What Does a Report Developer Do?
Report developers compile massive amounts of data on an enterprise level to filter out unnecessary information and provide insight into business operations. Ultimately, these developers are using this information to provide staff with accurate and pertinent information needed to perform their tasks.
A report developer will formulate a strategy with departments to develop objectives and metrics needed. After doing that, they’ll create department-specific reports that help to improve workflow and efficiency, while removing the non-relevant data. By tailoring data reports, developers can help convey important trends previously unseen by departments.
Those capable with SQL and Oracle tend to be well suited for this position, along with excellent soft skills like communication to reach consensus with colleagues more quickly. Generally, those with an IT background, and especially data-driven positions, distinguish themselves as candidates. While a degree isn’t mandatory, it further increases a candidate’s employment prospects.
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National Average Salary
Report developer salaries vary by experience, industry, organization size, and geography. Click below to explore salaries by local market.
The average national salary for a Report Developer is:
$91,435
Report Developer Job Descriptions
When it comes to recruiting a report developer, having the right job description can make a big difference. Here are some real world job descriptions you can use as templates for your next opening.
Example 1
For the past 30 years, we’ve remained focused on our singular driving purpose: To provide unparalleled client experience by providing our services in an efficient, honest, and affordable manner. With this in mind, we’ve maintained our reputation as best-in-class service, and we want to keep it that way! We’re currently searching for a report developer with outstanding programming skills and a strong analytical mindset to help set our employees up for success. Your responsibilities will include creating, testing, documenting, and implementing new and existing systems for our projects in accordance with needs and specifications.
You’ll be heavily involved in the conception phase with our department heads to get a feel for the exact requirements and expectations. The ideal candidate will provide accurate and timely completion of projects with minimal supervision.
Typical duties and responsibilities
- Developing and implementing software tasks in accordance with our standards and methodologies
- Document, resolve, and future-proof helpdesk tickets
- Discuss and make aware of persistent and highly problematic issues with management
- Provide solutions in areas where policy and procedure are insufficient
- Participate heavily in knowledge-sharing and department meetings
- Monitor and notify of data breaches
- Complete projects in a timely and efficient manner
- Collaborate with departments, management, and peers to encourage and foster a highly cooperative environment
- Provide technical mentoring to peers as necessary
- Design and develop database systems
- Develop and implement software applications with minimal supervision
- Collaborate with data architects, team members, and project managers
Education and experience
- Bachelor’s degree in computer science, engineering, or related field
- 3 years experience in a back-end developer position
Required skills and qualifications
- 3 years SQL Server Stake experience
- 3 years of relational database experience
- 3 years of technical documentation
- 3 years SQL optimization skills
- Excellent teamwork skills
- Excellent attention to detail
- Great interpersonal skills
- Excellent time management and organizational skills
- General understanding of hardware
- Working knowledge of MS and Java productivity modules
- Working knowledge of Windows OS and iOS
- Excellent technical documentation skills
Preferred qualifications
- 5+ years experience as a report developer
- 5+ years in all programming and framework experience
- Large scale, multi-site operations experience
Example 2
Primary accountabilities/responsibilities
- Follow our software development practices and methodologies
- Participate in scrum ceremonies, including Story Pointing, Sprint Planning, Sprint Reviews, and Sprint Retrospectives
- Gather requirements and scope of data and reporting needs from internal clients
- Gain understanding of the impact and importance of the underlying data and become an expert in its use
- Translate requirements and develop software architectures and designs to bring them to life
- Communicate effectively in a collaborative, complex and high performing team environment
- Willingness to participate in all aspects of the software development life cycle
- The list of responsibilities may not be all-inclusive and can be expanded to include other duties or responsibilities as needed
Job requirements
- Bachelor degree or higher from a reputed university in engineering, IT, economics, math, statistics, science, or other related fields in quantitative or analytical discipline
- Minimum 3 years of experience in related business analyst or data/reporting analyst roles
- Advanced knowledge in Power BI and data visualizations
- SQL Server database development, including tables, stored procedures, and functions
- Database Design. Excellent skill level in relational database required.
- Proficient in DAX, M language, R, and Power Query
- Experience with PowerBI Report Server and PowerBI Cloud Service
- Experience in converting SSRS Reports to PowerBI
- Experience in Row Level Security Implementation
- Proficiency in dashboard and scorecard design and development
- Knowledge of Data Mining, Clustering, and Statistical Modelling highly desired
- Proficient in Microsoft Word, Power Point and Visio
- Proficient in MS Excel and MS Access (with macros and visual basic)
- Excellent critical-thinking skills with the ability to research and analyze data retrieved from multiple sources
- Must possess and demonstrate excellent verbal, written, and interpersonal communications skills
- Ability to build rapport, cultivate working relationships and drive collaboration across teams
- Must be an adaptable self-starter and work with minimal supervision. Must be able to juggle multiple projects and organize time effectively
- Superior documentation and organizational skills. Must be detail oriented
- Demonstrate commitment to continuous improvement in a dynamic environment
- Must be willing to put in extra time and effort if need be. Go above and beyond the requirements of the job and strive to exceed expectations
Ideal candidate will have the following additional experience
- Interest and ability to learn new technologies as required
- Analyze and recommend development strategies, process improvements and standards
- ETL and Data Management/Data Integration
Physical requirements/working conditions
- Climate controlled office environment
- Minimal physical requirements other than occasional light lifting of boxed materials
- Dynamic, time-sensitive environment
- Travel as required
Example 3
About the report developer
The Report Developer will be responsible for working with internal corporate clients to build and automate reports and dashboards.
Location: Remote
What will you do?
- Work with internal stakeholders to fully understand their business problem and design solutions to meet their needs
- Design efficient data models and dashboards using Power BI
- Write SQL queries to extract data from Microsoft SQL Server database for ad-hoc requests.
- Design and automation of reoccurring report deliverables with Microsoft Power BI or Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS)
- Design and automation of reports within the Workday HCM and FAS systems
- Ensure high level of accuracy and quality in all produced work
Skills & qualifications
- Experience in MIS, IT, business, marketing, statistics, computer science, or mathematics related fields
- Background in Finance/Accounting and Human Resource functions
- Proficiency of SQL language (on any relational database platform)
- Demonstrable relational database practices and techniques
- Ability to explain and use joins, aggregations, pivots and windowed functions when writing queries
- Must have experience building and publishing dashboards in Power BI or another dashboard tool
- Knowledge of Python, R, or other tools
- Good demonstrable data visualization skills
- Knowledge of Workday system
- Expertise of Microsoft Excel, including charting, functions, and pivot tables
- Excellent oral and written communication skills
- Detail oriented with strong organizational skills, ability to multitask and work in a dynamic, fast paced environment
- Must be able to sit for prolonged periods of time in front of a computer
Example 4
Serves in a consultant role for all of our internal departments that use our Sales CRM system. Provides accurate and timely delivery of reporting requests and related services that result in sales, client retention, growth and customer satisfaction. Assists or is responsible for the creation of technical design. Reviews progress with management. Tests applications and assists in the implementation of new systems or updates to existing systems.
Duties
- Develops and maintains complex sales reports for internal personnel and Business Units using a variety of reporting tools, mainly Oracle BI
- Assists and/or creates technical design to meet financial and information reporting needs
- Tests applications and assists in the implementation of new systems or updates to existing systems
- Provides communication to all parties involved in report projects
- Gathers information on issues, provides solutions, meets deadlines and provides general support in order to meet customer needs
- Understands and maintains knowledge on application, updates, enhancements and system limitations as they affect the reporting process
- Works closely with sales personnel to ensure satisfaction concerning reporting needs; creates plan to address client needs
- Provides technical assistance and resolves issues related to supported applications and reports
Education/experience requirements
- High School Diploma is required. Bachelor’s Degree in a related field or related work experience is preferred
- Two to five years of reporting experience is required. High level of knowledge in report writing systems with problem solving/logic ability
Knowledge/skills
- Broad working knowledge of Windows operating systems and a wide variety of desktop applications (including spreadsheets, word processors, presentation graphics) in a network environment, and Internet browsers and related Internet tools. Ability to learn other applications as needed
- Strong experience with relational database concepts, including SQL and working knowledge of database applications
- Ability to create and maintain reports using specialized technical report writing software
- Preferred experience with Oracle reporting tools, including Answers and BI Cloud
- Extensive knowledge of integration with third party applications
- Must be detail oriented, organized, and possess the ability to handle a multitask environment with great skill and accuracy
- Possesses strong customer service skills
- Communicates tactfully and effectively, verbally, and in writing, and maintains effective work relations with those encountered in the course of employment. Familiar with modern office methods, practices, procedures, and equipment, filing systems, and business letter writing
Candidate Certifications to Look For
- MS Certified – Data Analyst Associate. This certification demonstrates a candidate’s ability to be a subject matter expert on scalable data models and clean data visualizations. After completion of the exam, candidates will be able to prepare, visualize, analyze, and deploy deliverables and provide business value to companies.
- IBM Certified Designer – Cognos Analytics Author V11. This certification demonstrates a candidate’s ability to build advanced reporting systems and dashboards, as well as enhance and manage professional reporting systems. This will take their basic understanding of SQL and JavaScript and teach them how to visually present data using these and other languages.
- CBIP. The Certified Business Intelligence Professional is intended for senior-level personnel in the IS and IT industry with a heavy focus on business analytics and data management. This certification will demonstrate candidates have an outstanding grasp on data planning and modeling, definitions, metadata, enterprise resource planning, and IT management systems. This certification should only be pursued after they’ve achieved at least 2-3 years in the position.
How to Hire a Report Developer
There are a number of important initial considerations when hiring a report developer:
- Recruiting: Do you have the knowledge, tools, and resources to attract and screen candidates?
- Complexity: Do you need a senior professional, or will mid or junior-level skills and experience suffice?
- Duration: Are you hiring for a project or an ongoing need?
- Urgency: How soon does the opening need to be filled? What happens while it remains open?
- Headcount: Do you have the budget and approval for an internal employee, or should you consider alternate options?
Answering these questions will help determine the best course of action for your current hiring need. Fortunately, great options exist for every scenario. These are our recommendations:
1. Use 4 Corner Resources (or another professional recruiting firm)
The heavy lifting is done for you when working with a top-tier staffing company like 4 Corner Resources. We source, screen, recruit, and deliver only the most qualified candidate(s), saving you significant time and effort throughout the hiring process while you remain focused on your core business. Understanding your needs and ensuring the right candidate for the position is the key to our success.
This is the best route to take when:
- You need to fill the position quickly
- You want access to a vast talent pool of high-quality, prescreened candidates
- Your position is suited for temporary hiring services, contract staffing, or contract-to-hire recruiting, and you intend to direct the work activity.
- You are hiring an employee as a direct placement but aren’t able to recruit effectively or efficiently with your internal staff.
- You aren’t familiar with current salary rates, market trends, and available skill sets
2. Hire an experienced freelancer
The freelance, or gig, economy continues to grow, with more talent available daily. Freelancers provide high-quality work without a long-term commitment. They can offer you a fresh perspective, more flexibility, and increase efficiency. While the freelance market isn’t ideal for every position, report developers are often a great fit.
We recommend this option when:
- Your need is project-based
- The work can be performed remotely
- You do not intend to direct the daily work activity
- You are hiring for expertise your internal team does not possess
- You do not require an employee to work onsite or follow a specific schedule
We recommend using either Toptal, Upwork, or both.
Toptal
Toptal is an exclusive network of the top freelance software developers, designers, finance experts, product managers, and project managers in the world. Toptal vets its freelancers before making them accessible, ensuring their legitimacy. Top companies hire Toptal freelancers for their most important projects. Hiring a report developer on Toptal can help you quickly get the results you need.
Upwork
Upwork is a freelance talent network that helps individuals connect with experts in a variety of fields to accomplish project-based needs. When you have a specific, well-defined goal in mind, this can be a great path to hiring an experienced report developer. If you are satisfied with the outcome you can continue to book the same freelancer through Upwork’s easy-to-use project interface.
3. Post the opening on a top job board
Your best option may be to advertise your opening on a proven job board. There are many widely used job sites out there that draw visits from qualified candidates. If you have someone internally who can dedicate the time and energy to sort through applications and screen individuals effectively, this can be a great choice.
We recommend using a job board when:
- Your internal recruiting team has the knowledge and experience to assess candidate qualifications
- You are hiring a direct employee and have time to manage the entire recruiting effort
- You have a process for receiving, screening, and tracking all resumes and applications
- You are prepared to respond to all applicants
We recommend CareerBuilder for report developer openings:
CareerBuilder
CareerBuilder has been a trusted source for hiring since 1995. Reach 80+ million unique, diverse U.S. job seekers annually by posting your jobs through their talent acquisition channels. Through CareerBuilder, you can engage candidates and drive them into your sourcing pipeline. We recommend using CareerBuilder for hiring when you have the internal resources and processes to review, screen, and reply to all applicants.
4. Leverage your internal resources
You can utilize your own website, social media, and employees to assist in your search for top candidates.
A company website posting should be the first step in notifying prospective candidates that you are hiring. Social media can also be a powerful tool for spreading the word about your new opening. As far as exposure is concerned, this option can be as good as some job boards when you have a large enough following across various platforms, like LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and Twitter.
Current employees are every organization’s greatest asset. Encourage your internal team to promote job openings to their network by offering cash and other incentives.
We recommend these options when:
- Your brand has great name recognition
- You can consistently monitor and respond to candidate activity through your website and social media accounts
- You have a process in place to quickly and broadly communicate job openings and requirements
- You have an effective employee referral program in place
If you aren’t sure which path is best, schedule a discovery call today with our seasoned recruiting professionals. The 4 Corner team is on standby to help you find the best option for your unique hiring need.
Sample Interview Questions
- Which reporting tools and software do you know well, and what experience do you have in designing and developing reports?
- In what ways do you make sure the reports are accurate, reliable, and up-to-date, and how do you verify the data before creating them?
- What strategies do you use to simplify complex data and make reports visually appealing and easy to read?
- How do you create data visualizations, and what tools do you use to do so?
- When you had to troubleshoot a report issue, what steps did you take to identify and resolve it?
- Which strategies do you use to optimize the performance of complex queries you create using SQL?
- How did you make sure a reporting project was completed within budget and on time when you were a part of it?
- What steps do you take to ensure that the reports you develop meet the needs and expectations of stakeholders?
- Have you ever worked with stakeholders to revise a report that didn’t meet their needs, and what steps did you take to resolve their concerns?
- When it comes to reporting tools and technology, how do you stay up-to-date and incorporate these tools into your work?