A director of analytics is in charge of a number of critical responsibilities within a company. While the job title may vary depending on the organization, the central role remains consistent. The director will use strong statistical and analytic skills to analyze data from multiple sources while working to lead the analytics team in a collaborative environment, usually under the direction of the vice president of analytics. He or she will translate the results into actions that the organization needs to take after completing the data analysis, and then communicate those findings and recommendations to the appropriate department executives. In addition, the role will entail the supervision of junior and senior analysts, as well as business development activities in some cases.
A director of analytics will typically analyze data in marketing, sales, and product development. Frequently, the director is in charge of cross-functional projects, overseeing the relationship between departmental experts and analytics experts while ensuring that the project meets organizational objectives. The director of analytics is often in charge of educating customers on how to use company products or services to gain insights into their operations in organizations that provide data-driven products and services. In addition, the director may be in charge of bringing in new clients, often as part of a business development team where analytic capabilities must be demonstrated.
A bachelor’s degree in a quantitative field of study, such as statistics, economics, or mathematics, is required of the director of analytics. A master’s degree in a quantitative field will be preferred by some employers. This educational background will be used by analytics directors to compile and interpret data results in order to make recommendations for organizational strategy. Analyzing data and intelligence, forecasting trends, identifying actionable insights, and tracking performance related metrics are all skills that are regularly used. Working with the vice president of analytics to design and implement data analytics solutions could be one of your other responsibilities.
The director of analytics must have both experience and intimate knowledge of multiple statistical software programs, such as SPSS, in order to do his or her job effectively. Another program he or she must be able to master is Excel, which he or she will use to analyze data and create presentation charts. The position’s overall goal is to use data analysis to effectively define solutions that will generate a return on investment. This necessitates skilled management and assumed organizational leadership.