Business Analyst - Expert

Mindlance; City of Albany (NY); On-site; USD 140,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Mindlance is seeking an Expert Data Manager to lead the data governance framework for the DOT TSMO Technology Program. The role will establish, implement, and oversee policies, standards, and lifecycle management for real-time and historical transportation data, including sensor feeds and ITS data.

Responsibilities include data quality assurance, metadata management, security, and cross-functional collaboration with IT, OT, and program management to maximize data value and ensure compliance.

Qualifications

• Experience establishing data governance frameworks and roadmaps.
• Ability to define data quality metrics, profiling, and lineage.
• Knowledge of NT-CIP, GTFS, and spatial data standards.

Responsibilities

• Establish governance framework: define and implement strategy, roadmap, and charter in alignment with DOT policies.
• Policy creation: draft, implement, and enforce data policies for creation, ingestion, storage, retention, and disposal.
• Data lifecycle management: define real-time vs historical archiving requirements.
• Data quality, metadata, and standards: establish quality metrics, profiling, and a data catalog with lineage.
• Metadata management: maintain a business glossary and ownership definitions.
• Standardization: ensure NT CIP, GTFS, and spatial data standards compliance.
• Security, privacy, and compliance: establish privacy protocols and access controls; ensure regulatory compliance.
• Stakeholder collaboration: lead Data Stewardship Committee; draft MOUs with providers; provide training.
• Technology and integration: evaluate governance tools; collaborate with IT and GIS for integration into data warehouses, cloud platforms, and GIS.

Skills

Data governance

Data quality

Metadata management

Policy development

Stakeholder collaboration

Tools

NTCIP

GTFS

Spatial data standards

Job description

Provide a short description of the Position:

This resource will act as a Expert Data Manager for the DOT Transportation Safety Management and Operations (TSMO) Technology Program to establish, implement, and oversee the data governance framework for all transportation operations data. This position will ensure that real-time and historical transportation data—including traffic sensor feeds, incident management logs, Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) metrics, and spatial data is high-quality, secure, accessible, and compliant with state and federal standards. This position will bridge the gap between traffic operations, information technology (IT), operational technology (OT), and TSMO Program Management to maximize the value of the agency’s data assets, and is critical in ensuring the successful planning, execution, and delivery of technology initiatives.

Provide a list of the day-to-day tasks to be performed by the Selected Candidate: Key Duties and Responsibilities

1. Framework and Policy Development

• Establish Governance Framework: Define and implement the TSMO Technology Program data governance strategy, roadmap, and charter in alignment with DOT and OITS data policies.
• Policy Creation: Draft, implement, and enforce policies, standards, and procedures for data creation, ingestion, storage, retention, and disposal.
• Data Lifecycle Management: Define the lifecycle of real-time streaming data (e.g., sensor data, signal phase and timing) versus historical archiving requirements.

2. Data Quality, Metadata, and Standards

• Data Quality Assurance: Establish data quality metrics, thresholds, and profiling processes. Monitor and audit TSMO data streams to identify and resolve anomalies or latency issues.
• Metadata Management: Develop and maintain a comprehensive data catalog and business glossary for TSMO data assets, ensuring clear definitions, lineage, and ownership.
• Standardization: Ensure compliance with national and state transportation data standards (e.g., National Transportation Communications for ITS Protocol [NTCIP], General Transit Feed Specification [GTFS], and spatial data standards).

3. Security, Privacy, and Compliance

• Data Privacy: Establish protocols to protect sensitive data
• Access Control: Define roles and permissions for data access, ensuring secure sharing protocols with internal divisions, external partners (e.g., MPOs, emergency services), and the public.
• Regulatory Compliance: Ensure data practices comply with federal (FHWA), state, and local regulations regarding public records, data security, and reporting.

4. Stakeholder Collaboration and Culture

• Data Stewardship Program: Establish and lead a TSMO Data Stewardship Committee, coordinating with data stewards across traffic operations, planning, maintenance, and IT.
• Data Sharing Agreements: Draft and manage Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) and Data Sharing Agreements with third‑party data providers (e.g., Waze) and research institutions.
• Training and Advocacy: Promote a data‑driven culture by providing training and resources on data governance best practices to TSMO business operations staff and engineers.

5. Technology and Integration Support

• Tool Selection: Evaluate and recommend data governance, data cataloging, and master data management (MDM) software.
• Integration Collaboration: Partner with IT and GIS teams to support the integration of TSMO data into enterprise data warehouses, cloud platforms, and geographic information systems.