Freelance Data Analyst R Programming Jobs in Illinois

ABOUT WORLD’S FINEST CHOCOLATE: Family-owned for three generations World’s Finest® Chocolate (WFC) crafts our unique family recipe from our sweet home Chicago. By using only the finest raw ingredients, we ensure that every piece will satisfy your chocolate cravings. Since 1949, our fundraising products have helped our customers raise over $4,500,000,000. We are equally proud to create Queen Anne® cordial cherries and a scrumptious selection of gift items. Our employees work as a team to support our company’s mission: Craft delicious chocolate that uplifts people, organizations, and our youth. 

 ABOUT THE POSITION:  
World’s Finest Chocolate is seeking a highly skilled and motivated Senior Data Analyst to join our team. This role will be instrumental in analyzing large volumes of unstructured data, primarily focused on sales and marketing, and leading forecasting, reporting, and analysis efforts that inform business strategy. 

As an organization early in our data journey, we are actively building our data infrastructure, tools, and processes from the ground up. This role offers a unique opportunity to shape and influence our data environment in close partnership with IT, establish scalable reporting frameworks, improve data quality, and defining how data is leveraged across the business. 

 This position requires a high level of ownership, initiative, and independent execution. The ideal candidate is a self-starter who thrives in an evolving environment with limited structure. They proactively identify opportunities, define the path forward, and execute without waiting for instruction. This individual brings a builder’s mindset, strong technical and analytical expertise, and the ability to translate complex data into clear, actionable insights that drive decision-making and business impact. 

Key Responsibilities  
Reporting & Visualization (50%) 

• Build and maintain dashboards and scorecards to track key performance indicators across Sales, Marketing, and Sales Operations 
• Automate recurring reporting and improve visibility into business performance through Power BI, Tableau, or similar tools 
• Develop reports and visualizations that communicate trends, opportunities, and performance clearly to business stakeholders 
• Partner with Finance, IT, and Sales to align reporting metrics, definitions, and data sources for consistency 

Business Analysis & Insights (20%) 

• Conduct deep-dive and ad hoc analyses to understand business drivers, campaign effectiveness, customer behavior, and market opportunities 
• Integrate and analyze data across internal systems, including Salesforce, Stratum, SAP, and external data sources such as census and demographic datasets 
• Create analyses that identify over- and under-developed markets, prime prospect areas, and quantify growth opportunity 
• Deliver actionable insights and recommendations that inform growth initiatives, resource allocation, and strategic priorities 
• Support annual and strategic planning with data-based diagnostics, performance analysis, and forecasting 
• Apply understanding of performance marketing, B2B sales infrastructure, and B2C Circana or retail-level data to business analysis 

Cross-Functional Decision Support (20%) 

• Collaborate with functional teams, including Sales, Marketing, Finance, IT, and Supply Chain, to answer critical business questions using data 
• Translate technical findings into clear business narratives and visual presentations for leadership audiences 
• Partner with IT and Data Systems teams to improve access to clean, structured, and usable data 
• Create and implement analysis processes that improve data quality, consistency, and statistical efficiency 

Predictive Analytics & Data Science (10%) 

• As reporting and data capabilities progress and evolve at WFC, there will be opportunities to: 
•  Build and refine forecasting, regression, and predictive models to estimate sales trends, customer behavior, and regional performance 
• Develop analytical models to identify trends, quantify opportunity, and support prospecting at the market level 
• Apply advanced analytical methods such as regression, time series analysis, clustering, or machine learning to model future business outcomes 
• Explore AI and machine learning opportunities for sales prospecting, lead scoring, and forecasting 
• Partner with IT to establish best practices for model governance, monitoring, and ongoing improvement 

*Note: Please note that percentage allocation may vary as progress is made 

Qualifications 

• Self-motivated with the ability to work independently and as part of a team
• Bachelor's degree in Statistics, Mathematics, Computer Science, Economics, or a related field; Master's degree preferred 
• 5+ years of experience in a data analyst role, preferably in a sales, marketing, or strategic planning context 
• Strong proficiency in data analysis tools and programming languages such as Python, R, SQL, and Excel 
• Experience with data visualization tools (e.g., Tableau, Power BI, or similar) and experience being able to implement the infrastructure to connect and support tools to existing data sources. 
• Familiarity with machine learning techniques and their application in predictive modeling 
• Demonstrated ability to work with large, complex datasets and unstructured data 
• Experience integrating diverse data sources, including government and demographic data 
• Excellent problem-solving skills and attention to detail 
• Strong communication skills with the ability to present complex findings to non-technical audiences 

Preferred Skills 

• Experience with geospatial analysis and mapping tools 
• Knowledge of marketing analytics and customer segmentation techniques 
• Familiarity with cloud-based data platforms (e.g., AWS, Google Cloud, Azure) 
• Understanding of privacy regulations and data governance principles 
• Proficiency in MS Office, Excel, PowerPoint 

Compensation 

• Base Salary: $110,000.00 - $130,000.00  per year 
• Annual Bonus: 10% of base salary, based on company and individual performance 
• Medical insurance 
• Dental insurance 
• Vision insurance 
• Wellness Program 
• 401k Matching 
• HSA/FSA 
• LifeLock Identity Theft Protection 
• STD/LTD 
• Life Insurance 
• Tuition Reimbursement 

Equal Opportunity Employer: 
World’s Finest Chocolate is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace. We prohibit discrimination and harassment of any kind based on race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, national origin, disability, veteran status, or any other protected characteristic as outlined by federal, state, or local laws. We celebrate diversity and are dedicated to providing an environment of respect and inclusivity for all employees.