monthly in‑person meetings in Trenton, NJ. Additional in‑office days may be required based on business needs.

The DCF seeks two Data Specialists (Consultant) to support the organization, quality, and usability of programmatic data across the Department. Under the supervision of the Data Acquisition Lead, candidates will ensure data is consistently collected, maintained, cleaned, and prepared for analysis and reporting by program and research teams. The role focuses on establishing and managing data workflows, implementing data quality protocols, developing guidance for data entry and adherence to data governance policies, and recommending improvements to data collection processes.

• Manage Data and Data Collection Efforts
  • Download, compile, and organize incoming programmatic data on a routine basis.
  • Clean and prepare datasets by checking for completeness, accuracy, consistency, and quality issues.
  • Identify data errors or irregularities and communicate needed corrections to program staff or supervisors.
  • Maintain documentation of data sources, data dictionaries, codebooks, and data management protocols.
  • Develop, refine, and maintain data workflows and processes that support consistent and high‑quality data collection.
  • Recommend improvements to data collection practices and tools based on recurring issues or inefficiencies.
  • Provide guidance and training to program staff on data entry expectations, data definitions, and data management practices.
• Prepare Data for Internal Stakeholders and Research Teams
  • Reorganize, merge, and structure datasets to ensure they are ready for analysis by research and evaluation teams.
  • Respond to internal data requests by compiling and securely providing cleaned, well‑documented datasets.
  • Collaborate with program and research staff to understand data needs and ensure datasets are usable and accessible.
• Support Reporting and Dashboard Development
  • Assist Business Intelligence (BI) developers by preparing structured datasets and documenting data logic for dashboard development.
  • Provide feedback and troubleshooting support during dashboard creation and refinement.
  • Occasionally develop simple dashboards or visualizations when needed, using tools such as Excel, Tableau, or Power BI.
• Additional Responsibilities
  • Participate in meetings with data system stakeholders to discuss data needs, issues, and workflow improvements.
  • Support ongoing data governance processes, including version control, standardization, and data stewardship practices.
  • Perform additional data‑related duties as assigned.

Data & Analytics:

• MS Excel
• Tableau
• Power BI
• Salesforce
• SQL
• Python or R

VBA:

• VBA

Collaboration & Research Tools:

• MS Share Point
• REDCap
• MS Project

• Graduated from an accredited college or university in a relevant discipline; coursework in data management, data analytics, information science, or a related field preferred.
• Minimum of 3 years of experience working with large datasets, including data cleaning, preparation, and documentation.
• Demonstrated experience with routine data management tasks such as downloading data, cleaning and validating records, resolving data quality issues, and preparing datasets for analysis.
• Proficiency with tools used for data organization and preparation, including Excel, SQL, and at least one programming language such as Python or R.
• Experience supporting dashboard or report development by preparing structured datasets and documenting data logic; ability to occasionally build basic dashboards in Excel, Tableau, or Power BI is a plus.
• Strong understanding of data quality principles, data governance practices, and workflow development.
• Excellent attention to detail, with the ability to identify data inconsistencies and recommend improvements to data collection processes.
• Strong communication skills,…