Our financial services client in Phoenix, AZ is seeking a highly skilled Lead Data Analyst who can also function as a Project Manager. This individual will oversee end-to-end data initiatives, manage cross-functional teams, work closely with offshore resources, and drive delivery across multiple business and technology stakeholders.
This is a hands-on role requiring strong technical expertise, leadership presence, and the ability to manage project timelines, deliverables, and team performance.
Key Responsibilities
Data Analysis & Technical Execution
- Lead complex data analysis, data modeling, and data validation efforts across multiple projects.
- Develop dashboards, reports, and insights using tools such as SQL, Python, Power BI, Tableau, or equivalent.
- Work closely with data engineering and business stakeholders to understand requirements and translate them into technical solutions.
- Ensure data quality, accuracy, and consistency across enterprise datasets.
- Review and optimize existing data pipelines and workflows.
Project Management
- Act as the primary PM for assigned data initiatives, owning project plans, timelines, risks, and escalation paths.
- Organize and lead sprint planning, standups, backlog grooming, and retrospectives.
- Coordinate deliverables across business analysts, developers, QA teams, and offshore counterparts.
- Manage scope, budgets (if applicable), and overall project health.
- Provide clear, proactive communication with leadership and stakeholders.
Team Leadership
- Lead and mentor a blended team of onsite and offshore analysts/engineers.
- Delegate tasks effectively and track delivery across time zones.
- Establish best practices in documentation, coding standards, and project processes.
- Partner with leadership to build and scale the analytics function.
Cross-Functional Collaboration
- Work with business units (finance, risk, operations, compliance, etc.) to gather requirements and define solutions.
- Serve as the main point of contact for technical discussions, clarification, and issue resolution.
- Collaborate with enterprise data teams to align with organizational standards.
Required Qualifications
- 8+ years of experience as a Data Analyst, Data Lead, or similar technical role.
- 3+ years of Project Management experience (Agile preferred).
- Strong hands-on experience with:
- SQL (advanced)
- Python (preferred)
- Power BI, Tableau, or Looker
- Data modeling & ETL concepts
- Proven experience leading teams both onsite and offshore.
- Experience working in financial services or highly regulated environments.
- Excellent communication, stakeholder management, and leadership skills.
Preferred Qualifications
- PMP, Scrum Master, or Agile certification.
- Experience with cloud platforms (Azure, AWS, or GCP).
- Strong understanding of financial domain datasets (risk, lending, payments, AML, etc.).
- Prior experience working with cross-functional architecture or governance teams.