IT Data Specialist - Research & Education Application Development

At Houston Methodist, the IT Data Specialist is responsible for supporting an enterprise wide business intelligence and analytics framework that will provide the organization with solutions for effective decision-making. This position utilizes critical thinking, attention to detail, and effective communication skills along with an ability to work collaboratively with teams and to consult with business area leads to generate solution recommendations. The IT Data Specialist communicates effectively with technical and non-technical audiences.

The position utilizes technical expertise in Business Intelligence architecture, design and implementation with experience in business, healthcare and technology projects. The incumbent will be actively involved in supporting, developing and advancing Houston Methodist’s Business Intelligence applications. The IT Data Specialist will use tools such as Microsoft SQL Server, SAP Business Objects, Oracle ODI, Oracle BI, Tableau, Epic Caboodle and Epic Slicer Dicer to implement innovative approaches to data collection, analysis, interpretation and presentation to support planning and decision-making at all levels of the organization and assist in managing data as a corporate strategic resource.

PATIENT AGE GROUP(S) AND POPULATION(S) SERVED
Refer to departmental "Scope of Service" and "Provision of Care" plans, as applicable, for description of primary age groups and populations served by this job for the respective HM entity.

HOUSTON METHODIST EXPERIENCE EXPECTATIONS

• Provide personalized care and service by consistently demonstrating our I CARE values:
  • INTEGRITY: We are honest and ethical in all we say and do.
  • COMPASSION: We embrace the whole person including emotional, ethical, physical, and spiritual needs.
  • ACCOUNTABILITY: We hold ourselves accountable for all our actions.
  • RESPECT: We treat every individual as a person of worth, dignity, and value.
  • EXCELLENCE: We strive to be the best at what we do and a model for others to emulate.

• Practices the Caring and Serving Model

• Delivers personalized service using HM Service Standards

• Provides for exceptional patient/customer experiences by following our Standards of Practice of always using Positive Language (AIDET, Managing Up, Key Words)

• Intentionally collaborates with other healthcare professionals involved in patients/customers or employees' experiential journeys to ensure strong communication, ease of access to information, and a seamless experience.

• Involves patients (customers) in shift/handoff reports by enabling their participation in their plan of care as applicable to the given job

• Displays cultural humility, diversity, equity and inclusion principles

• Actively supports the organization's vision, fulfills the mission and abides by the I CARE values

PEOPLE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Communicates (oral and written) effectively with customers, vendors, colleagues, and management about services, contact information, system availability, and information

• Assists the business analyst to elicit requirements to document technical and design specifications, set expectations and coordinate team members utilizing teamwork and collaborative skills

• Assists with user education of analytics applications and helps ensure access to data with the goal of reduced reliance on technical specialists in order to obtain data

• Performs development, testing, working on issues and making changes and corrections as needed

SERVICE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Develops Analytics Solutions including data marts, Business Objects, Universe, Oracle, BI, RPD, Tableau data sources, reports and dashboards that support operational and strategic decision making

• Identifies required source system data and develops ETL processes that move data from source systems into the data warehouse and data marts

• Participates in managing and resolving major system outages, disaster management and change control and provides technical or on call support for BI applications

• Installs, configures, and deploys Analytics tools such as Microsoft SQL Server, SAP Business Objects, Oracle ODI, Oracle BI, Tableau, Epic Caboodle and Epic Slicer-Dicer

QUALITY/SAFETY ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Ensures all reported data and information are accurate, consistent, relevant and timely

• Performs required quality and profiling activities on the data and assists with quality assurance of team member's work to ensure information delivered from BI solutions is defect free and of high quality

• Ensures detailed system test plan execution, provides issue tracking and consolidation. Manages a coordinated User Acceptance Test (UAT) effort.

FINANCE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Practices good time management, good assessment in professional decision making, and management reporting skills to provide problem resolution, technical analyses, costs and resource estimates, work plans, workflow documentation, and progress reports on assigned projects

• Helps minimize excess cost(s) by assisting and recommending solutions in achieving organizational objectives.

GROWTH/INNOVATION ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Proposes solutions to facilitate constructive discussion and fosters an environment that encourages innovation, continuous improvement and growth within the team to arrive at the most optimal solution

• Uses internal and external resources to stay up to date with new Analytics technologies and trends

This job description is not intended to be all-inclusive; the employee will also perform other reasonably related business/job duties as assigned. Houston Methodist reserves the right to revise job duties and responsibilities as the need arises.

EDUCATION

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Business Administration, or related discipline with an information technology focus

WORK EXPERIENCE

• Three years of experience in developing full life cycle BI / data warehousing solutions, using ETL tools such as Microsoft SQL Server Integration Services, Oracle ODI, Informatica, using Analytics tools, such as Business Objects, Oracle BI and Epic Caboodle to design the user access layer for analytics and dashboards.

• Healthcare Industry experience preferred

LICENSES AND CERTIFICATIONS - REQUIRED

• N/A

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

• Demonstrates the skills and competencies necessary to safely perform the assigned job, determined through on-going skills, competency assessments, and performance evaluations

• Sufficient proficiency in speaking, reading, and writing the English language necessary to perform the essential functions of this job, especially with regard to activities impacting patient or employee safety or security

• Ability to effectively communicate with patients, physicians, family members and co-workers in a manner consistent with a customer service focus and application of positive language principles

• Intermediate Analytics / Business Intelligence / Data Warehousing systems & architecture experience in 'real world', practical, successful implementations.

• Knowledge of ETL, Integration Technologies, Data Marts, Reporting Analytics

• Ability to evaluate, prioritize and problem solve a variety and multiplicity of tasks and ensure their timely and accurate completion.

• General knowledge of health care operations preferred

• Demonstrated ability to work independently and take initiative in areas of responsibility.

• Excellent analytical, organization, prioritization and oral/written communication skills.

• Knowledge and appreciation of business concepts and requirements as applicable to a large academic, research, and/or healthcare facility.

• Strong teamwork and interpersonal skills to interact with all management levels.

• Understands Analytics tool architecture, functions, and features.

• Strong knowledge of database technologies and data warehouse methodologies including data warehouse design and development

• Intermediate SQL server based SQL coding and database programming skills

• Understanding of relational and multi-dimensional database structures and schemas

SUPPLEMENTAL REQUIREMENTS

WORK ATTIRE

• Uniform No
• Scrubs No
• Business professional Yes
• Other (department approved) Yes

ON-CALL*
*Note that employees may be required to be on-call during emergencies (ie. DIsaster, Severe Weather Events, etc) regardless of selection below.

• On Call* Yes

TRAVEL**
**Travel specifications may vary by department**

• May require travel within the Houston Metropolitan area Yes
• May require travel outside Houston Metropolitan area Yes

Houston Methodist Academic Institute (formerly the Houston Methodist Research Institute) was formed in 2004 to rapidly and efficiently translate discoveries made in the laboratory and the clinic into new diagnostics, therapies, and treatments. The research institute was created to provide the infrastructure and support for these endeavors, and to house the technology and resources needed to make innovative breakthroughs in important areas of human disease. A 540,000 square foot building dedicated to research and clinical trials, the academic institute houses over 2,047 credentialed researchers conducting 1,470 ongoing clinical protocols.