Business Analyst III - University Advancement

Position Summary
Through strong knowledge of the organization’s technology infrastructure and specific software applications, helps the business address changes through technology. Performs all tasks to achieve an understanding of business change needs, assessing the impact of those changes, capturing, analyzing, documenting and managing requirements, and then supporting the communication and delivery of those requirements with relevant parties.
The University Advancement systems replacement project is a multi-year program designed to improve Wash U’s operational excellence and ability to make insight driven decisions focused on University Advancement activity. This includes replacement of the Alumni and Development Information System (ADIS), which is the system of record for Washington University alumni and donors, and stores biographical, relationship, transactional, research and activity data for constituents. Critical system functionality supports fundraising and engagement efforts.

Job Description

Primary Duties and Responsibilities

Analysis, Design, Execution: 

• Implements strategies for gathering, reviewing and analyzing data requirements.
• Performs requirements elicitation using techniques per plan.
• Documents requirements, establishes scope and objectives and determines strategy for evaluating requirements implementation in systems to achieve business goals.
• Facilitates and guides conversations across stakeholders of various levels of technical proficiency in order to drive decisions.
• Organizes requirements by release and other needed categories and sets up traceability matrix; articulates requirements relationships and dependencies.
• Translates and simplifies requirements for appropriate use; performs gap analysis; performs requirements analysis working with technical team.
• Prioritizes requirements working with university partners and creates conceptual prototypes and mock-ups.
• Uses business process modeling, mapping, traceability and quality management techniques per methodology.
• Performs requirements management and communication; applies best practices for effective communication and problem-solving.
• Collaborates with project management to obtain requirements approvals per project plan; facilitates go/no go decisions.
• Validates requirements throughout process per plan.
• Uses requirements to drive the design or review of test cases, process change requests.
• Documents use cases based on requirements and manages user testing.
• Provides consulting to all stakeholders regarding requirements management working with Project Management.
• Independently prioritizes the completion of tasks and resolution of issues to ensure compliance to project deliverables.

Planning:

• Prepares business cases working with university partners.
• Collaborates with the Functional Lead to plan approach to requirements elicitation and methods for requirements management and communication.
• Ensures business opportunities and objectives are clearly articulated.
• Performs current state analysis and/or root cause analysis as required.
• Plans modeling techniques to be used in requirements analysis (scope, process, rule, data, interface models, etc.)
• Works with Project Manager to plan validation of requirements in managing project scope, user acceptance, installation and deployment; helps determine metrics.
• Performs feasibility analysis as required for projects.
• Coordinates planning activities to meet objectives and timelines of overall program or project; works with Project Manager to forecast required time and resources

Leadership: 

• Will take on assignments for large projects, and others as assigned.
• Monitors the technical team solution to ensure requirements fulfillment and solution evaluation.
• Leads and coordinates activities associated with requirements management vehicles.   
• Coordinates activities with other business analysts.
• Participates in recommending and implementing continuous improvement plans for business analysis.

Measurement:

• Develops requirements adoption metrics and other methods of evaluating the long-term performance of the solution.
• Reviews and monitors the effectiveness of business analysis via test results.
• Provides status reports.

Performs other duties as assigned.

Preferred Qualifications

• IIBA Certified Business Analysis Professional (CBAP) or PMI Professional in Business Analysis Certification (PMI-PBA).
• Business education.
• ITIL framework and IT product methodologies.
• Familiarity with testing techniques and software.
• Prior experience in higher education environments.
• Prior experience with Alumni/Development, Fundraising or CRM.
• Data Analysis, Integration and Database project experience.
• Business acumen coupled with technical knowledge.
• Experience working on technology and application development projects including developing technical requirements.
• Strong listening skills.
• Strong research skills with attention to detail.
• Experience developing functional and non-functional requirements.
• Excellent written and verbal communication, including technical writing skills; consultative approach.
• Understanding of systems engineering concepts.
• Ability to conduct cost/benefit analysis and business case development.
• Recognized within the organization as demonstrating expertise in business analysis methods and modeling techniques.
• Experience working closely with team members during solution development and product launch.
• Experience developing use cases.
• Experience developing data and process flows.
• Must be able to work independently and proactively.
• Excellent organizational, analytical, and independent problem solving skills.
• Demonstrated successful performance with, giving presentations to both small and large audiences, and coordinating and completing multiple tasks within established and changing deadlines.
• Ability to contribute and collaborate effectively as a member of a highly-functioning and productive team.
• Demonstrated understanding of client relationship management, process mapping and improvement, project management, and production support.
• Proven ability to provide business analysis for large scope project teams to meet customer expectations.
• Demonstrated understanding of business analyst tools and techniques; demonstrated proficiency using MS Office and Visio tools.

Required Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree in computer science, information technology or comparable discipline plus four years of relevant experience analyzing business processes and data, or equivalent combination of experience, certification and education.

Grade
G13

Salary Range
$63,900.00 - $109,100.00 / Annually

The salary range reflects base salaries paid for positions in a given job grade across the University. Individual rates within the range will be determined by factors including one's qualifications and performance, equity with others in the department, market rates for positions within the same grade and department budget.

Pre-Employment Screening
All external candidates receiving an offer for employment will be required to submit to pre-employment screening for this position. The screenings will include criminal background check and, as applicable for the position, other background checks, drug screen, an employment and education or licensure/certification verification, physical examination, certain vaccinations and/or governmental registry checks. All offers are contingent upon successful completion of required screening.

Benefits Statement
Washington University in St. Louis is committed to providing a comprehensive and competitive benefits package to our employees. Benefits eligibility is subject to employment status, full-time equivalent (FTE) workload, and weekly standard hours. Please visit our website at https://hr.wustl.edu/benefits/ to view a summary of benefits.

EEO/AA Statement
Washington University in St. Louis is committed to the principles and practices of equal employment opportunity and especially encourages applications by those from underrepresented groups. It is the University’s policy to provide equal opportunity and access to persons in all job titles without regard to race, ethnicity, color, national origin, age, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, protected veteran status, or genetic information.

Diversity Statement
Washington University is dedicated to building a diverse community of individuals who are committed to contributing to an inclusive environment – fostering respect for all and welcoming individuals from diverse backgrounds, experiences and perspectives. Individuals with a commitment to these values are encouraged to apply.

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