Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Power Platform Specialist
💰 $95,000 - $145,000
🎯 Role Definition
We are actively searching for a dynamic and innovative Power Platform Specialist to join our growing technology team. In this pivotal role, you will be the driving force behind our business intelligence and process automation initiatives. You will collaborate closely with business stakeholders across various departments to understand their challenges, and then design, develop, and deploy sophisticated solutions using the Microsoft Power Platform (Power BI, Power Apps, Power Automate, and Dataverse). The ideal candidate is a creative problem-solver with a passion for data and a proven track record of building impactful applications and insightful reports that empower data-driven decision-making and enhance operational efficiency throughout the organization.
📈 Career Progression
Typical Career Path
Entry Point From:
- Business Intelligence Analyst
- Data Analyst
- SharePoint Developer or Administrator
Advancement To:
- Senior Power Platform Architect
- Business Intelligence (BI) Manager
- Data & Analytics Manager
Lateral Moves:
- Data Engineer
- Cloud Solutions Architect
Core Responsibilities
Primary Functions
- Design, develop, and maintain scalable and robust business intelligence solutions using the full capabilities of Microsoft Power BI.
- Author complex and efficient DAX (Data Analysis Expressions) formulas to create powerful calculations, custom measures, and KPIs.
- Implement and manage end-to-end ETL processes using Power Query (M language) to connect, clean, transform, and model data from a wide array of sources.
- Create visually stunning, interactive, and user-friendly dashboards and reports that provide actionable insights to business leaders and stakeholders.
- Architect, build, and deploy custom, low-code/no-code business applications using both Canvas and Model-Driven Power Apps to address specific operational needs.
- Design and implement sophisticated automation workflows using Power Automate (formerly Flow) to streamline manual processes, reduce errors, and increase efficiency.
- Integrate Power Platform solutions seamlessly with other enterprise systems, including SharePoint Online, Dynamics 365, Azure SQL, and third-party APIs.
- Administer the Power Platform environment, including managing licenses, monitoring capacity, and establishing robust governance policies and Data Loss Prevention (DLP) strategies.
- Provide expert-level technical support, troubleshooting, and training to end-users to foster platform adoption and empower citizen developers.
- Collaborate directly with business stakeholders to conduct requirements gathering workshops, analyze needs, and translate them into detailed technical specifications and solution designs.
- Perform in-depth data analysis to identify critical trends, anomalies, and patterns that support strategic business objectives.
- Implement and manage Row-Level Security (RLS) and Object-Level Security (OLS) within Power BI data models to ensure strict data confidentiality and integrity.
- Continuously monitor and optimize the performance of Power BI reports, Power Apps, and automated flows to ensure a responsive user experience.
- Manage Power BI workspaces, datasets, dataflows, and on-premises data gateways to ensure data accuracy, availability, and refresh reliability.
- Develop and maintain comprehensive technical documentation, including data dictionaries, solution design documents, and end-user training guides.
- Stay at the forefront of the Microsoft Power Platform ecosystem, continuously evaluating and implementing new features and best practices.
- Champion the strategic value of the Power Platform, promoting its adoption and demonstrating its ROI to stakeholders across the company.
- Design and enforce data governance standards and best practices for the creation, maintenance, and consumption of BI assets.
- Build and manage scalable and secure data models and applications within the Microsoft Dataverse (formerly Common Data Service).
- Lead the full solution lifecycle from initial concept and design through development, testing, deployment, and ongoing maintenance and support.
Secondary Functions
- Support ad-hoc data requests and exploratory data analysis.
- Contribute to the organization's data strategy and roadmap.
- Collaborate with business units to translate data needs into engineering requirements.
- Participate in sprint planning and agile ceremonies within the data engineering team.
Required Skills & Competencies
Hard Skills (Technical)
- Microsoft Power BI: Expert-level proficiency, including advanced data modeling, Power Query (M), and complex DAX calculations.
- Microsoft Power Apps: Proven experience developing both Canvas and Model-Driven apps, including formula logic and component creation.
- Microsoft Power Automate: Strong ability to build complex, multi-step automated flows, including error handling and connecting to various services.
- SQL: Proficiency in writing and optimizing SQL queries to extract and manipulate data from relational databases (e.g., SQL Server, Azure SQL).
- Data Modeling: Deep understanding of data modeling concepts, including star schema, snowflake schema, and relational modeling for BI.
- Microsoft Dataverse: Hands-on experience designing and working with tables, relationships, and business rules in Dataverse.
- ETL/ELT Processes: Strong knowledge of data extraction, transformation, and loading principles and best practices.
- API Integration: Experience connecting to and consuming data from RESTful APIs within Power Platform solutions.
- Azure Fundamentals: Familiarity with related Azure services such as Azure Data Factory, Azure SQL Database, and Azure Logic Apps is a strong plus.
- SharePoint Integration: Experience using SharePoint Lists and Libraries as a data source and integration point for Power Platform.
Soft Skills
- Problem-Solving: Exceptional analytical and troubleshooting skills with the ability to dissect complex problems and devise effective solutions.
- Communication: Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to explain technical concepts to non-technical audiences.
- Stakeholder Management: Proven ability to work collaboratively with business users to gather requirements and manage expectations.
- Attention to Detail: Meticulous approach to development and data validation to ensure accuracy and quality.
- Business Acumen: Ability to understand business processes and challenges to recommend and implement value-added solutions.
Education & Experience
Educational Background
Minimum Education:
- Bachelor's Degree in a relevant field.
Preferred Education:
- Master's Degree or relevant Microsoft certifications (e.g., PL-200, PL-300, PL-400).
Relevant Fields of Study:
- Computer Science
- Information Systems
- Business Analytics
- Engineering
Experience Requirements
Typical Experience Range: 3-7 years
Preferred: 5+ years of dedicated, hands-on experience designing, developing, and deploying solutions within the Microsoft Power Platform ecosystem, with a portfolio of completed projects.