Senior Business Analyst for Faculty Activities (Hybrid Opportunity)

About UMass Amherst

The flagship of the Commonwealth, the University of Massachusetts Amherst is a nationally ranked public land-grant research university that seeks to expand educational access, fuel innovation and creativity, and share and use its knowledge for the common good. Founded in 1863, UMass Amherst sits on nearly 1,450-acres in scenic Western Massachusetts and boasts state-of-the-art facilities for teaching, research, scholarship, and creative activity. The institution advances a diverse, equitable, and inclusive community where everyone feels connected and valued—and thrives, and offers a full range of undergraduate, graduate and professional degrees across 10 schools and colleges, and 100 undergraduate majors. We believe every member of our university community can contribute to our ongoing success by striving for the highest level of excellence as we seek breakthrough solutions to mounting environmental, social, economic, and technological challenges in our world. 

 

Job Summary

The Senior Business Analyst for Faculty Activities provides functional and strategic support for Watermark Faculty Success and associated systems and processes. This position plays a critical role in supporting faculty data management, reporting, and system administration for Academic Affairs. Reporting to the Associate Provost of Analytics and Assessment, the Analyst works collaboratively with University Information Technology, Academic Human Resources, the Office of Faculty Development, and other campus partners to ensure that faculty activity systems are optimized to meet institutional needs.

 

Essential Functions

• Performs business analysis and functional oversight of Watermark Faculty Success and associated faculty activity systems to support institutional needs, data integrity, and reporting capabilities.
• Gathers, analyzes, and documents business requirements, current and future workflows, and system specifications. Partners with stakeholders to recommend and implement process improvements.
• Coordinates and executes testing of new features, data elements, and system upgrades to ensure alignment with UMass Amherst’s operational and strategic objectives. Engages faculty, librarians, and staff to validate functionality and reporting accuracy.
• Works with clients throughout the development lifecycle to ensure business requirements are met, including usability testing, user feedback collection, reporting needs, data quality assurance, and documentation of outcomes.
• Collaborates with technical leads and developers to design and maintain scalable, supportable technical solutions aligned with university IT standards.
• Develops and maintains comprehensive system documentation, including setup specifications, interface definitions, business logic, and training materials to ensure continuity and effective onboarding.
• Serves as the primary support contact for users of Watermark Faculty Success, addressing Tier 1 issues directly and escalating more complex issues to IT or the vendor as needed.
• Supports the exploration, planning, and potential implementation of additional modules within Watermark Faculty Success, such as teaching evaluations, workflow, and curriculum management. May serve as a functional lead or collaborator for these areas, ensuring alignment with institutional priorities and integration with existing academic data systems.
• Collaborates with training and communications teams to ensure users are informed and supported. Develops training content, leads workshops, updates user guidance, and coordinates stakeholder communications.
• Develops standard reports and defines business requirements for advanced reporting in collaboration with University Analytics and Institutional Research (UAIR).
• Participates in broader assessment and planning processes related to faculty data, including reviews of appointment, promotion, tenure, and teaching evaluations.
• Provides leadership on change management, ensuring users are informed and engaged through effective communication and support strategies.
• Mentors, trains, and supports junior analysts and staff, contributing to capacity building and institutional knowledge.

 

Other Functions

• Understands long-term campus and departmental strategic objectives and recommends processes and technologies to meet those objectives, introducing innovation to business processes through technology when appropriate.
• Performs related duties as assigned or required to meet departmental and university goals.

 

Minimum Qualifications (Knowledge, Skills, Abilities, Education, Experience, Certifications, Licensure)