Data Specialist

Position Title:  Data Specialist                                

Location:  Washington, DC        

Department:  Digital Products and Technology

Reports to (supervisor): Director of Project Management, Enterprise Solutions

Salary Range for US Based Staff: $69,329 - $81,563

FLSA Status: Exempt

Organization Summary:

Founded in 1968, Special Olympics is a global movement to end discrimination against people with intellectual disabilities. We foster acceptance of all people through the power of sport and programming in education, health, and leadership. With nearly four million athletes and Unified Sports® partners and one million coaches and volunteers in more than 170 countries, Special Olympics delivers more than 30 Olympic-type sports and nearly 50,000 games and competitions every year. Learn more at SpecialOlympics.org.

Position Summary:

SOI supports the use of several key systems and platforms by its Programs. The Digital Center of Excellence (dCOE) is utilized to manage Program-level events and track various individual roles, such as athletes, coaches, unified partners, and volunteers. It also oversees certifications, including Athlete Medical, Coaches Sports Certification, Concussion Awareness, Protective Behaviors, General Orientation, Background Checks, and more.  

The Data Specialist role involves collaborating closely with various programs to guide them in accurately populating provided templates with the correct data, which will then be loaded into Microsoft Dynamics 365. A key responsibility will be utilizing your expertise in Dynamics 365 data loading tools to ensure data is loaded accurately, validated thoroughly, and that any issues are promptly identified and resolved. Additionally, a deep understanding of the architecture of our specific Dynamics 365 instance and an in-depth knowledge of our legacy systems will be essential for success in this role. Moreover, you will be responsible for creating and managing Power Automate flows to streamline processes, as well as developing and maintaining Power BI reports to provide actionable insights and support data-driven decision-making across the organization. 

Primary Responsibilities:

• Collaborate with Program and SOI Staff to understand their existing data and provide guidance on how to prepare the data for migration into key systems.  


• Build new or enhance existing data migration templates and tools to improve the ease of and quality of data coming from data migration activities 


• Utilize tools to load data into Dynamics 365 and other key systems, validate for accuracy and completeness, and perform necessary corrections. 


• Employ strong customer service skills to effectively communicate and work with a diverse range of stakeholders, ensuring their data needs are met and concerns are addressed promptly.


• Create, maintain, and enhance Power BI reports and dashboards that provide key insights and support data-driven decision-making across the organization. 


• Develop, configure, and manage Power Automate flows to automate business processes, ensuring that they are efficient, scalable, and meet the specific needs of various departments. 


• Achieve mastery over Dynamics 365 data loading tools and develop a comprehensive understanding of legacy systems for effective data transition and management.


• Proactively identify, troubleshoot, and resolve data loading and integrity issues, offering ongoing support and guidance on best practices to users. 


• Keep detailed records of data loading procedures, changes in data architecture, and resolve issues, ensuring knowledge is shared across teams. Stay abreast of updates in Dynamics 365 and legacy systems to enhance data management processes.

Required Qualifications:

• Outstanding customer service and relationship management skills. 


• Proven experience in data management and loading with Microsoft Dynamics 365.


• Proficiency in Microsoft Power Platform: Extensive experience with Power Apps, Power Automate (Flow), and Power Virtual Agents, including scripting and automation flows. 


• Power BI Expertise: Experience in creating, managing, and optimizing Power BI reports, dashboards, and data models. 


• Excellent problem-solving, attention to detail, and the ability to correct data loading issues.


• Strong communication and collaboration abilities, capable of effectively working across diverse teams. 

Desired Qualifications:

• 5+ years relevant experience 


• Experience with data migration and ETL (Extract, Transform, Load) processes, particularly within Microsoft Dynamics 365 or similar CRM/ERP systems. 


• Strong background in data validation techniques and ensuring data accuracy during the loading process, with a focus on minimizing errors and data discrepancies. 


• Demonstrated ability to provide exceptional customer service, with a focus on understanding and addressing the needs of internal and external stakeholders. 


• Strong verbal and written communication skills, particularly in explaining complex data concepts and processes to non-technical users. 


• A proactive approach to identifying and resolving data loading issues, with a focus on providing timely and effective solutions to customers. 


• Proven track record of supporting users throughout the data loading process, including troubleshooting issues and providing guidance on best practices. 


• Ability to build strong relationships with stakeholders across the organization, ensuring a collaborative and supportive approach to data-related projects. 


• Flexibility in adapting to changing customer needs and project requirements, while maintaining a focus on delivering high-quality data solutions. 


• Experience with Special Olympics Programs or SOI, including experience with GMS (Games Management System) 

*For USA based staff: Special Olympics offers full-time employees a generous and comprehensive benefits package, which includes: medical, dental, vision, HSA, FSA, life insurance, disability, retirement, legal resources, and PTO. 

Special Olympics provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. 

This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training. 

**Special Olympics is an E-Verify Employer**