We are looking for a highly skilled Power BI Specialist to act as the primary architect for our business intelligence solutions. This role is not just about building charts; it is about designing robust data models, integrating diverse enterprise sources, and ensuring that every dashboard translates into a strategic business decision.
Position Overview
- Role Type: Time and Materials (Project-based)
- Location: Fully Remote (Cape Town-based team)
- Sector: Business Intelligence & Data Analytics
Requirements & Skills
- Education: Bachelor’s Degree in Information Systems, Computer Science, or Data Analytics.
- Core Technical Stack:
- Microsoft Power BI: Expert-level mastery of both Desktop and Power BI Service.
- Languages: Deep knowledge of DAX (Data Analysis Expressions) and Power Query / M Language.
- Databases: Strong proficiency in SQL and relational database concepts.
- Experience:
- Proven track record of building enterprise-level dashboards.
- Experience integrating data from SQL databases, APIs, and cloud platforms.
- Preferred: 10 years of experience with Azure Data Services (Azure SQL, Synapse, Data Factory).
Key Responsibilities
1. Data Visualization & Performance
- Interactive Design: Develop and maintain high-performance Power BI dashboards that are optimized for usability and scalability.
- Requirement Translation: Turn complex business needs into clean, effective visual stories.
2. Modeling & Integration
- Model Architecture: Build and maintain robust data models that integrate data from warehouses, APIs, and cloud platforms.
- DAX Expert: Create complex calculations, measures, and KPIs that drive business logic.
3. Strategy & Governance
- Stakeholder Engagement: Work directly with business leaders to provide insights and recommendations based on deep-dive analysis.
- Data Integrity: Implement best practices for data governance and security, ensuring all reports are accurate and consistent.
- Optimization: Monitor report performance, implement efficient queries, and manage data refresh processes.
How to Apply
Given the “Time and Materials” nature of this project, your application should focus on tangible deliverables and past projects.
- The “Azure” Factor: If you have the preferred 10 years of Azure experience, lead with that. Mention specific work with Synapse or Data Factory.
- Portfolio of Work: If possible, describe the scale of the enterprise dashboards you have managed (e.g., “Managed reporting for a user base of 500+ across 3 countries”).
- DAX Proficiency: Be prepared to discuss how you handle complex “context transition” or time-intelligence calculations in DAX during the technical screening.
Expert Career Advice: The Power BI “Pro” Edge
- Performance Over Aesthetics: In enterprise BI, a dashboard that looks beautiful but takes 30 seconds to load is a failure. Focus your application on how you use Star Schema modeling and Query Folding to keep reports lightning-fast.
- Azure Integration: With the shift toward Fabric and Synapse, understanding the “upstream” data flow is vital. Show that you understand how data moves through Azure Data Factory before it ever hits your Power BI model.
- User Adoption: A specialist’s job isn’t done when the report is published. Mention how you support user training and adoption to ensure the business actually uses the tools you build.