What Are the Roles and Responsibilities of a Data Analyst?

A data analyst discovers trends, patterns, and relationships within data and uses predictive analytics to make business decisions. Every data analyst job varies depending on the organization, but there are a few definite mainstays that help build out a standard data analyst job description.

Below are the key roles and responsibilities every data analyst should be aware of and master.

What Are the Key Roles of a Data Analyst?

A data analyst wears many hats. In a typical data analyst job description, the organization may call for a bachelor’s degree in statistical analysis or a related field such as computer science or information technology; or a master’s degree if the position is more senior.

That said, many data analysts acquire their data analysis skills and technical skills via online learning through bootcamp programs that focus on getting students industry-specific roles.

As you search for a role that will fit your background and technical expertise, here are a few typical roles that data analysts will be asked to perform:

• Data cleaning. Data cleaning involves identifying any incomplete, irrelevant, or inaccurate parts of the data set and how to proceed with these errors. Skilled data scientists and analysts have a well-trained eye that can recognize blips in the system and have the awareness of how to solve any problems before analysis.
• Analysis. A data analyst will be expected to use statistical and technical tools like Microsoft Excel to interpret the data they have gathered. SQL data analysts work with the data using SQL to find any relevant patterns or trends and perform predictive analysis. Further, data analysts must be able to recognize relationships within the dataset and interpret what each relationship means for the business.
• Database maintenance. A data analyst must be able to fix any coding errors, track any patterns or trends, delete any irrelevant information to free up space, and create any necessary reports to update the team.

What Are the Key Responsibilities of a Data Analyst?

Within each role a data analyst is expected to take on, there are many responsibilities required to achieve each goal. These responsibilities could be applicable to many data analyst roles and are an added advantage if you are able to execute in an accurate and timely fashion—especially as a junior data analyst. Continue reading to learn about specific tasks and assignments, as well as types of data analytics you can expect.

• Communication with different teams. A data analyst must have an ongoing dialogue with programmers, data scientists, IT, and management in order to stay on track and identify any opportunities or room for development. Written communication, presentations, and the ability to guide decision making during meetings are all responsibilities a data analyst will have.
• Data mining. Data mining is a process by which an individual finds relevant data within a large dataset or raw data. A data analyst will be mining data from both primary and secondary sources and organizing complex data sets in a way that can be easily understood.
• Data systems design. Organizing the data in a concise and understandable system is a key responsibility for any data analyst. Every data analyst job description includes the task of taking raw data from various data sources and pinpointing any trends that will be able to help form a structure for the data systems.
• Report writing and presentation. Gathering and organizing the data is crucial, but it all comes down to how the data is interpreted and reported. It is the duty of a data analyst to be able to get their message across using evidence-based data.

Is data analytics the right career for you?

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