Research & Data Analyst (Workforce)

This position supports SME’s workforce development initiatives by conducting applied data analysis and research aligned with the organization’s mission to strengthen North America’s manufacturing workforce. This role focuses on collecting, analyzing, and interpreting workforce, labor market, and program data to inform internal decision-making and support reporting to external stakeholders.

Working in collaboration with senior staff and cross-functional teams, the Data Analyst contributes data-driven insights that support program evaluation, project planning, workforce strategy development, and continuous improvement efforts across national and regional initiatives. Responsibilities include managing datasets, developing dashboards and visualizations, supporting survey and qualitative research efforts, and translating findings into clear, actionable summaries.

The position requires strong analytical skills, attention to detail, and the ability to work with a variety of data sources and tools. While this role does not own enterprise data strategy, it plays a execution-focused role in supporting established analytical frameworks, ensuring data quality, and contributing to repeatable reporting and evaluation processes.

This is an individual contributor role that supports defined analytical projects.

MAJOR FUNCTIONS:
•    Conduct applied workforce and labor market analysis in support of SME workforce initiatives, including analysis of employment trends, skills demand, education pathways, and program outcomes using established tools and methodologies.
•    Develop and maintain dashboards, visualizations, and standard reports that communicate workforce and program analytics that inform federal, state, and local initiatives.
•    Manage, clean, and document datasets from multiple sources (e.g., workforce programs, surveys, labor market tools) to ensure accuracy, consistency, and readiness for analysis.
•    Translate quantitative and qualitative findings into concise summaries, briefs, and presentation materials that support decision-making, grant reporting, and program evaluation.
•    Support survey design, administration, and analysis, including synthesizing results into actionable insights for continuous improvement.
•    Provide analytical support for grant proposals, reports, and evaluations, including preparing data tables, charts, figures, and supporting narratives for RFPs, RFIs, and funder deliverables.
•    Assist with forecasting and scenario analysis under the guidance of senior staff to support workforce planning and project design.
•    Coordinate with project managers and program staff to align data collection, reporting timelines, and deliverables across multiple initiatives.
•    Contribute to the development of repeatable reporting processes and templates that improve efficiency, consistency, and scalability across workforce projects.
•    Other duties as assigned

MINIMUM EDUCATION, SKILLS, EXPERIENCE REQUIRED: 
•    Bachelor’s degree in data science, Analytics, Economics, Statistics, Public Policy, Workforce Development, or a related field.
•    At least 2 years of professional experience in data analysis, research, workforce analytics, program evaluation, or a related analytical role.
•    Demonstrated experience supporting applied projects in one or more of the following contexts:
o    Workforce development or education programs
o    Economic or labor market research
o    Public-sector, nonprofit, or grant-funded initiatives
o    Program evaluation, reporting, or performance measurement
•    Experience translating quantitative and qualitative findings into clear reports or presentations for non-technical audiences.
•    Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to interpret quantitative and qualitative data.
•    Clear written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to summarize findings and support data-driven decision-making.
•    Ability to manage multiple tasks, timelines, and deliverables in a collaborative, project-based environment.
•    Interest in and alignment with inclusive workforce development and economic mobility initiatives.
•    Experience working with common analytical tools (e.g. Excel, SQL, Tableau, Python, or R) and the ability to learn new platforms as needed. 
•    Familiarity with common analytical and data platforms (e.g., Lightcast, ArcGIS, IMPLAN, Tableau) and the ability to learn new tools as needed.

KEY COMPETENCIES:

Core Competencies:
•    Communication and Collaboration
•    Relationship Management
•    Professionalism and Integrity
•    Critical Thinking and Decision-Making
•    Execution
•    Initiative, Leadership, and Development

Job Competencies:
•    Applied Program Evaluation & Basic Impact Measurement
•    Data Analysis & Visualization
•    Workforce & Labor Market Research 
•    Analytical Project Coordination
•    Communication of Analytical Findings

WORKING CONDITIONS: 
•    Normal office environment
•    Regular, in-person attendance required
•    Primary office location: Southfield, MI 
•    Travel Required