Want to work within a local government school system and really make a difference? Our client is looking for a motivated an experienced Data Architect. This is a technical role to support critical business outcomes by leveraging computer science and design skills to review, analyze, and complete a data infrastructure framework, plan future databases, and implement solutions to store and manage data for our client. This role relies heavily upon expert personal organization, IT conceptual methodologies, technical acumen, an analytical mindset, and a passionate desire to support education and students. Join a team dedicated to protecting technology experiences that support, engage, enhance and extend every student’s learning journey.  We value diversity in the workplace and encourage women, minorities, and veterans to apply. Thank you!

Location: Hybrid (Portland, OR)

Type: Temp to Hire

POSITION SUMMARY:

This role will work closely with team members responsible for analyzing current technologies and vendor systems used within the district to determine ways to improve the existing solutions/system(s) or integrate with other informational systems by ensuring good data stewardship. 

This role will work closely with data analysts to ensure requirements are met and we have appropriate reporting tools and usage and to identify future needs and requirements.

BASIC FUNCTION:

Under general supervision, work with a variety of technologies and teams to develop metrics and protocols to support software development for district and end users; develop and design process-mapping strategies and tools to identify customer needs, translating them into technology development specifications; research and recommend off-the-shelf and custom build products that meet user needs; participate in and/or lead the design and implementation of test and inspection methods to identify defects and problems in software applications.

REPRESENTATIVE DUTIES:

  • Collaborate with subject matter experts and project managers to establish the technical vision and analyze tradeoffs between usability and performance needs; serve as liaison between business units, technology teams and support teams; support colleagues in learning and sharing information and experiences regarding business software planning and development issues, problems, and concerns.
  • Perform a broad range of software or applications development duties, including technical coding design, interface design, create work breakdown structures (WBS), setting and system configuration and troubleshooting, for use with a variety of operating systems, platforms and devices.
  • Provide technical support and software development for a variety of integrated enterprise applications such as PeopleSoft or similar Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software, Team Collaboration Software tools, data warehousing and similar programs.
  • Design, code, test, and analyze software programs and applications, including research, design, document, upgrade and modify software specifications throughout production lifecycles; work with users to prototype, test, and validate the functionality of developed applications.
  • Participate in and support existing systems, applications, and databases by responding to user requests for service, enhancement, modification, customization or information and training; troubleshoot, diagnose, and repair bugs and malfunctions on production and/or in-house developed systems.
  • Assist in, develop and track project work plans; provide written and oral communications on projects’ timelines, status, deadlines and completion; create and follow change control procedures and systems, review completed work and work in progress for functionality and advise administration on status of projects and any problems impeding completion.
  • Evaluate information gathered from multiple sources, reconcile differences, deconstruct high-level information into details, abstract up from low-level information to a general understanding, and distinguish user requests from underlying actual needs.
  • Develop and use modeling tools to document the current state of business processes as well as the desired future state; transfer knowledge of business implications to application/database developers and project managers for software development preparation.
  • Perform feasibility analysis, GAP analysis, scope projects, diagram business objectives, and build requirement diagrams.
  • Prioritize, translate, and understand current business initiatives, identifying the opportunities where technology or automation can add business value for stakeholders.  
  • Test solutions for functionality, performance, reliability, stability and compatibility with legacy and / or external systems; review functional and design specifications to ensure full understanding of individual deliverables. Document and maintain functional test cases and other test artifacts like the test data, data validation, harness scripts and automated scripts.
  • Identify any potential quality issues per defined processes; isolate, replicate, and report defects and verify defect fixes; escalate potential quality issues to designated staff as directed.
  • Participate in evaluating a wide variety of technologies, computers, software and peripheral equipment for use in the District; provide recommendations concerning the purchase of new hardware, software and related equipment.
  • Maintain current knowledge of changes, upgrades, patches and perform upgrades for vendor supported packages systems; act as a point-of-contact between manufacturers and vendors of hardware, software and application products, district IT Support Representatives and other project stakeholders for support, maintenance, deployments and troubleshooting.
  • Maintain and develop professional skills through ongoing training and career development, including self-study, classroom training, and industry seminars and workshops; attend and participate in meetings, conferences, and seminars relevant to systems business applications development and quality assurance metrics.
  • Demonstrate a commitment to the Equity Initiative by developing a thorough knowledge and application of the district Racial Educational Equity Policy and other board policies; participate in staff development, in-services and trainings related to diversity, equity and inclusion in the workplace and in K – 12 education; model appropriate behaviors; develop, recommend and implement improvements to educational business practices with awareness and understanding of their impact in a racially and culturally diverse community.
  • Collaborate with colleagues and on cross-functional district teams to participate in and coordinate the planning, implementation and maintenance of information technology software and systems throughout the district.
  • May provide work direction and guidance to assigned staff.
  • Perform related duties as assigned.

Knowledge of:

  • Enterprise-wide requirements definition and management systems and methodologies. Databases, schemas, SQL scripts, and database queries.
  • A variety of programming languages, such as C#, CSS, SQL, Python, Javascript, Powershell their applications and uses; programming and script reading and writing.
  • Operation, capabilities and limitations of a variety of platforms, programming languages, relational databases, non-relational databases, distributed systems, and operating systems.
  • IT Business process functions and methodologies and work breakdown structures (WBS) fundamentals.
  • Application, database and software development, customization, design, methodologies and life cycle; application development tools, and databases including ERP’s, oracle systems and team collaboration software tools.
  • Web and application development frameworks and tools such as Visual Studio and SQL Server Management Studio and related programing language; open source and proprietary application development tools and principals.
  • The use of testing tools and methodologies; troubleshooting, debugging and error detection techniques.
  • Strategic planning and project management methodology including Waterfall and Agile methodologies, specifically Scrum; methodologies for proactively leading technological advancements.
  • Data warehouse concepts, programing and methodology.
  • Productivity suites such as Microsoft Office or G-Suite.
  • Record keeping techniques; data modeling theory and methods.
  • Project management, scheduling, tracking and reporting techniques.
  • Effective team leadership and training techniques and methodology.
  • Software development lifecycle.
  • Analytical and product management skills, including a thorough understanding of how to interpret customer business needs and translate them into application and operational requirements.
  • Oral and written communication skills.
  • Applicable laws, codes, regulations, policies and procedures.
  • Effective customer service skills using tact, patience and courtesy.
  • Testing processes and methodologies including black and white box testing.

Ability to:

  • Understand and apply information technology systems workflow processes as well as relationships with other internal and external system databases.
  • Collaborate with customers to identify business needs and software solutions. Design logical system processes. Perform business analysis and understand functional and process needs of departments supporting.
  • Analyze, design, write, modify, develop, apply patches, and maintain applications, software, databases and related databases using standard web, software and application development tools.
  • Serve as technical lead on moderately complex systems and/or back up for large, complex systems.
  • Provide advice and mentor staff on applications development methods and standards or specific systems issues.
  • Create testing scripts and installation processes.
  • Troubleshoot, diagnose and problem solve application performance problems and software issues. Keep knowledge and skills current; learn and develop technical expertise with current, future, state-of-the-art software applications.
  • Think critically about a problem, approach from multiple perspectives and adopt an effective course of action.
  • Effectively lead technical programs, projects and teams. Set priorities, manage workflow and perform multiple complex and responsible activities, for multiple projects, concurrently with constantly changing priorities and deadlines.
  • Provide technical assistance to system users.
  • Advocate, model, learn and implement Racial Equity Initiative. Communicate technical concepts and procedures to a variety of technical and non-technical audiences. Learn and develop expertise in identifying security concerns.
  • Communicate effectively both orally and in writing; develop user training documents and classes, and deliver formal and informal presentations; compile, write or revise system and programming documentation and user guides.
  • Work independently with little direction.
  • Establish and maintain cooperative and effective working relationships with others; provide work direction, guidance, assistance and leadership to staff for assigned projects.
  • Elicit requirements using interviews, document analysis, workshops, surveys, site visits, business process descriptions, use cases, scenarios, and business, task and workflow analyses.
  • Collaborate with project managers, end-users, and others to achieve design objectives.
  • Drive and challenge business units on their assumptions of how they will successfully execute their plans.
  • Understand, interpret, and deconstruct technical concepts, rules, procedures, and policies into operational applications.
  • Serve as the conduit between customers and the software development teams.
  • Develop requirements’ specifications, using language appropriate for non-technical end-users. Read and understand technical sketches, drawings and specifications.
  • Interpret, apply and explain rules, regulations, policies and procedures.
  • Ensure security of deliverables. Maintain a variety of records.
  • Meet schedules and timelines.
  • Learn District policies, procedures, and organizational structure.

EDUCATION AND TRAINING:

For all levels of this classification series is typically obtained through the completion of an Associate’s degree in computer science, management information systems or closely related field and the following:

Experience: 

  • Minimum of six (6) years of combined experience conducting technology business process analysis, developing and integration for multiple platforms, and implementing end-user quality assurance test plans for software acceptance across multiple platforms. (2) years must include leading large scale technical systems development and integration programs.
  • Experience working in a public K-12 school district or public agency serving and supporting a richly diverse community is highly desirable.
  • An Associate’s degree and a minimum of two (2) years of experience conducting work in a specialized functional area of business system analysis such as technology development business analyses for the purpose of developing software or designing quality assurance testing may substitute for the Bachelor’s degree.
  • A Bachelor’s degree in one of the identified fields may substitute for a maximum of two (2) years of the required experience.
  • Additional directly related, verifiable work experience may substitute for the required degree on a year-for year basis.