Data Analyst

We are working with a newly established and fast-growing joint venture between a globally recognised management consultancy and a major international investment manager. The business has been created to attract exceptional talent and deliver high-quality, innovative solutions to complex financial and market-driven challenges.

Based in Champaign, Illinois, the team operates in a collaborative and intellectually stimulating environment. This is an opportunity to join a business at an early stage and play a meaningful role in shaping its data capability, technical foundations, and working culture.

Role

The Data Analyst will support the management, quality, and delivery of critical financial datasets that underpin investment, pricing, and analytical processes. Depending on experience, the role will focus primarily on reference data, market data, or a combination of both.

Working closely with developers, analysts, and stakeholders, the successful candidate will take early ownership of data workstreams, contribute to improving data quality and systems, and help define best practices as the organisation continues to grow. This role suits individuals who thrive in fast-paced environments, combine strong technical capability with clear communication, and enjoy solving complex, real-world problems.

Key Responsibilities

• Manage, maintain, and enhance reference data and/or market data across multiple asset classes
• Ensure data quality, consistency, and reliability throughout the full data lifecycle
• Support pricing, valuation, and analytical processes through accurate data inputs
• Work closely with development teams to implement and improve data pipelines and workflows
• Contribute to the design, build, or maintenance of core data platforms, including security master data (reference-focused)
• Monitor, investigate, and resolve data issues, identifying root causes and implementing long-term solutions
• Collaborate with internal stakeholders and clients to deliver high-impact, data-driven outcomes
• Help define and improve data standards, controls, and best practices

Key Skills

• Experience working with reference data or market data within a buy-side environment
• Strong SQL and Python programming skills
• Solid understanding of data management practices and data lifecycles
• Knowledge of security, instrument, and entity data (reference-focused) and/or pricing inputs for derivatives and securities (market-focused)
• Experience working closely with developers or engineering teams
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to explain technical concepts clearly
• Proactive, curious, and comfortable taking ownership in fast-paced environments
• Bachelor’s degree (equivalent of 2:1 or above) in in Computer Science, Finance, or a related discipline

Desirable (depending on focus area):

• Experience with Markit EDM (reference-focused) or market data vendor platforms
• Exposure to data lakes or modern data architectures
• Previous involvement in building or maintaining a security master

Benefits

• Competitive salary and total compensation package
• Early ownership of meaningful, high-impact work
• Opportunity to shape systems and culture in a growing business
• Exposure to global financial markets and complex investment challenges
• Collaborative, intellectually driven team environment
• Clear scope for professional growth as the firm scales

This role offers the opportunity to make a visible impact from day one within a growing and ambitious business where data plays a central role in decision-making. Whether your background is in reference data or market data, you will have the chance to work on meaningful, high-profile challenges while helping shape how data is managed and used across the organisation. If you are looking for a Data Analyst role that combines technical depth with real-world application and genuine ownership, this is an excellent next step.