Research Analyst
ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES
The Research Analyst position is with the Center for Economic Research in Tennessee (CERT), a division within the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development (ECD). CERT provides key research to support informed decisions and strategic competitiveness in economic and community development. The Research Analyst is responsible for professional statistical analytics and research work that supports internal processes and programs and the department’s business development initiatives.
The Research Analyst is responsible for:
- Compile and analyze data to address research questions on behalf of companies, communities, legislators, and internal ECD leadership and staff.
- Develop business recruitment reports comparing locations across the U.S. on taxes, incentives, the availability of labor, and data on other key decision points for the prospective business. Support Research Manager with the preparation of business due diligence, investigative research, and development of economic and fiscal impact analysis studies to ECD’s grant programs. Support the department in maintaining accurate information on current and prospective Tennessee businesses within ECD’s Client Relationship Management (CRM) system.
- Manage and maintain current data for ECD’s website, county profile tool, target industry clusters, the state’s transparency website, and other marketing materials.
- Build and maintain Tableau dashboards reflecting the department’s Key Performance Indicators (KPIs).
- Analyze and write reports on topics and trends related to the economic, business development, and rural and community development. These may include research reports on target industry clusters, foreign direct investment, trends in economic growth or decline, or other topics.
EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS AND QUALIFICATIONS:
Education and Experience:
- Graduation from an accredited college or university with a bachelor’s degree in economics, mathematics, statistics, applied statistics, business, business administration, or public policy.
- Minimum two years full-time professional work in field related to research and analysis, such as statistical research, market research, business or economic analysis, public policy research, or other related field. Master’s degree or exceptional internship experiences may be substituted for full time work experience.
- Experience using Client Relationship Management (CRM) systems by Microsoft Dynamics, Salesforce, or other vendors preferred.
- Demonstrated background with economic impact analysis preferred.
- Proficiency in Tableau, SQL, R, and/or other statistical and visualization software preferred.
- Mastery of Microsoft Office products (excel, access, word, outlook).
- Strong oral and written communication skills. A writing sample may be required.
- Exceptional critical thinking and analytical skills.
- Ability to work as part of a small team as well as individually.
- Strong time management skills.