What Is A Data Analyst?
A data analyst collects, cleans, and interprets raw data to surface the trends and patterns that inform business decisions. The role means building dashboards, running ad hoc queries, and translating numbers into clear recommendations for product, marketing, and finance teams, without necessarily building the pipelines that feed the data itself.
- Also called
- Data Analytics Analyst, Reporting Analyst
- Reports to
- Data Manager / Head of Analytics
- Works on
- Data cleaning, dashboards, trend analysis
- Measured on
- Report accuracy, turnaround time
What A Data Analyst Actually Does
- 01 · Data CleaningPulls and cleans raw data from CRM, product, and marketing systems before any analysis starts
- 02 · DashboardsBuilds and maintains dashboards that track key business metrics for stakeholders
- 03 · Ad-Hoc AnalysisRuns ad hoc analysis to answer specific questions from product, marketing, or finance teams
- 04 · Trend SpottingIdentifies trends and anomalies in the data and flags what’s worth acting on
- 05 · ReportingPresents findings in a way non-technical stakeholders can actually use to make decisions
Data Analyst Vs. Similar Roles
| Role | Main focus | Primary metric |
|---|---|---|
| Data Analyst | Interpreting existing data to surface trends and answer questions | Report accuracy, turnaround time |
| Business Analyst | Bridging business needs and technical solutions | Process improvements delivered |
| Data Engineer | Building and maintaining the pipelines that move and store data | Pipeline uptime, data quality |
| Data Scientist | Building predictive models and running statistical experiments | Model accuracy, business impact |
At smaller companies, one data hire often covers analysis, light pipeline work, and ad hoc reporting together. Split the roles once data volume and the number of stakeholder requests justify dedicated ownership of each.
Skills To Screen For
Interview Questions Worth Asking
Hiring A Data Analyst In Latin America
How Much Of The Workday You’d Share
Bogota, Mexico City, Sao Paulo, and Buenos Aires don’t change their clocks, so the overlap shifts when yours does. Times shown are in your team’s time zone. National English-proficiency averages vary by market too: Argentina ranks in EF’s "High" band globally, while Colombia, Mexico, and Brazil sit in the "Low" band. Screen every candidate’s spoken English directly rather than assuming by country.
What It Costs
| Country | Entry level (1-3 yrs) | Senior (6+ yrs) |
|---|---|---|
| Colombia | $18K/yr | $46K/yr |
| Mexico | $21K/yr | $42K/yr |
| Brazil | $25K/yr | $48K/yr |
| Argentina | $21K/yr | $48K/yr |
Typical time from kickoff to signed offer. LatamCent delivers 3 to 5 candidate profiles in the first 10 days.
Frequently Asked Questions
A data engineer builds and maintains the pipelines that move and store data, and is measured on pipeline uptime and data quality. A data analyst works with data once it’s already available, interpreting it to answer questions and build reports, and is measured on report accuracy and turnaround time. At smaller companies, one hire sometimes covers both.
A business analyst focuses on bridging business needs and technical solutions, often documenting requirements and improving processes, and is measured on process improvements delivered. A data analyst focuses specifically on interpreting data to surface trends and answer questions, and is measured on report accuracy and turnaround time. The two roles overlap heavily at smaller companies.
US data analysts average around $82,600 a year. Data analysts in Latin America with 6 or more years of experience average around $46,000 a year, roughly 44% less, with entry-level hires costing significantly less still.
Most searches run 21 days from kickoff to a signed offer, with 3 to 5 candidate profiles delivered in the first 10 days.
Most data analysts need working SQL skills to query data directly, plus comfort with a BI tool like Looker, Tableau, or Power BI. Programming languages like Python or R are a plus for more advanced statistical work, but aren’t required the way they are for a data scientist.
Need A Data Analyst On Your Team?
Pre-vetted, fluent-English data analysts from Latin America, interviewing in 21 days.
Start Interviewing Today