Cognos Analytics Developer BI Assessment & Azure Migration - CAD 26-01776

Title: Cognos Analytics Developer
Location: New York, NY
Duration: 3 Months (Possible Extension)

Position Overview

We are seeking an experienced Cognos Analytics Developer to conduct a comprehensive assessment of the current IBM Cognos Analytics environment and develop a strategic roadmap for modernization and potential migration to Microsoft Azure analytics platforms.

This role requires strong expertise in enterprise BI environments, data architecture, reporting governance, and migration strategy development. The selected consultant will collaborate with technical teams, business users, and leadership to align analytics modernization efforts with organizational goals.

Key Responsibilities

Current-State Assessment

• Assess the existing IBM Cognos Analytics environment, including:

  • System architecture

  • Report inventory and categorization

  • Data volumes and usage metrics

  • Security controls and access management

  • Report distribution methods

• Evaluate infrastructure dependencies and technical constraints

• Analyze reporting requirements, dashboards, and interactive features

• Identify pain points, technical gaps, and limitations

• Review compliance, governance, and security requirements

Modernization & Azure Alignment

• Evaluate alignment of Cognos with Microsoft Azure analytics services

• Assess compatibility and integration with:

  • Microsoft Fabric

  • OneLake

  • Azure Synapse Analytics

  • Power BI

• Identify migration opportunities and architectural considerations

• Develop actionable recommendations and high-level migration strategy

• Create a detailed implementation roadmap with milestones and dependencies

• Develop projected timeline for modernization effort

Stakeholder Engagement & Documentation

• Prepare executive-level presentations and detailed assessment reports

• Present findings, recommendations, and next steps

• Develop training and knowledge transfer plan for internal staff

• Collaborate with business and technical stakeholders to ensure alignment

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor s degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Data Analytics, Engineering, or related field (or equivalent experience)

• Hands-on experience with IBM Cognos Analytics

• Proven experience assessing enterprise BI architectures and environments

• Strong knowledge of:

  • Data warehousing

  • Reporting and dashboards

  • Data modeling

  • Enterprise analytics solutions

• Experience evaluating governance, compliance, and security in BI platforms

• Experience analyzing data sources, volumes, usage metrics, and performance

• Ability to identify risks, gaps, and modernization opportunities in legacy systems

• Experience producing assessment reports and migration plans

• Strong written and verbal communication skills

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with Microsoft Azure analytics services:

  • Azure Synapse Analytics

  • Power BI

  • Azure Data Factory

• Familiarity with Microsoft Fabric components:

  • OneLake

  • Synapse

  • Power BI

• Experience migrating from Cognos to Azure/Power BI environments

• Knowledge of data governance and compliance in regulated or public-sector environments

• Experience developing implementation roadmaps and training plans

• Public-sector or government analytics experience

• Familiarity with Agile or iterative delivery methodologies