Business Analyst

Rice University•Houston, TX

23h•Hybrid

About The Position

Under the direction of the Senior Director of Business Analytics, the Business Analyst supports Development and Alumni Relations (DAR) by delivering reporting, dashboards, analytics, and business intelligence solutions that advance fundraising, donor engagement, prospect management, and campaign performance. The role partners with business stakeholders to translate operational needs into data-driven insights, analyze trends and performance metrics, develop forecasts, and support strategic decision-making. This position also promotes data quality, KPI governance, and the effective use of analytics tools, including emerging AI-enabled technologies, while ensuring compliance with university data governance and security standards.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree with an emphasis in Data Analytics, Statistics, Mathematics, Computer Science, Information Systems, Business Analytics, Finance, or a related field
2+ years of experience in business intelligence, data analytics, reporting, statistical analysis, or a related field
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
Strong written, verbal, and presentation communication skills
Ability to communicate technical concepts to non-technical audiences
Strong organizational and time-management skills
Attention to detail and accuracy
Ability to manage multiple priorities and projects
Ability to work collaboratively across departments
Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite

Nice To Haves

3+ years of related experience as described above
Experience in higher education, healthcare, nonprofit, or advancement organizations
Experience with data visualization tools such as Tableau or Power BI
Experience working with CRM systems, preferably Blackbaud CRM
Strong SQL skills and experience querying relational databases (Microsoft SQL Server, Oracle, or similar)
Experience developing dashboards, KPIs, and performance metrics
Knowledge of fundraising operations, advancement services, or prospect development
Experience working with data warehouses and business intelligence platforms
Familiarity with AI-enabled analytics tools and automation technologies

Responsibilities

Develops, maintains, and enhances dashboards, reports, visualizations, and analytics solutions that support fundraising, donor engagement, prospect management, and campaign strategy.
Partners with stakeholders to gather business requirements and translate them into actionable reporting, analytics, and business intelligence solutions.
Analyzes fundraising, constituent, portfolio, campaign, and engagement data to identify trends, measure performance, develop forecasts, and support strategic decision-making.
Defines, develops, and maintains key performance indicators (KPIs), reporting standards, business rules, and documentation to support consistent and sustainable reporting practices.
Writes SQL queries and leverages CRM, data warehouse, and business intelligence platforms to extract, validate, integrate, and analyze data from multiple sources.
Ensures data quality, accuracy, integrity, and compliance with established data governance and reporting standards.
Evaluates fundraising initiatives, portfolio performance, campaign progress, and operational effectiveness, providing data-driven recommendations for improvement.
Develops and supports self-service reporting capabilities and provides guidance to users on analytics tools and resources.
Evaluates and supports the implementation of emerging analytics technologies, including AI-enabled tools, in accordance with university policies and governance standards.
Manages multiple analytics projects and priorities while maintaining awareness of industry trends, business intelligence tools, and fundraising analytics best practices.
Performs all other duties as assigned.
Collaborates regularly with Development and Alumni Relations staff through meetings, email, Microsoft Teams, Zoom, and other communication platforms.
Participates in departmental and university committees, meetings, and professional development activities as appropriate.