Cognos BI Consultant

About Kochasoft

Kochasoft specializes in SAP Applications Management, assisting enterprises in optimizing costs, uncovering revenue prospects, enhancing information flow, and boosting business agility within a secure IT framework. Serving as more than a typical IT managed services provider, Kochasoft acts as a trusted business ally, offering tailored advisory and proactive cloud and SAP system management solutions.

Job Overview

We seek a seasoned Cognos BI Consultant with over nine years of experience to deliver expert technical support, troubleshoot complex issues, develop, and optimize performance of enterprise Business Intelligence environments. The role involves handling critical production incidents, root-cause analysis, and collaborating with cross-functional teams in application, database, infrastructure, and business units.

Core Responsibilities

• Deliver advanced Level 3 support for IBM Cognos BI/Analytics, tackling intricate production incidents and service requests.
• Troubleshoot and resolve issues related to Cognos Analytics, Framework Manager, Report Studio, dashboards, and administration.
• Conduct detailed root-cause analyses on recurring and high-priority problems.
• Address report failures, sluggish reports, scheduling conflicts, authentication errors, and data connectivity challenges.
• Monitor and enhance performance of Cognos servers including dispatchers, query and batch/report services, and gateways.
• Resolve problems linked to Cognos Content Store, metadata models, packages, schedules, security, and reports.
• Develop and refine complex Cognos reports, dashboards, queries, and Framework Manager models.
• Collaborate with database teams to optimize SQL queries, analyze performance, and address data quality and connectivity issues.
• Support upgrades, patches, configuration modifications, migrations, and environment refreshes.
• Manage authentication and security issues involving users, groups, roles, and access permissions.
• Analyze logs and system behaviors to detect technical faults.
• Manage incidents and problems within SLA and ITIL frameworks, coordinating with support tiers and other teams.
• Document technical guides, root-cause reports, and operational procedures.
• Participate in on-call and after-hours production support as needed.

Required Skills

• Extensive expertise in IBM Cognos Analytics/BI including administration, report building (Report Studio, Query Studio), dashboards, scheduling, packages, data sources, content store, and security across multi-tier environments.
• Advanced SQL proficiency with practical experience on Oracle, SQL Server, DB2, or PostgreSQL including query optimization and performance tuning.
• Proficient in production support practices at L3/SME level, incident/problem/change management with SLA adherence.
• Strong troubleshooting, analytical, and log analysis capabilities.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with Cognos Analytics versions 11.x/12.x and related administration tools.
• Familiarity with Linux/Unix and Windows operating systems.
• Basic scripting skills in Shell, Python, or PowerShell.
• Knowledge of ETL tools like Informatica, DataStage, or SSIS.
• Exposure to enterprise monitoring platforms such as Splunk, Dynatrace, or AppDynamics.
• Understanding of cloud BI environments and Agile/ITIL methodologies is advantageous.
• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, IT, Engineering or related field; IBM Cognos certifications preferred.

Key Competencies

• Exceptional problem-solving and troubleshooting skills.
• Strong analytical aptitude and ability to handle complex production issues independently.
• Effective communication and stakeholder engagement capabilities.
• Skill in prioritizing incidents based on business impact.
• Competence in documentation and facilitating knowledge transfer.
• Collaboration skills across globally distributed teams.

Success Metrics

• Timely resolution of complex Cognos issues within SLA commitments.
• Reduction of recurring issues via effective root cause analysis and permanent solutions.
• Enhanced performance and stability of Cognos report and platform environments.
• Provision of technical leadership and mentorship to junior support teams.
• Maintaining thorough documentation and promoting organizational knowledge sharing.

Additional Information

This position is located primarily in Pune with options for Chennai and Bangalore. The working arrangement supports hybrid or remote models. Notice period ranges from immediate availability up to 15 days. Candidates must hold any graduate degree.