Senior Data & Financial Analyst, Academic Affairs

Babson College•Wellesley, MA

59d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Senior Data & Financial Analyst, Academic Affairs is a high-impact role that shapes major academic and budgetary decisions at the highest levels of the College. Working in close partnership with senior leadership, faculty, and cross-campus data experts, the Senior Data & Financial Analyst plays a pivotal role in advancing strategic planning and institutional governance; designs data and finance practices, and influences policy and resource allocation that will strengthen Babson’s mission for years to come. Specifically responsible for blending institutional research, academic operations insight, and financial modeling, to empower data-informed decision-making across the College; working closely with the Assistant Dean of Accreditation, Director of Institutional Research, and Dean of Faculty’s Office as a cross functional team; engaging with the Provost/Executive Vice President, Dean of Faculty, Chief Financial Officer/Executive Vice President, Deans, Chairs, and other key institutional stakeholders; serving as the central hub for Academic Affairs information; acting as the designated custodian and data authority, ensuring leadership relies on accurate, transparent, and strategically aligned insights; and participating in institutional planning, resource forecasting, financial oversight, and regulatory compliance, as well as leading the preparation of data for high-profile internal and external reports such as the Fact Book, AACSB, AAUP, IPEDS, and rankings submissions to U.S. News & World Report and BusinessWeek.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree required
8+ years in higher education data analysis, institutional research, or academic finance, with experience in accreditation reporting.
Advanced skills in Excel (pivot tables, macros), data visualization (Power BI/Tableau), and ERP systems (Workday preferred).
Experience using data analysis and visualization tools such as Power BI, Tableau, Excel (advanced), SQL, and SharePoint.
Experience with IPEDS, AACSB reporting standards, and common institutional surveys.
Ability to communicate complex findings to non-technical audiences and influence decisions.
Strong financial acumen and experience with budget planning and reconciliation.
Ability to manage multiple tasks and meet deadlines in a dynamic environment.
Must have a collaborative mindset with the ability to build trust across academic, administrative, and technical teams.
High level of discretion, integrity, and commitment to data ethics and confidentiality.
Experience in higher education, including academic governance, faculty roles, and academic program structures.
Demonstrated ability to use leadership and independent judgment skills in complex data analysis and advising to support strategic growth outcomes.
Ability to envision and propose new methods to perform tasks that support ET&A; takes thoughtful risks; and accepts new and ongoing initiatives, objectives, and solutions to gain sought-after results.
Ability to anticipate and embrace change; demonstrates willingness to achieve, acquire, and utilize new skills and challenging tasks; and is flexible in changing conditions.
Must have strong computer skills, including proficiency in Google Drive/Docs and Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook/Calendar).

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree in data analytics, higher education administration, finance, or related field strongly preferred.

Responsibilities

Strategic Data Analysis & Reporting (40%) Lead the collection, validation, and integration of academic resource and faculty data (course schedules, course equivalents, and faculty releases; faculty banked courses and buyouts; AACSB faculty qualification status; faculty workload; faculty tenure, fourth-year review, contract renewal, sabbatical queue; Customized Work Pathways; and phased retirement).
Manage data integrity and reporting for faculty appointments and associated data in campus systems such as Workday, Faculty Success, Microsoft SharePoint, Edify, and others.
Develop dashboards and visualizations (Power BI, Tableau, Excel) to provide real-time insight into academic operational and financial performance.
Translate technical data into clear narratives and recommendations for senior leadership, and for presentation to the Board of Trustees and faculty committees.
Collaborate with the Director, Institutional Research, Director, Academic Affairs Administration & Finance, and the Assistant Dean of Accreditation on compliance, accreditation, and rankings reporting (AACSB, NECHE, IPEDS, AAUP, USNWR, Princeton Review, and others).
Advise academic and administrative leaders by identifying trends, interpreting analytics, and recommending evidence-based strategies aligned with institutional priorities.
Financial Analysis & Budget Support (35%) Develop and maintain complex financial models related to enrollment, course supply and demand, faculty workload, and program cost recovery in collaboration with Admissions, Academic Programs, Student Financial Aid, Registrar, and Finance.
Generate complex monthly, quarterly, and annual financial reports on budgetary performance, providing transparency and accountability, ensuring compliance with institutional policies.
Prepare multi-year projections for cost estimates and financial analyses in support of academic program development, strategic initiatives, and growth planning investments.
Assist in the planning and development of the annual budget process in collaboration with the Director, Academic Affairs Administration & Finance, including analyzing funding requests and projecting resource needs for each fiscal year.
Conduct regular reconciliations and audits of academic financial activity, including research and travel accounts, discretionary accounts, endowed/gift funds, special payouts (overloads, stipends, buyouts), and other allocations.
Leadership, Collaboration and Strategic Support (25%) Lead or contribute to institutional projects aimed at the continuous improvement of data and efficient financial operations by identifying inefficiencies, documenting workflows, and proposing improvements in systems and processes.
Serve as the Academic Affairs liaison to data teams in Enrollment Management, the Registrar’s Office, and Institutional Research to align methodologies and share insights.
Lead process improvement initiatives to strengthen data integrity, streamline reporting, and support new academic initiatives.
Responsible for responding to ad hoc research and data analysis requests related to Academic Affairs strategy, operations, or policy changes.
Uphold best practices in data governance, privacy, equity, and ethics, and stays current on institutional data security guidelines.
Assume additional responsibilities and projects as required by Academic Affairs leadership.

Benefits

Insurance Coverage: Medical, dental, vision, group life and long-term disability insurance, business travel accident insurance, and mental health benefits.
Time Off: Starting at 3 weeks of vacation annually, 2 weeks of sick time, 1 week of paid family illness time, 6 weeks of paid parental leave, and 12 paid holidays per year. President’s holidays are determined each year.
Retirement: Participation in a 403(b) retirement plan with mandatory employee contributions and a 4:1 employer match.
Additional Benefits: Wellbeing programs, virtual fitness platform, and employee assistance program.

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