Data Documentarian

POSITION: Data Documentarian

JOB SUMMARY

• Client is seeking a team member with experience documenting key aspects of enterprise data. The Data Documentarian will play a key role in creating and maintaining high-quality documentation of data assets, including but not limited to definitions, procedures, methodologies, data flows, ownership, stewardship, and metadata. This work will enable client to improve data transparency, governance, and literacy across the organization.
• The ideal candidate will support documentation, cataloging, research, and knowledge management efforts for data practices across various functional groups. This is an entrepreneurial environment that fosters learning, continuous improvement, and cross-functional collaboration. The Data Documentarian role is internal-facing and offers meaningful opportunities to shape the organizations data culture and maturity.
• Client is a leading social impact and performance solutions firm that serves state, local, education, technology, and commercial clients across the U.S. and abroad. By elevating education systems, managing and securing critical networks, solving complex human capital and fiscal problems, and advancing equity as a performance imperative, we impact communities for good through strong client partnerships. Celebrating its 50th year in 2024, the firm attracts exceptional talent and empowers them to exceed client expectations as they navigate the dynamic needs of those we serve.

MAJOR AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY

• Maintain and evolve the organization’s data documentation, including data dictionary, glossary, lineage, ownership, and governance protocols.
• Write and maintain clear, accurate, and user-friendly guides, training materials, and standard operating procedures (SOPs) for data-related workflows.
• Develop templates, standards, and best practices for documenting data processes, transformation logic, source systems, and change management workflows.
• Partner with analysts, engineers, and business stakeholders to identify and codify definitions and business logic behind critical data elements.
• Collaborate with data governance, systems, and analytics teams to ensure metadata and lineage are accurately captured and accessible.
• Support the roll-out of data catalog and metadata management tools; contribute content and structure to support usability.
• Support cross-functional efforts to improve data literacy and ensure documentation reflects evolving data practices.
• Track updates, revisions, and the lifecycle of key data assets to ensure documentation stays current and trusted.
• Conduct interviews and research with subject matter experts to document tacit knowledge and institutional memory about data usage and history.
• Support the development of onboarding and training materials to orient new employees to data sources and reporting conventions.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university.
• Three (3) or more years of experience in technical writing, business analysis, data governance, information science, or related roles.
• Excellent English language writing, editing, and organization skills with strong attention to detail.
• Familiarity with common data and analytics concepts, including data lineage, ETL/ELT processes, and data modeling.
• Experience developing publication-ready documentation with professional formatting and visual design for distribution to stakeholders and end users.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Experience with data catalog tools and metadata standards.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills; able to translate technical concepts for diverse audiences.
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic environment with multiple ongoing initiatives.
• A collaborative mindset and interest in helping teams work more effectively with data.
• A sense of humor and curiosity about how things work.