Minnesota - HMIS Data Analyst

Job Title: HMIS Data Analyst Reports to: HMIS Manager

Job Class: Analyst Salary Range: $58,000 - $64,000 commensurate with experience

Status: Full Time, Exempt Location: Minnesota, Twin Cities or Greater MN

POSITION SUMMARY

The Institute for Community Alliances (ICA) is a nonprofit organization and a national leader in the administration of Homeless Management Information Systems (HMIS). Minnesota’s HMIS is a web-based database used by over 240 organizations across the state, such as emergency shelters and housing providers. HMIS is used to report to funders, evaluate and inform community- and state-wide responses to homelessness, connect people experiencing homelessness with housing and services, and support research and advocacy efforts. 

Our vision for Minnesota’s HMIS is that by centering the client and user experience, we use HMIS to connect people to resources and to drive decisions so that we equitably prevent and end homelessness in Minnesota. We do this in pursuit of housing, racial and health justice for people experiencing homelessness and housing instability.

Under the direction of the HMIS Manager and as a part of the Reporting & Evaluation team, the Data Analyst is responsible for responding to custom data requests and providing data literacy coaching, interpretation, and analysis to support local and statewide planning, performance evaluation and management, and funding/policy decisions.

The ideal candidate for the HMIS Data Analyst is grounded in research, evaluation, data literacy principles. This candidate loves investigating and solving logical problems, thrives on helping others make meaning from data, and understands how data can serve efforts to end homelessness. This candidate can translate technical concepts to plain language and, conversely, listen to what someone wants to know about a dataset and apply technical concepts to build and display it for them.

ICA’s office is in St. Paul, Minnesota, but the agencies we support are located all over the state. Twin Cities-based staff may work in the office, or a hybrid of in the office and at home, subject to approval by their supervisor. We do strongly welcome applicants from Greater Minnesota for this role (and would anticipate staff located outside of the Twin Cities to be fully remote). Because presence in and partnership with the homeless response community is valued, staff in this role would at times attend in-person meetings with partner agencies.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS

Evaluation and Analysis

• Conduct data analysis, monitoring and evaluation to support local, statewide, or regional planning, and performance

• Data analysis, data visualization, and written reports that support local, statewide, or regional planning and performance evaluation

• Create and maintain data visualizations

Product Development

• Create queries and custom datasets for use by ICA and HMIS stakeholders, including participating agencies, Continuums of Care, state and local funders, and other partners

• Respond to requests for custom data

• Ensure compliance with federal and state data standards

Product Delivery

• Collaborate with project teams and external partners on product design, build, and delivery

• Engage in all portions of product delivery, including design, quality assurance and user testing, and interpretation

• With guidance from the HMIS Manager and team lead, prioritize potential product flaws, feature enhancements, and custom requests

User Coaching and Support

• Provide data literacy training and coaching to HMIS users, including one-on-one sessions

• Staff ICA helpdesk shifts, providing timely and accurate responses

Community Participation and Presentations

• Represent ICA on various local and statewide workgroups, with an emphasis on increasing data literacy and use of HMIS data at all levels of stakeholder engagement

• Facilitate stakeholder decision-making regarding product design

• Present HMIS data to internal and external groups

Maintain proficient working knowledge of HUD HMIS guidelines and regulations

Lead or facilitate local/regional, board, and/or ICA network-wide projects and meetings

Maintain knowledge of homeless assistance programs and related initiatives

Perform other duties as assigned

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS AND REQUIREMENTS

Experience and Education

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited four-year college or university or equivalent experience or training (urban and regional planning, evaluation, policy, statistics, public health)

• Four years of related experience, such as homeless management information system (HMIS) use, database- related experience, evaluation, technical assistance, research, or homeless or social services.

Required Background/Knowledge

• Knowledge of relational database structures and experience working with large datasets

• Experience with data visualization software (i.e. Power BI)

• Experience using SQL (All our reports are built with SQL, so basic to intermediate level required.)

• Proficient user of Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, etc.)

• Project management principles

• Proficient use of inter- and intra-office communication tools such as email, video conferencing, teleconferencing, Microsoft Teams, and similar tools

Preferred Background/Knowledge

• Proficient in coding languages (python, R, advanced knowledge of SQL)

Demonstrated Skills

• Ability to define problems, review data and draw valid conclusions

• Can coach or train individuals with a range of data fluency

• Excellent analytical skills

• Self-motivated with ability to work independently and collaboratively

• Extraordinary attention to detail and accuracy

• Understands the evolving role of data and its importance in efforts to address social problems

• Can create technical manuals

• Ability to work effectively and professionally with people from different backgrounds

• Ability to anticipate and meet established deadlines, and regularly produce high-quality work products in a deadline-driven environment

Reasonable Accommodations

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.

• Standing – Approximately less than 1/3 of on-the-job time

• Walking – Approximately less than 1/3 of on-the-job time

• Sitting – Approximately greater than 2/3 of on-the-job time

• Reaching with hands and arms – Approximately between 1/3 and 2/3 of on-the-job time

• Stooping, kneeling, crouching, or crawling – Approximately less than 1/3 of on-the-job time

• Talking or hearing – Approximately greater than 2/3 of on-the-job time

• Weight lifted/force exerted – An average of approximately up to 10 pounds, non-continuously

• Physical requirements listed are primarily applied to ability to lift and move paper supply, files, etc.

• Vision – Close vision (clear vision at 20 inches or less)

• Driving – Approximately less than 1/3 of on-the-job time

Travel/Work Schedule

Travel-related accommodations may be made to support individuals for whom travel is not feasible, for instance due to disability status or childcare limitations.

• Occasional out-of-state travel for professional conferences/training (generally less than one week for each occurrence)

• Occasional local or in-state travel for community meetings or onsite implementation support

• Schedule may fluctuate based on workload

Expense Reimbursement

• Direct and necessary purchases related to required job-related activities are typically made by the company. However, such expenses are eligible for reimbursement if the employee makes a purchase using their own funds. The employee is responsible for the timely request and submission of complete and accurate reimbursement documentation and form(s).

HOW TO APPLY

Submit a resume and a cover letter to Hiring Manager by clicking on this link. In your cover letter, please tell us why you are interested in this position and how your skills and experience will help you be successful in this position and contribute to ICA’s efforts to help communities use data to prevent and end homelessness. You must submit both a resume and cover letter to be considered for the position.

Applications will be accepted until the position is filled, with priority consideration for applications received by Friday June 13, 2025.