Power BI/Data Analyst (Contractor, Remote, US)

Lateral stands for technology excellence.

We’re a profitable, award-winning design and technology company with over 20 years of experience launching bold ventures and transforming businesses. A globally distributed team of 200+ experts united by a shared purpose: the continuous pursuit of quality.

Our clients come to us for results, quality and craft - and stay because we keep raising the bar.

We do things differently at Lateral

Our mission is simple: design and build great products.
What sets us apart isn’t just the talent of our team - it’s the way we work:

We Have A Bias For Action & Results.

We are doers - we spot the gaps, connect the dots, anticipate what’s around the corner and take action. We move fast, stay focused, and let the results - not the effort - speak for themselves.

We Work On Time, On Budget, On Quality

Discipline is our edge - a commitment we make to each other, to our clients, and to the standards we hold ourselves to

We Care Deeply.

We care about our work and about each other. Care Is A Competitive Advantage.

Every detail matters. Every design, every line of code, every decision. Thoughtful by default.

We Do Things Right - Because It’s the Right Thing to Do

Right over easy. Integrity isn’t up for negotiation. We hold the bar high even when no one’s watching. We take pride in doing great work the right way - not the easy way.

We Keep Improving

The best teams keep improving and we’re never done learning.

We iterate. We reflect on what’s working and what’s not. Feedback fuels us, we receive it openly, and adapt quickly. Progress over perfection.

We’re Obsessed With Agility, Not The Agile Manifesto

We don’t chase dogma or rituals - we chase momentum. We adapt processes to fit problems, not the other way around.

We Take Ownership
Everyone leads something here. You will have room to run with ideas, and the trust to execute. That trust is built on how you show up: thinking things through, sweating the details, and following through.

What You’ll Do

As a Power BI/Data Analyst at Lateral, you will:

• Design and Build Dashboards: Create and maintain insightful, visually compelling dashboards and reports in Power BI. You’ll gather requirements from stakeholders and translate business needs into interactive reports that drive decision-making. Expect to iterate on designs and refine visuals to tell clear data stories.
  

• Perform Data Modeling & Analytics: Develop robust data models and analytical workflows to support reporting and deeper analysis. This includes shaping and transforming data (using Power Query, SQL, or Python) to ensure reliable, analyzable datasets. You’ll define relationships, calculations, and measures (DAX) that yield accurate insights.
  

• Partner with Stakeholders: Work directly with clients and team members to understand key business questions and KPIs. Throughout the full project lifecycle, you’ll translate business needs into data solutions. You will explain your analyses and dashboards clearly to both technical and non-technical stakeholders, ensuring insights are understood and actionable.
  

• Ensure Data Quality and Integrity: Take ownership of data accuracy end-to-end. You’ll validate and test data, troubleshoot discrepancies, and implement checks so that every report is trusted. Maintain documentation of data definitions and assumptions. At every step, uphold best practices for data governance and security.
  

• Optimize and Iterate: Continuously improve the performance and usability of our analytics solutions. You’ll optimize SQL queries and Power BI data models for efficiency, ensuring quick load times and up-to-date data. Incorporate feedback from users to enhance functionality and refine metrics as needs evolve.
  

• Contribute to Data Strategy: Look beyond immediate requests to identify new opportunities where data can add value. You might research emerging BI features, propose new analytics methodologies, or develop internal tools to push our data capabilities forward. We expect you to think strategically about how to leverage data for maximum impact.
  

• Improve Yourself and the Team: During times you’re not assigned to a client project, you won’t be idle. You might build internal analytics tools, research new technologies or techniques (e.g., a new Azure analytics service or Python library), or help with recruiting and mentoring. You’ll help push our data craft and capabilities forward.
  
  

• Mentor and Share Knowledge: Lead by example in fostering a data-driven culture. You will support junior analysts (formally or informally), offer constructive feedback on their work, and share best practices in data analysis, visualization design, and data storytelling. You’ll help cultivate a thoughtful, kind, and continuously learning team culture.

How We Measure Success In This Role

In the first two weeks

• You’ve set up all necessary access to databases, Power BI, and Azure resources, and made your first meaningful contribution (for example, fixing a report, creating a simple analysis, or improving an existing dashboard).

• You communicate well both asynchronously (in writing) and in meetings, asking clarifying questions and sharing updates proactively.

In the first 3 months:

• You understand our data sources, models, and business domain well, and can work independently (or in small teams) on medium-sized analytics projects.

• You plan before you build: outlining data requirements or sketching a report design before diving into development (and producing any needed design artifacts or documentation).

• You have delivered at least one significant dashboard or analysis to production use, with clean implementation and validated results.

• You communicate clearly, raising issues or data concerns early and contributing thoughtfully to code reviews or design discussions.

• You consistently deliver on your commitments, meeting deadlines and ensuring your work meets our quality standards.

After 3 months:

• You take ownership of larger analytical initiatives and improvements from start to finish (for example, leading the development of a new data model or a suite of reports for a major client.)

• You help others by sharing knowledge, spotting data issues or process gaps early, and proposing improvements to our tools or workflows (perhaps optimizing an ETL process or improving how we organize reports).
  

• You make decisions with both data integrity and business goals in mind, balancing technical correctness with actionable insight for the client.

We measure success through:

• Impact of your work: Evaluating results of what you’ve delivered (are your dashboards and insights driving decisions or improvements?)

• Quality and reliability of your analyses: The accuracy, consistency, and performance of your data models and reports.

• Consistency in delivery: Your track record of meeting commitments and delivering value on time.

• Feedback from peers and leads: Input on your collaboration, communication, and the value you add to projects.

• Your ability to work independently and unblock others: How well you can move projects forward on your own, and how you help teammates overcome data challenges or confusion.

What We’re Looking For

We are seeking team members who have strong technical skills and who deeply care about their craft and how the work gets done. You must bring:

• 5+ years of experience in data analysis, business intelligence, or a related field, with a track record of delivering analytics solutions (dashboards, reports, and data models) from concept to insight.

• Proficiency in Power BI: hands-on experience building interactive dashboards and reports. You can create effective data visualizations and have strong DAX skills for custom measures and calculations.

• Advanced SQL skills: able to write and optimize complex queries to manipulate and retrieve data from relational databases. You understand how to join and transform data efficiently, and you’re comfortable with large datasets.

• Experience with Python for data analysis or automation - you can use libraries (e.g., pandas, numpy) to clean, analyze, or augment data, and script repetitive tasks to streamline workflows.

• Familiarity with Azure data services: experience integrating or working with cloud data platforms (Azure SQL Database, Azure Synapse Analytics, Azure Data Factory, or similar) to store, transform, or access data is highly valued.

• High proficiency in Excel: adept with advanced formulas, pivot tables, and data analysis in spreadsheets for quick ad-hoc analysis or data modeling when needed.

• Strong data modeling and analytical thinking skills: ability to design efficient data schemas (in Power BI or databases), and to interpret data to generate meaningful insights. You think critically about what the numbers are showing and why.

• Attention to detail and a quality mindset: you ensure accuracy at every step, write test queries or checks to validate results, and have an eye for catching anomalies. You take pride in delivering work that is correct and reliable.

• Unique combination of technology and people skills. You can dive into technical data problems, but also excel at collaborating with others. You communicate complex data concepts in clear, approachable terms and build trust with clients and teammates alike.

• Excellent problem-solving and troubleshooting skills, paired with a hands-on, proactive attitude. When faced with a data challenge, you eagerly roll up your sleeves to investigate and resolve it.

• Strong written and verbal communication skills in English. You can document your work, write clear explanations, and present findings or recommendations to stakeholders confidently.

• A commitment to making a difference, continuous learning, and collaboration. You are driven by impact and improvement, always looking for ways to grow your skills, help your teammates, and contribute to projects that matter.

Bonus points for:

• Experience with data warehousing or big data tools (e.g., Snowflake, Redshift, Hadoop) or advanced analytics platforms.

• Knowledge of statistical analysis or machine learning techniques to derive deeper insights from data.

• Relevant certifications such as Microsoft Power BI Data Analyst Associate or Azure Data Engineer/Analyst certifications.

• Prior consulting or client-facing experience where you had to adapt to different industries or domains quickly.

Why You’ll Love Working Here

• Real Impact: You’ll work on meaningful products that make a measurable difference - from healthcare and commerce to sustainability and next-gen tech.
  
  

• Remote-First, Office Friendly: Work from wherever you’re most productive - whether that’s your home, a co-working space, or one of our offices. We’re a remote-first company, but if you’re near an office, you’re welcome to drop in, collaborate in person, or work onsite regularly.
  
  We prioritize async collaboration, respect your time zone, and focus on outcomes over hours.
  
  

• An Outstanding Team: Talented, kind, and hard-working people who care deeply about their craft - and about each other. No egos. No politics. Just professionals doing their best work.
  
  

• Growth: You’ll be supported in growing your craft, exploring new paths, and stepping into greater responsibility - at your own pace
  
  

• A Culture of Excellence: We care deeply about doing the right thing - for our clients, our team, and ourselves. No burnout. No crunch. Just high-quality work, delivered sustainably.
  
  

• Variety & Stability: We’re profitable, independent, and over a decade strong. Yet every project brings a fresh challenge. You’ll never be bored here.
  

This Role Might Not Be for You

We want to respect your time by being clear about what this role isn’t. You should skip this opportunity if:

• You prefer well defined structure. If you gravitate towards a clear hierarchy, well defined roles and swim lanes, you may find our self-managed style challenging.
  
  

• Distributed work isn’t your thing. If you find async communication, design documentation and being proactive without a manager nearby difficult, our setup won’t suit you.
  
  

• Feedback doesn't excite you. We’re obsessed with quality and believe in continuous improvement. That means we give feedback that’s sometimes nitpicky. If refining the work until it’s excellent feels over the top, you are likely going to find working here frustrating.
  
  

• Change makes you uncomfortable. We’re scaling and maturing. That means not everything is perfect yet. Priorities shift. Processes evolve. If ambiguity is uncomfortable, this may feel bumpy.
  
  

However, If this sounds like fuel, we’d love to talk!

How to apply and what to expect in the interview process

Our hiring process is structured as a sequence of steps. Moving forward is based on how well the previous step goes. This helps us stay focused, fair, and respectful of everyone’s time.

We will always:

• Let you know clearly what the next step is

• Share updates and feedback wherever possible

• Invite questions if anything feels unclear

Not everyone progresses through every stage. That doesn’t mean you’re not great at what you do. Sometimes it’s about timing, team fit, or simply what we’re looking for at the moment.

Step 1: Express Your Interest with a Portfolio

If this sounds like your kind of team and you’re excited to bring your craft to Lateral, we’d love to hear from you.

Please send us:

• A brief note telling us what excites you about this role

• Your Portfolio / Links to your work —Essential. This could be URLs, GitHub repos, code snippets, portfolio sites — anything that gives us insight into your craft

• Your resume

A few tips:

• Highlight any areas that made your work special

• Avoid sharing anything sensitive or proprietary

• If you’re sharing team projects, be sure to highlight your specific contributions

We’re not looking for perfection — we’re looking for insight into your thinking, creativity, and craft. Just show us your thinking, your process, and what you’re proud of.

We review every application with care. If there’s a fit, we’ll reach out to schedule next steps.

Step 2: Talent Partner Conversation

Purpose: A structured discussion with our People Experience team to delve into your career trajectory, motivations, and alignment with Lateral's values.

What to Expect:

• In-depth questions about your past experiences and decision-making processes.

• Exploration of your career goals and how they align with the role.

• Discussion about our company culture, availability, compensation and other logistics

• Motivators and demotivators.

• Your life outside coding.

Preparation Tips:

• Reflect on your career journey and pivotal moments.

• Be ready to discuss challenges you've overcome and lessons learned.

• Familiarize yourself with the Job Description, Lateral's mission and values.

Step 3: Technical interview

Purpose: Assess your technical proficiency and problem-solving abilities.
Format: A collaborative session with our engineering team, focusing on real-world scenarios relevant to the role.

What to Expect:

• Problem-solving exercises/questions that mirror tasks you'd encounter in the position.

• Discussions around your approach, reasoning, and solutions.

Preparation Tips:

• Practice articulating your thought process clearly and concisely.

• Be prepared to discuss in depth past projects and the technologies used.

Step 4: Operational interview

Purpose: Understand your approach to prioritizing, collaborating, shipping, and iterating.

What to expect:

• How you prioritize and break down work.

• How you collaborate across disciplines.

• How you handle blockers, feedback, and iteration.

Preparation Tips:

• Pick 1-2 meaningful projects you led or heavily contributed to.

• Walk through your process: what worked, what didn’t, what you’d do differently.

• Think about how you manage time, scope, and changing requirements.

Step 6: Reference Checks

Purpose: We believe references are about understanding, not just validation. We do not look for perfection, but to understand patterns, strengths, and context. We use them to learn how to support you best.

What to Expect: we’ll ask you for 2–3 people who’ve worked closely with you. These are often: former managers, senior peers or collaborators, mentors or people you've mentored.

What we ask: We focus on how you’ve grown, where you shine, how you like to be led, and what support sets you up for success. We want practical advice for making this a great fit for you.

Yes, we do backchannels too: We do this when we feel we need more context. We will check with you if there are folks we should avoid reaching out due to confidentiality or other reasons. And here’s our commitment: if anything surprising or unclear comes up in a backchannel, we’ll bring it directly to you. We believe in “no stories without you in the room.” You’ll always get the chance to share your side, context, or clarification.

Step 7: Offer

What Happens: If selected, you'll receive a comprehensive offer detailing compensation, and other pertinent information.

Our hiring process is designed to be thorough yet respectful, ensuring a mutual fit. We encourage candidates to engage actively, ask questions, and view this as a two-way exploration.

Join us and let’s build something extraordinary.