Financial Modeling & BI Analyst (Open Rank)

University of Colorado•Aurora, CO

1d•Hybrid

About The Position

We are seeking a highly analytical professional with strong problem-solving skills and an interest in financial systems, planning, and data analytics. The University will provide a structured development path that includes Anaplan training, certification support, mentorship, and exposure to enterprise planning initiatives. The Financial Modeling & BI Analyst role serves as a professional partner to the Budget, Planning, and Campus Strategy department, the School of Medicine (SOM), and the Executive Vice Chancellor’s Office by designing and delivering scalable Anaplan planning models. This position leads the development and support of complex, multi-dimensional models that integrate data from Oracle PeopleSoft, clinical providers, and other enterprise systems to enable informed planning, policy decisions, and operational improvements. Working closely with the Director of Business Optimization & Insights, the role also supports recurring and ad hoc analytical requests related to cross-functional initiatives and executive-level priorities. This position supports Anaplan operations for the School of Medicine and serves as a key contributor within the Anaplan Center of Excellence (CoE). The role assists in the development of workflows, coordinates and leads Anaplan-related initiatives, and oversees data collaboration across the School of Medicine and the broader institution. Responsibilities include ensuring adherence to established governance, compliance standards, and Anaplan best practices in support of enterprise transformation efforts. This role acts as an Anaplan model builder with primary responsibility for independently managing School of Medicine Anaplan models, including (but not limited to) FTE Effort Reporting, GAP Analysis, Funds Flow Reconciliation, Commitments, structured around financial drivers, scenarios, and organizational hierarchies. The position is accountable for the ongoing accuracy, scalability, and usability of these models. To be successful in this role, the incumbent must rapidly develop a deep understanding of data structures and source systems across campus and clinical environments; build strong relationships with campus and clinical partners; and support those partners in evaluating requirements, processes, and procedures related to effective data collection and management. Anaplan is the primary enterprise platform supported by this role. If the incumbent is not currently Anaplan-certified, a formal certification path will be provided, with the expectation of achieving Anaplan Solution Architect certification within the first year of employment. At the principal level, this role will operate as a project lead and campus-wide financial modeling and business intelligence subject matter expert.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution in Computer Science, Data Science, Information Technology, Business Administration, Finance, Mathematics, Statistics, or a related field. Substitution: A combination of education and related technical, military, or paraprofessional experience may be substituted for a bachelor’s degree on a year-for-year basis.
Two (2) years of professional experience in Business Data Analytics, Financial Planning & Analysis, Enterprise Performance Management (EPM), or a related analytical or systems role (Senior Level).
Three (3) years of professional experience in Business Data Analytics, Financial Planning & Analysis, Enterprise Performance Management (EPM), or a related analytical or systems role (Principal Level).
Substitution: An advanced degree (Master’s or Doctorate) in a field directly related to the work assignment may be substituted for experience on a year-for-year basis.
Experience using SQL and business intelligence / analytics tools (e.g., Power BI, Tableau, or similar).
Applicants must meet minimum qualifications at the time of hire.
Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States without requiring sponsorship.
If the incumbent is not certified in Anaplan, there will be a certification path to become Anaplan Solution Architect certified in the 1st year of employment.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree and/or equivalent experience in a relevant discipline such as Data Science, Business Analytics, Computer Science, Information Technology, Finance, Economics, Mathematics, or Statistics.
Experience building multi-dimensional financial models in a modern enterprise planning platform (e.g., Anaplan or similar).
Anaplan Model Builder certification.
Experience supporting Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A) and/or Human Resources functions.
Experience using Python or similar scripting tools for data preparation, automation, or analysis.
Proven ability to translate complex business questions into structured financial models, analyses, and decision-ready insights.
Working knowledge in Financial Planning & Analysis and Human Resources.
Familiarity with best practices for data integrity, analysis, visualization, and security.
Strong understanding of data structures, relationships and data manipulation.
Ability to be self-sufficient understanding and documenting business requirements then translating them into a technology solution.
Highly motivated problem solver that is a tenacious learner, intellectually curious, and excited about learning new technologies.
Strong business analytical skills and a strong aptitude for multi-dimensional modeling tools
Proficiency in data analysis and visualization tools like Power BI, Tableau, SQL, and Python.
Proficiency in statistical concepts and methodologies
Demonstrated ability to work as part of a team in a collaborative environment, build consensus and promote the exchange of information.
Ability to understand the basic workings of databases and data flow.
Creative problem-solver with a passion for identifying needs and proposing solutions.
Ability to manage workload autonomously, work with many constituents, juggle multiple competing tasks, and set priorities to achieve results.
Ability to work under tight/changing deadlines.
Ability to learn new software and systems quickly and independently.
Strong verbal, written communication, and presentation skills.

Responsibilities

Design, build, and maintain multi-dimensional financial models in Anaplan, incorporating time, versions, scenarios, and organizational hierarchies.
Recommend and implement improvements to processes and workflows to ensure data integrity, model performance, and readiness prior to publishing Anaplan models for the School of Medicine.
Serve as the primary point of contact for School of Medicine Anaplan model requests and ongoing support, including FTE Effort Reporting, GAP Analysis, Funds Flow Reconciliation, and Commitments.
Act as an Anaplan model builder for campus-wide models, including All Funds Budgeting, Salary Setting, Mid-Year Salary Setting, Tuition Revenue, and Administration models.
Translate existing solutions, spreadsheets, and complex business problems into scalable, maintainable Anaplan multi-dimensional models.
Conduct comprehensive testing, validation, and troubleshooting to identify and resolve model issues and ensure accuracy and usability.
Apply Anaplan best practices related to sparse vs. dense dimensional design to balance flexibility, performance, and long-term maintainability.
Monitor Anaplan product updates and enhancements, incorporating new functionality into existing models where appropriate and beneficial.
Collaborate with campus units and the Director of Business Optimization & Insights to develop sustainable systems, governance mechanisms, and procedures for tracking institutional data in support of strategic objectives.
Operate as a subject matter expert in the areas of project management, end-user requirement gathering, process improvement, and data analysis, modeling and visualization (Principal Level).
Influence campus or department decision making, processes and policies by providing expert consultation and data substantiated recommendations to leadership and campus stakeholders (Principal Level).
Write and optimize SQL queries across enterprise data platforms, including Oracle, MS SQL Server, and Snowflake, involving large relational joins, analytical functions (e.g., window functions, CTEs, subqueries), and performance tuning.
Troubleshoot and support ETL processes, data flows, and system dependencies, ensuring reliability and consistency across source systems.
Validate and reconcile data to ensure data quality, accuracy, and alignment with financial and operational models.
Present and visualize quantitative and qualitative data related to the School of Medicine’s key mission areas, supporting executive and stakeholder decision-making.
Analyze business and technical requirements and implement assigned development tasks using appropriate tools and technologies.
Utilize Python or similar tools to support data preparation, automation, and efficiency improvements as appropriate.
Operates as a technical expert; write and optimize more complex SQL queries and ETL processes and flows (Principal Level).
Use expertise to provide comprehensive data analysis and translate complex findings into approachable insights for university leadership and stakeholders (Principal Level).