Team Leader Database - FSM

Department: MED Central IT
Salary/Grade: ITS/82

Job Summary:

The Manager of Specialty Analytics serves as the manager and technical leader for domain-specific research projects within the Enterprise Data Warehouse (EDW) Research Analytics team within MED Central IT. Supporting specialties including Cardiology, Urology, and Translational Science, this role helps translate complex healthcare data into reliable data resources and analytical solutions that advance research and support clinical programs.

This hands-on leadership position supervises, mentors, and develops a team of analytics developers and data scientists supporting clinical and research activities across these domains. Responsibilities include advanced analytical guidance, development and validation of analytical models, data modeling and integration, quality assurance, and secure access to healthcare data. The role supports the use of machine learning and AI where appropriate to address research needs, alongside established analytical methods and tools. The successful candidate will possess significant experience with healthcare and research data, Python development, SQL and relational database technologies, and reproducible analytical workflows, including experience applying machine learning methods. Knowledge of the regulatory and data governance requirements associated with HIPAA, IRB, and clinical research is also essential.

The Manager of Specialty Analytics collaborates closely with researchers, clinical programs, technical teams, departments, centers, and institutional leadership to translate research priorities and complex healthcare data needs into practical, well-governed solutions. The ideal candidate combines strong technical expertise with effective leadership, project management, and communication skills, including the ability to explain analytical approaches, results, and limitations to diverse audiences. This role requires someone comfortable operating at both technical and strategic levels, developing staff and establishing best practices while guiding the continued evolution of the EDW Research Analytics team's capabilities and research services.

This position will be responsible for the research arm of the EDW team and will supervise architects and data analysts. The team leader will also supervise the recharge operation of the EDW.

Please note: This role may include working during off or extended hours.

Specific Responsibilities:

Staff Development, Mentoring, and Coaching:

• Motivate and coach the EDW Research Analytics Staff staff to ensure an appropriate mix of leadership and technical skills is available to meet the EDW needs. Ensure effective deployment of skills and other resources are being utilized to enhance agility, flexibility, and cost effectiveness in response to NU and clinical research needs. Define and promote best practices and standards for each EDW role (i.e. architecture, analysts, developers, etc.) Provide leadership, encouragement, motivation, coaching and mentoring for the development of a strong pool of promotable and internally mobile team members with high functional capabilities.

Information Architecture:

• Provide analysis, design, training, maintenance, tuning, documentation, and implementation of enterprise class logical data models and physical database objects. Create maintainable, scalable "Extract, Transform, and Load" (ETL) code to load and manipulate data in the data warehouse. Work collaboratively with clinical program analytical and data management teams to develop analytical tools to manage/measure care processes, models, and clinical guidelines.

Quality Assurance:

• Oversees system enhancements that will improve the reliability and performance of the system. Ensure design reviews are completed for all new development.

Oversee Software Development:

• Make recommendations for purchases and capital equipment. Ensure the EDW and its mission critical services available to all 15k employees on the Northwestern Medicine Campus. Manage the development of all software for EDW in response to the needs of the campus.

Customer Service:

• Engage new and existing customers (Departments, Centers, and Institutes) to ensure needs are met. Prepare and deliver presentations, educational sessions, and workshops related to EDW services. Prepare reports and documentation for EDW Director and EDW leadership.

Leadership:

• Advise EDW director on direction of EDW in terms of Clinical Analytics and Operations. Advise on staff allocation, budgets, and EDW scalability. Perform project management for respective team members to ensure timelines and deliverables are met and meet expectations. Represent the EDW to senior leadership around campus. Works together with campus leadership to meet the complex delivery schedule inherit to a matrixed organization.

Miscellaneous

Performs other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications:

• A Bachelor's degree in computer science or equivalent with five to seven years in a senior database analyst or architect position, or the equivalent combination of education, training, and experience from which comparable skills and abilities may be acquired.
• Minimum of 5 years' experience in data warehousing or hands-on, sophisticated data analysis.
• Minimum of 5 years' experience in healthcare delivery and research.
• Understanding and experience in applying project management principles and best practices for development or procurement projects.
• Familiar with the design and operation of very large (>10Tbytes) relational database management systems.

Minimum Competencies: (Skills, knowledge, and abilities.)

• Exceptional interpersonal skills, communication skills, and comfortable and confident facilitating team or other group meetings.
• Knowledge of SQL, DML, and DDL programming; underlying server and storage hardware architectures; statistical data analysis; software programming as it relates to database access and
• manipulation; role based access control; database indexing strategies; system performance monitoring, metrics, and trend analysis; metadata management; controlled medical vocabularies such as SNOMED, LOINC, ICD, CPT, NDC, and DICOM; HIPAA and IRB issues related to data management; natural language processing and text analysis; and quantitative and qualitative data analysis.
• Possess a thorough understanding of: Business Intelligence/ query and reporting tools and technologies, Structured Query Language (SQL), Procedural programming fundamentals.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience with Healthcare Data Warehousing.
• Experience with Microsoft SQL Server.
• Possess knowledge of quality improvement principles, theory, study design and statistical modeling/analysis.
• Possess an understanding of healthcare delivery and its associated administrative processes.
• Experience with current Extraction Transformation and Loading (ETL) tools and technologies.

Benefits:

At Northwestern, we are proud to provide meaningful and competitive benefits. The available benefits package for this position will include health, dental, vision, disability, and life insurance; paid vacation and holidays; paid medical/sick and parental leave; tuition benefits for the employee and dependents; pre-tax and flex spending accounts for commuting and dependent care; generous retirement savings options; and wellness programs. For a comprehensive overview of available benefits, including eligibility details, visit us at https://www.northwestern.edu/hr/benefits/index.html to learn more.

Work-Life and Wellness:
Northwestern offers comprehensive programs and services to help you and your family navigate life's challenges and opportunities and adopt and maintain healthy lifestyles.
We support flexible work arrangements where possible and programs to help you locate and pay for quality, affordable childcare and senior/adult care. Visit us at https://www.northwestern.edu/hr/benefits/work-life/index.html to learn more.

Professional Growth & Development:
Northwestern supports employee career development in all circumstances whether your workspace is on campus or at home. If you're interested in developing your professional potential or continuing your formal education, we offer a variety of tools and resources. Visit us at https://www.northwestern.edu/hr/learning/index.html to learn more.

Northwestern University is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of protected characteristics, including disability and veteran status. View Northwestern's non-discrimination statement. Job applicants who wish to request an accommodation in the application or hiring process should contact the Office of Civil Rights and Title IX Compliance. View additional information on the accommodations process.

Target hiring range for this position will be between $125,220 to $179,515 per year. Offered salary will be determined by the applicant's education, experience, knowledge, skills and abilities, as well as internal equity and alignment with market data.

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