Strategic Business Analyst

University of Colorado; Boulder (CO); Hybrid; USD 70,000 - 86,000; Full time

Job summary

The Enrollment Management division at CU Boulder is seeking a Strategic Business Analyst to join the Enrollment Management Strategy & Solutions team. This role acts as a bridge between EM and technical teams, documenting requirements and ensuring solutions align with Student Financial Services priorities.

Reporting to the Director of Strategic Initiatives with a dotted line to the Director of Customer Experience, this position emphasizes process improvement, system integration, and clear,

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree from an accredited institution or equivalent professional experience.
• 3+ years minimum experience in business analysis, requirements facilitation, business process analysis, or related roles.
• Demonstrated CRM expertise, including experience supporting implementation and integration initiatives and translating business requirements into solutions aligned with Salesforce capabilities and constraints.
• Experience supporting business processes in an enterprise system environment (e.g., CRM, data/BI, workflow tools).

Responsibilities

• Requirements Analysis & Business Process Support: gather, clarify, and document business needs across EM; develop and maintain process documentation; translate needs into actionable requirements and acceptance criteria; support testing activities; collaborate with technical partners; document current and future state processes.
• Project & Operational Support: contribute to multiple projects; report progress via Asana/Smartsheet; align projects with business objectives; participate in planning discussions; build relationships across EM and SFS; translate evolving workflows into system/reporting needs.
• Professional Development: maintain knowledge of business analysis practices and enterprise systems; participate in training and knowledge sharing.

Skills

Collaboration & Facilitation

Customer-Centered Mindset

Analytical Thinking

Clear Communication

Business Process Analysis

Constituent Engagement

CRM & Systems Knowledge

Inclusive Design

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

Salesforce

Asana

Smartsheet

Job description

Requisition Number: 75669

Location: Boulder, Colorado

City: Boulder

State: Colorado

Employment Type: University Staff

Schedule: Full-Time

Posting Close Date: 01-Nov-2026

Date Posted: 23-Oct-2026

Job Summary

The Enrollment Management division at CU Boulder is seeking a Strategic Business Analyst to join the Enrollment Management Strategy & Solutions team! This position plays a key role in supporting process improvement work for the division, while serving as a primary liaison to Student Financial Services. Reporting to the Enrollment Management Strategy & Solutions team, this role will work closely with collaborators throughout Enrollment Management to maintain organized and timely project delivery. This role will serve in a critical role in synthesizing complex input, producing clear and actionable documentation, and mapping business processes that deliver effective solutions across key systems such as case management platforms, CRM tools, reporting and analytic environments, and system integrations.

Enrollment Management Strategy & Solutions is part of the Enrollment Management division and is responsible for leading critical initiatives and increasing operational efficiencies across the Enrollment Management division through centralized process improvement, championing transformational change, and fostering a culture of innovation for new ideas and processes that advances the division forward. Under the guidance of the Vice Chancellor for Enrollment Management, this unit provides vision, support, and operational oversight by leading cross functional projects and initiatives to ensure alignment with division and institutional goals.

This full-time position reports to the Director of Strategic Initiatives and has a dotted line supervisory relationship to the Director of Customer Experience. This role is responsible for developing a strong technical understanding of workflows. It includes identifying areas for improvement and making sure technical solutions remain compliant and aligned with key strategic priorities.

The Strategic Business Analyst serves as a critical bridge between Enrollment Management (EM) functional areas and technical teams, ensuring that business needs are clearly understood, documented, and translated into actionable requirements. This role provides division-wide business analysis support for technology, process improvement, and service delivery initiatives, with a critical focus on Student Financial Services (SFS). This role brings essential context that strengthens requirements clarity and ensures solutions align with the student experience.

This is a 3-year limited-term position.

CU is an Equal Opportunity Employer and complies with all applicable federal, state, and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment. We are committed to creating a workplace where all individuals are treated with respect and dignity, and we encourage individuals from all backgrounds to apply, including protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.

Who We Are

As one of only 35 U.S. public research institutions in the Association of American Universities (AAU), CU Boulder is about realizing the positive impacts of new knowledge.

From offering dozens of exciting programs in a range of academic fields, to serving as one of the world's most dynamic research and innovation hubs, to working closely through hundreds of public outreach efforts with communities across Colorado and the world, we take pride in helping our students, faculty, staff, and partners turn new insights into productive outcomes that change lives.

What Your Key Responsibilities Will Be

Requirements Analysis & Business Process Support

• Support constituent discovery sessions with supervisor to gather, clarify, and document business needs across EM.
• Develop and maintain business process documentation, including process flows and basic swim lane diagrams.
• Assist in synthesizing constituent input into clear, organized requirements.
• Translate business needs into actionable requirements and acceptance criteria for technical teams.
• Provide consultation on other EMSS projects as needed, offering guidance on process improvement elements.
• Document current and future state processes to assist leadership with identifying gaps and opportunities for improvement.
• Serve as a liaison between functional teams and technical partners to support solution development.
• Support testing activities, including drafting test scenarios and assisting user acceptance testing (UAT).
• Apply a working understanding of SFS operations, including financial aid, billing, and scholarships, to ensure requirements reflect functional and compliance needs.
• Collaborate with teams working in systems such as CRM platforms, case management tools, and reporting environments to align business processes with system capabilities.

Project & Operational Support

• Contribute to multiple projects and initiatives within EM and SFS with direction from the Director of Customer Experience and Director of Strategic Initiatives.
• Reports on project timeline and success through project management software including Asana and Smartsheet.
• Support alignment of projects with business objectives and customer experience goals.
• Participate in EM & campus partner meetings, planning discussions, and implementation efforts as needed.
• Build collaborative relationships across EM and SFS to support process improvements and system enhancements.
• Partner with functional leads to understand evolving workflows and translate them into system and reporting needs.

Professional Development

• Maintain working knowledge of business analysis practices, process mapping, and relevant enterprise systems.
• Participate in training, workshops, and knowledge-sharing opportunities to build skills and stay current with best practices.

What You Should Know

• This is a three-year limited term position with a hybrid work modality.

What We Can Offer

• The annual salary for this position is $78,100.

Benefits

At the University of Colorado Boulder, we are committed to supporting the holistic health and well-being of our employees. Our comprehensive benefits package includes medical, dental, and retirement plans; generous paid time off; tuition assistance for you and your dependents; and an ECO Pass for local transit. As one of Boulder County's largest employers, CU Boulder offers an inspiring academic community and access to world-class outdoor recreation. In fact, CU Boulder has been named one of Forbes' America's Best Large Employers, ranking #4 among large employers in Colorado and #28 among universities nationwide. Explore additional perks and programs through the CU Advantage program.

Be Statements

Be challenged. Be visionary. Be Boulder.

What We Require

• Bachelor's degree from an accredited institution or equivalent professional experience (experience may substitute year for year).
• 3 plus years minimum experience in business analysis, requirements facilitation, business process analysis, or related roles, including:
  • Documenting business processes
  • Gathering and synthesizing requirements
  • Creating business cases and functional specifications
  • Writing test plans and acceptance criteria
  • Analyzing and troubleshooting system issues
• Demonstrated CRM expertise, including experience supporting implementation and integration initiatives and translating business requirements into solutions aligned with Salesforce capabilities and constraints.
• Experience supporting business processes in an enterprise system environment (e.g., CRM, data/BI, workflow tools).

What You Will Need

Core Competencies

• Collaboration & Facilitation: Ability to lead inclusive, outcome-focused constituent sessions and work effectively across teams.
• Customer-Centered Mindset: Strong understanding of the customer experience, with the ability to align processes and solutions to improve service delivery.
• Analytical Thinking: Ability to synthesize complex or ambiguous information into clear, organized requirements.
• Clear Communication: Ability to produce concise, actionable documentation for both technical and non-technical audiences.
• Business Process Analysis: Ability to document current and future state workflows and identify gaps within Student Financial Services operations.
• Constituent Engagement: Ability to build trust, navigate competing priorities, and support alignment across functional areas.
• CRM & Systems Knowledge: Required experience with Salesforce; familiarity with other CRM or case management platforms is a plus.
• Inclusive Design: Cultivate an inclusive environment that enhances the success and inclusion of all students, staff, and faculty.

Secondary Competencies:

• Project & Agile Practices: Working knowledge of project management principles and Agile concepts (e.g., user stories, iterative development).
• Testing & Quality Support: Experience supporting application testing, including developing basic test scenarios and acceptance criteria.
• Data Awareness: Ability to interpret data to identify trends, issues, and inform decisions.
• Adaptability in Complex Environments: Ability to manage work across multiple priorities within a dynamic, cross-functional organization.
• SFS Operational Knowledge: Working understanding of financial aid, billing, scholarships, or related student financial services processes.

What We Would Like You to Have

• Experienced in Salesforce CRM.
• 5 plus years of proven experience in business analysis work, requirements facilitation, business process analysis, or related roles.
• Experience working in Higher Education - including roles within financial aid, bursar, or scholarship operations.
• Experience using student information systems such as PeopleSoft Campus Solutions or similar platforms.
• Experience in project management software such as Asana and Smartsheet.
• Knowledge of State of Colorado financial aid regulations and compliance considerations.
• Experience implementing or supporting enterprise systems, including CRM or case management tools.
• Familiarity with process modeling tools and methodologies.
• Professional certification (CBAP, CCBA, PMP, etc.).