Data Migration Specialist - Element451

The Data Migration Specialist is responsible for planning and executing the end-to-end migration of legacy end client data into Element451. This is a hands-on data role: extracting and profiling source data, mapping it to the Element451 data model, building and running import tasks using Element451’s mapping-template framework, validating results, and reconciling records so the institution has clean, deduplicated historic and active data in one place.

Scope of Work

Element451 uses a structured import framework (Import + Export tasks, reusable mapping templates, matching rules, and staged historic-data loads). The contractor will own the following migration lifecycle for each client:

Discovery & Data Assessment

• Work with the institution to decide what data to migrate - true historic data (typically applications 1-5 years back, prospects 1-2 years back) versus live, active records for the current recruiting term.
• Inventory source systems (legacy CRM, SIS, spreadsheets, point tools) and profile data quality, volumes, and identifiers available for matching.

Data Preparation & Mapping

• Extract and structure data into separate, clean files by record object - bio-demographic, application, milestones (funnel stages), family/guardian, school history, test scores, and sources - per Element451’s recommended approach of splitting the record into distinct imports.
• Deliver files as .csv or .txt in UTF-8 encoding, ensuring at least one identity field (Student ID, email, or SSN) is present across all files for matching and de-duplication.
• Enforce the one-row-per-record rule where required, and correctly handle legitimate multi-row cases (e.g., multiple applications or test scores per student).
• Build and reuse Element451 mapping templates, applying column-level transformations (e.g., title-casing, date formatting, calculated columns / DB_MAP() for integration codes) so data lands clean the first time.

Import Execution

• Configure Import tasks: sources, update preference (create new / update existing / both), matching identifier, target segments, and preview.
• Load bio-demographic data first to establish base profiles, then layer application, milestone, and remaining objects in the correct sequence.
• Run test imports (dry runs) to validate created/updated/skipped counts before committing live loads.

Validation, Reconciliation & Handover

• Reconcile record counts and spot-check field-level accuracy against source; confirm no duplicate profiles were created and historic data was not overwritten.
• Document the migration: mappings used, transformations applied, decisions, exceptions, and a repeatable runbook.
• Support go-live and any post-implementation backfills or re-imports to keep records current., Data assessment & migration plan per client (scope, objects, timeline, cutover approach).

Cleaned, mapped source files by object, in Element451-ready format.

Configured and executed Element451 import tasks with test-import evidence.

Reconciliation report (record counts, exceptions, duplicates resolved).

Migration runbook / documentation enabling repeatable delivery and offshore handoff.

Success Criteria

• 100% of in-scope records migrated with agreed field accuracy and zero unintended overwrites.
• No duplicate profiles created; matching rules validated.
• Historic + active data unified in a single Element451 instance per client.
• Documentation complete enough for a future offshore team to replicate.

Application Question(s):

• What’s your experience with Element451?
• Describe a data migration you owned end-to-end. What were the source and target systems, volume, and

Must-have

• 2-5 years hands-on data migration / data integration / CRM implementation experience.
• Strong data-wrangling skills: advanced Excel/Google Sheets, CSV handling, and ideally SQL and/or Python for extraction, cleaning, and transformation.
• Solid understanding of relational data models, unique identifiers, matching/de-duplication logic, and data quality principles.
• Experience mapping source data to a target system schema using field-mapping / import tools.
• Meticulous attention to detail, documentation discipline, and the judgment to catch bad data before it loads.
• Clear written and verbal English; comfortable working directly with US institutional clients.

Strongly preferred

• Direct Element451 experience, or migration experience with a comparable higher-ed CRM/SIS (Slate, Salesforce Education Cloud, Ellucian, Anthology/Campus Nexus, PeopleSoft, Workday Student).
• Higher-education admissions / enrollment / student-lifecycle domain knowledge (applications, funnel stages, test scores, sources).
• Experience building reusable import/export templates and API-based data loads.