Business Analyst

Rice University•United States,

2h•$80,000 - $100,000•Onsite

About The Position

The Project Management Office (PMO), a division of the Office of Technology Solutions & Services, is seeking a Business Analyst who plays a key role in enabling informed decision-making, strategic alignment, and operational efficiency for IT projects at Rice University. This position supports a structured and transparent project intake and prioritization process, working closely with university departments, governance committees, and IT teams to evaluate project proposals, assess resource needs, and align initiatives with institutional goals. The Business Analyst helps define project scope, gather and analyze requirements, build business cases, and facilitate cross-functional collaboration to ensure the successful intake, prioritization, and scheduling of IT projects. The ideal candidate is a strategic thinker with strong analytical skills and a deep understanding of how technology supports institutional goals. They are detail-oriented and organized, capable of defining complex workflows and documentation with precision. An excellent communicator, they can translate business and technical concepts for diverse audiences and foster collaboration across departments. They bring a data-driven mindset to decision-making, embrace change, and maintain a customer-centric approach to enhance service delivery and the user experience.

Requirements

Bachelor’s Degree
3+ years of experience with business case development, ROI analysis, and resource planning
Complex problem-solving skills to identify complex problems and review related information, develop and evaluate options, and implement solutions
Excellent analytical skills to arrange information or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules
Active listening skills to give full attention to what is being said, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting
Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including report preparation and presentations, to gather information and share recommendations and outcomes
Excellent critical thinking skills to use logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems
Deductive reasoning skills to apply general rules to specific problems to produce logical answers
Strong knowledge of business analysis methodologies and tools (e.g., process modeling, use case analysis, functional requirements analysis, gap analysis, impact analysis, stakeholder analysis)
Proficiency in tools such as Asana, Smartsheet, Excel, or other project/portfolio management platforms
Skills in process mapping, stakeholder facilitation, and requirements gathering
Ability to synthesize data into actionable insights and visual reports for executive audiences
Understanding of IT governance structures, escalation pathways, and committee-driven decision-making

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree or MBA highly preferred
Familiarity with higher education environments
Five (5) years of experience in business analysis and process design
Two (2) years of experience in portfolio/project definition, planning, and estimating
Experience in process design in at least 2–3 relevant business processes (HCM, P2P, Finance/Accounting, Research Administration, Capital Projects/Maintenance, Enrollment, Registration, etc.)
Six Sigma or similar process improvement experience
Experience working with or supporting IT governance, portfolio management, or project intake processes
Knowledge of change management practices

Responsibilities

Plan and manage analyses and studies of business processes, functions, organizations, and teams
Provide consultation and expert advice to supervisors, managers, and other business stakeholders on system- or process-related topics
Design and develop models and practices to support sound business decisions
Determine best practices and recommend improvements to current practices
Identify, analyze, create, and recommend solutions to improve business processes and operations
Participate in the design and modification of business and IT systems
Guide stakeholders through the intake process, ensuring well-defined scope, impacts, resource requirements, value propositions, cost ranges, and business cases
Validate proposals for completeness and alignment with strategic priorities
Elicit, document, and validate business and technical requirements
Develop process flows, use cases, and other artifacts to support solution design and implementation
Analyze workflows and identify opportunities for efficiency or automation
Support TS&S resource capacity information gathering and analysis as part of job responsibilities
Engage with subject matter experts, functional leads, and IT teams to define resource needs
Collect and analyze data to evaluate the feasibility, cost-benefit, and scheduling of proposed projects
Identify opportunities to streamline the intake and prioritization process
Gather stakeholder feedback and iterate on tools and templates (e.g., intake form, scoring matrix)
Perform all other duties as assigned