BI Developer - Cognos Specialist (Contract with potential for Contract-to-hire)
We are seeking an experienced Business Intelligence (BI) Developer with strong Cognos development skills to provide critical reporting and analysis support, with a focus on manufacturing, finance, and business data. This role will be a technical resource (not project management focused), helping maintain and develop key BI solutions and supporting the business with ad hoc reporting, troubleshooting, and administration. The ideal candidate will be highly self-sufficient, with minimal need for training, and adaptable to company business practices.
This contractor position offers the possibility of conversion to a permanent role based on performance and business needs. This role is based in Eden Prairie 4 days per week (Monday through Thursday) with the opportunity to work remotely on Fridays. Contract pay is between $53-55/hour.
Candidates must be local to the St. Paul/Minneapolis metro area. Candidates must also be eligible to work in the U.S. without sponsorship both now and in the future. No third parties or C2C.
Responsibilities
- Cognos Development & Report Management:
- Design, develop, and maintain reports and dashboards using Cognos BI tools, including Framework Manager.
- Support TM1 reporting solutions (if applicable).
- Update and manage models, catalogs, and tables, ensuring data integrity through validation.
- Troubleshoot report issues and assist with back-end data fixes as needed.
- Promote changes from development to production, ensuring smooth deployments.
- Ad Hoc Reporting & Ongoing Support:
- Assist team with ongoing reporting requests, seasonal program updates, and operational needs.
- Handle renewals, report updates, and user requests efficiently.
- Provide support for upcoming acquisitions-developing new star schema frameworks and integrating new ERP systems and data warehouses.
- Collaborate with the team to support data needs for budgeting, forecasting, and planning.
- Manufacturing and Business Data Integration:
- Work with financial and manufacturing data sources, including Infor JBA, RSS Alliant, custom sales/inventory data, and ShopVue/Relex.
- Provide insights from customer sales, licensing, inventory, rebate, and incentive data to support business decision-making.
Technologies & Tools
- Cognos BI & TM1 (Report Studio, Workspace Advanced, Framework Manager)
- SQL Server
- iSeries DB2
- SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS)
- Microsoft Excel
Experience & Skills
- 3+ years of experience with Cognos development (including Report Studio and Framework Manager).
- Manufacturing data experience is strongly preferred.
- Ability to troubleshoot, maintain, and promote reporting solutions from development to production.
- Strong SQL skills with a focus on data validation and integration.
- Ability to support end-users with ad hoc reporting requests and provide operational guidance.
- Administrative experience in Cognos (25%)-able to promote solutions, resolve technical issues, and maintain environments as needed.
- Experience with transformers is a plus but not required.
- Ability to work under pressure, manage multiple tasks, and meet deadlines.
- Collaborative and adaptable-willing to suggest improvements but aligned with existing processes.
Preferred Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in computer science, business, or a related field.
- Experience coordinating activities with vendors and external consultants.
- Familiarity with ERP systems, including new star schema frameworks and data warehouse creation.
Contract Details and Conversion Potential
- 6-month contract with the potential for conversion to a permanent role.
- The ideal candidate will integrate quickly, providing immediate value with minimal training required.
- Flexible to adapt to processes while contributing to improvements without being disruptive.
This position offers a great opportunity to work with complex data environments, support critical business operations, and contribute to strategic initiatives like new acquisitions and system integrations. If you are a skilled BI Developer with strong Cognos expertise and manufacturing experience, we encourage you to apply.
All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, national origin, age, ancestry, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, disability, medical condition, genetic information, pregnancy, or military or veteran status. We consider all qualified applicants, including those with criminal histories, in a manner consistent with state and local laws, including the California Fair Chance Act, City of Los Angeles' Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance, and Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance. For unincorporated Los Angeles county, to the extent our customers require a background check for certain positions, the Company faces a significant risk to its business operations and business reputation unless a review of criminal history is conducted for those specific job positions.
