Research Administration Business Analysis Specialist

University of Arkansas System • Fayetteville, AR

3d

About The Position

The Research Administration Business Analysis Specialist configures and continuously improves the University of Arkansas’s research administration software-as-a-service (SaaS) suite. The position applies an in-depth understanding of research business processes, workflows, and user needs to configure forms, routing, approvals, notifications, and reporting in line with institutional requirements and effective research administration practices. The suite supports pre-award, award management, and research compliance.

During the initial two-year implementation, the specialist supports process design, configuration, testing, and adoption, including the transition from Streamlyne. The specialist works with ITS partners to coordinate interfaces, data conversion, and other technical requirements. As modules enter use, the role shifts toward ongoing configuration and continuous improvement. The specialist partners with the Senior Business Analyst, who leads broader process analysis and requirements development, and with functional units, which set priorities and approve business outcomes. The specialist translates agreed requirements into configurations, validates results with users, and refines processes over time.

Regular, reliable, and non-disruptive attendance and the ability to create and maintain collegial, harmonious working relationships are essential job duties.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution; applicable equivalencies may be considered.
• At least five years of progressively responsible experience in business analysis, research administration, business process improvement, or functional support of enterprise business applications.
• Experience translating business needs into documented requirements, workflows, application configurations, user acceptance tests, or operating procedures.
• Experience working with functional offices and end users to analyze problems, improve processes, and support adoption of new practices or business applications.
• Experience handling confidential or sensitive information and applying institutional policies and business controls.
• Skill in eliciting requirements, mapping workflows, evaluating configuration choices, and translating business needs into effective application use.
• Skill in facilitating discussions, explaining processes clearly, documenting decisions, and building agreement among stakeholders.
• Ability to balance implementation activities, ongoing user needs, and prioritized improvements while exercising sound judgment with sensitive information.
• Ability to develop an in-depth understanding of research administration processes, policy requirements, and faculty and staff needs.
• Ability to identify root causes, assess effects of proposed changes across functional units, and measure whether improvements achieve intended outcomes.

Nice To Haves

• Experience with electronic research administration systems in higher education, including Streamlyne or a comparable suite.
• Experience with sponsored research processes across pre-award, award setup and management, subawards, and research compliance.
• Experience configuring a SaaS business application using vendor-provided tools, including forms, workflow routing, approvals, notifications, and reports.
• Experience partnering with a senior business analyst and functional owners on implementation, user acceptance testing, and ongoing process improvement.
• Experience developing training and user guidance, analyzing research administration data, or working with award and financial information in Workday or a comparable system.

Responsibilities

• Configure and continuously improve the university’s research administration SaaS suite using vendor-provided configuration tools.
• Align forms, routing, approvals, notifications, and reporting with institutional requirements and effective research administration practices.
• Support process design, configuration, testing, and adoption during the initial two-year implementation.
• Support the transition from Streamlyne and coordinate interfaces, data conversion, and other technical requirements with ITS partners.
• Translate agreed requirements into practical application configurations.
• Validate configurations with users and refine processes over time.
• Partner with the Senior Business Analyst and functional units on implementation and ongoing improvement.
• Maintain regular, reliable, and non-disruptive attendance and collegial working relationships.

Benefits

• University contributions to health, dental, life, and disability insurance.
• Tuition waivers for employees and their families.
• 12 official holidays.
• Immediate leave accrual.
• Choice of retirement programs with university contributions ranging from 5 to 10% of employee salary.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level