Tableau Specialist

About the Opportunity
The Tableau Specialist serves as a key technical and analytical resource responsible for administering, optimizing, and supporting the UNC System Office's enterprise Tableau environment. This role performs a dual function: (1) Tableau Server administration within a complex AWS-hosted, Linux-based, multi-node cluster supporting both development and production, and (2) dashboard development and visualization in collaboration with functional and technical partners. The position ensures the reliability, performance, security, and integrity of Tableau Server while delivering high-quality dashboards and user support across the organization.

The Tableau server administration and platform management duties involve overseeing day-to-day server operations, including configuration, upgrades, patching, monitoring, and performance optimization, ensuring the platform operates reliably, securely, and efficiently for all users. Responsibilities include managing user access and permissions; organizing project structures; maintaining security settings; overseeing data source connections, extracts, and refresh schedules; and troubleshooting a wide range of server-level issues such as authentication failures, connectivity problems, extract refresh errors, and resource utilization concerns. The Tableau Specialist collaborates closely with IT teams on infrastructure, networking, and security requirements; implements best practices for backup, disaster recovery, and audit compliance; and stays current on Tableau Server advancements to recommend platform enhancements. Familiarity with Python or similar scripting tools is beneficial for streamlining workflows, automating administrative tasks, and supporting integration with existing data pipelines.

The Tableau Specialist also designs, develops, and maintains high-quality dashboards that support decision-making across the organization. The role involves gathering and translating business requirements; validating data; merging large and complex datasets; and applying Tableau best practices to ensure dashboards are intuitive, accessible, performant, and visually effective. The Tableau Specialist enhances and maintains both newly developed and legacy dashboards including those built by other developers documenting dashboard logic, data flow, and calculations for long-term maintainability. Responsibilities include troubleshooting dashboard-related issues, conducting performance tuning, ensuring data accuracy, and collaborating with analysts, business intelligence teams, and functional stakeholders to ensure alignment with business needs. The Tableau Specialist also mentors dashboard developers across the organization, offering guidance on visualization best practices, design principles, functionality, and security standards.

Providing strong customer service and user support is a central component of this role. The Tableau Specialist serves as a primary point of contact for Tableau-related help tickets, diagnosing and resolving a wide range of issues reported by users, developers, and business partners. The specialist provides onboarding, training, and ongoing guidance to Tableau developers and end users, helping them build proficiency and adopt best practices. The role includes developing documentation, user guides, FAQs, and other educational resources to support consistent, high-quality use of the platform. Effective communication and relationship-building skills are essential, as the role works with stakeholders at all levels to ensure they have the tools and support needed to effectively engage with UNC System Office data resources. The Tableau Specialist also plays an active role in promoting responsible data stewardship across the Tableau ecosystem. This includes supporting and enforcing standards for dashboards, data sources, naming conventions, and security; contributing to the development and refinement of Tableau development and deployment workflows; and championing responsible data use and rigor to ensure quality, reliability and trust in organizational reporting and data products.

This position is a hybrid work arrangement and will work at least three days per week onsite at the Dillon building in downtown Raleigh's Warehouse District. UNC System employees are generally required to reside in North Carolina, within a 2-hour commuting distance of their assigned duty station.

About the UNC System Office

The UNC System Office includes the offices of the President and other senior administrators of the multi-campus University of North Carolina System. The UNC System is a treasured public institution dedicated to serving the people of North Carolina through world-class teaching, research, and community engagement. Today, nearly 250,000 students are enrolled in our 16 universities across the state and at the NC School of Science and Mathematics. System Office staff is responsible for executing the policies of the UNC Board of Governors and providing University-wide leadership in the areas of academic affairs, business and financial management, long-range planning, student affairs, research, legal affairs, and government relations. The UNC System Office also has administrative oversight of a number of University affiliates, including PBS North Carolina, the North Carolina Arboretum, the NC State Education Assistance Authority, and University of North Carolina Press.

About the Team
The Information Technology division works collaboratively with UNC constituent institutions to help ensure efficient and cost-effective integration of new technologies that meet common and unique needs of the 17 institutions. The division is also charged with managing the highly complex enterprise-wide data modernization efforts that will enable the System to better monitor, evaluate, and manage our enterprise; as well as facilitate timely comparisons across the 17 institutions and create better data-sharing capabilities for smarter and more efficient data-driven decisions.

Minimum Education, Experience, and Skills
Bachelor's and at least 5 years' experience; or will accept a combination of related education and experience in substitution.

Required Competencies
* 5+ years of combined Tableau Server administration and Tableau dashboard development in an enterprise environment.
* Strong understanding of SQL and relational database concepts, including joins, schemas, and data modeling.
* Experience configuring Tableau connectivity to complex enterprise data sources such as Redshift, Oracle, SAS, and local datasets.
* Experience supporting Tableau in an AWS-hosted Linux environment, including multi-node cluster architecture and Dev/Prod environments.
* Experience managing SSO authentication and supporting authenticated and non-authenticated Tableau sites.
* Experience managing Tableau licensing models, including LBLM and BYOL.
* Ability to collaborate with the Data Warehousing team on automation/scripting requirements, validation, and governance (no coding required).
* Excellent communication and documentation skills with the ability to explain technical concepts to non-technical audiences and collaborate across functional teams.
* Strong analytical, critical-thinking, and creative problem-solving skills, including the ability to synthesize information and recommend effective solutions.
* Demonstrated ability to troubleshoot and resolve technical issues across dashboards, data sources, permissions, server components, and performance bottlenecks.
* Experience designing and developing new Tableau dashboards, and experience maintaining and improving dashboards developed by others.
* Familiarity with data security requirements and the implementation of appropriate controls within Tableau environments.
* Strong customer-service orientation with experience supporting users, resolving help tickets, and documenting solutions for future reference.
* Demonstrated initiative, learning orientation, and ability to work independently in ambiguous situations while taking ownership from concept to completion.
* Detail-oriented, organized, and able to manage multiple priorities and projects in a dynamic environment.

Preferred Education, Experience, and Skills
*Experience in higher education, system office environments, or other state agencies
*Familiarity with Tableau metadata repositories and enterprise governance frameworks
*Understanding of Python-based automation workflows, including user provisioning and access management (no scripting required)
*Ability to conceptually read SAS code to support dashboard development and data validation
*Experience applying FERPA, state privacy laws, or institutional policies related to student data security and confidentiality

• Classification: IT Busn Intel & Data Analyst
• Appointment Type: 2-Year, Time Limited
• Full-Time/Part-Time: Full-Time
• Employment Type: EHRA
• EHRA Category: Exempt Professional Staff
• Location: Raleigh, NC USA
• Position Number: 20075058
• Special Instructions to Applicants: The posting remains open until filled, but applications received by Friday, April 3, 2026 will receive priority consideration.

Equal Employment Opportunity and Other Information
The UNC System Office (includes PBS NC, NCSEAA, and NC Arboretum) is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, color, disability, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or status as a protected veteran.

The UNC System Office (includes PBS NC, NCSEAA, and NC Arboretum) is a VEVRAA Federal Contractor.

To claim veteran's preference, all eligible persons must indicate their eligibility as requested on the application. A DD Form 214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, may be required later in the selection process.

The UNC System Office (includes PBS NC, NCSEAA, and NC Arboretum) participates in E-Verify. Federal law requires all employers to verify the identity and employment eligibility of all persons hired to work in the United States.

Human Resources Contact Information
Applicants needing assistance with the application process are asked to contact: recruiter@northcarolina.edu.