Job Description

Posting number: 54906

Department: Alaska Commission on Postsecondary Education

Division: Information Support Services

Job classification: BUSINESS LEAD/ANALYST 3

Posting type: Open

Categories: Project Management, Higher Education, Business, Office and Administrative Support, Database Administration, Financial Aid & Services

The Alaska Commission on Postsecondary Education (ACPE) is seeking a professional who, as part of a dedicated Information Technology Team, can work independently, as well as, lead project teams within a group setting to implement business process systems and technical initiatives.

Business Analyst’s provide support and serve as liaison between technical staff, management, end-users and outside contractors on agency projects. Duties include project management, project and systems documentation following established project methodology, business system design, process and systems testing and troubleshooting.

Why Join Our Team:

Mission: ACPE provides sustainable solutions for college, career and technical training. We are a collaborative team that supports one another. We actively support and model ACPE’s values: Service, Innovation, Empowerment, Quality, and Accountability For more information about ACPE, our mission and our services, visit our website at: http://acpe.alaska.gov

Culture: We value continuous learning and growth. ACPE is the State’s postsecondary education agency, promoting access to, and success in, education and career training after high school. We are Alaska’s trusted higher education agency; our purpose is to serve Alaskans. We operate with integrity in everything we do.

Professional Growth: We support training for employees and have opportunities for upward mobility. ACPE seeks engaged candidates who are eager to expand their knowledge and skills. We are committed to providing the training and support needed for the right candidate to succeed.

Office Location: This position is located in Juneau or Anchorage. ACPE’s Juneau office is located in the Vintage Business Park area of Mendenhall Valley, and our Anchorage office located on Bragaw Street near Northern Lights. Both locations are conveniently close to public transportation and have ample parking available.

Flexible/Hybrid Work Schedule This position offers a flexible/hybrid work schedule. However, during the probationary period, employees are required to work full-time, in person, at the Juneau or Anchorage office, Monday through Friday. For more information, please review the State of Alaska Telework Policy.

Upon successfully completing the probationary period, employees become eligible to telework from Juneau or Anchorage, AK. Employees may telework up to four days per week and work in-person at the Juneau or Anchorage office one day per week. Currently, all staff work in-office on Wednesday; this schedule may change based on agency needs, operational needs, special projects, meetings, or other job responsibilities that may require employees to work in the office more frequently. Employees should be prepared to report to the office as needed.

Benefits: As a State of Alaska employee, you may be eligible for a comprehensive benefits package. Actual benefits vary based on bargaining unit, position type, and full – or part-time status.

For complete information about insurance, retirement, and leave benefits, visit the State of Alaska Division of Retirement and Benefits website.

Insurance Benefits:
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance with employer contributions
• Employer-paid Basic Life Insurance (additional optional coverage may be available)
• Optional insurance plans, including long- and short-term disability, accidental death and dismemberment (AD&D), long-term care, and supplemental survivor benefits
• Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs) for eligible health care or dependent care expenses

Retirement Benefits:
• Membership in the Public Employees’ Retirement System (PERS) or Teachers’ Retirement System (TRS), as applicable
• Employer contributions to defined benefit or defined contribution retirement plans, depending on date of hire
• Contributions to the Alaska Supplemental Annuity in lieu of Social Security
• Optional participation in the Alaska Deferred Compensation Program

Paid Leave and Other Benefits:
• Personal leave that increases with years of service
• Twelve paid State holidays each year

What You’ll Do:

• Serve as business liaison and project manager between technical programming staff, business users and outside contractors to communicate project scope, design and implementation requirements when working on agency projects and initiatives.
• Develop test plans for testing of business software enhancements, locate appropriate cross sections of test accounts, perform testing regimens, analyze results, submit problem reports and communicate information and recommendations to management and staff.
• Provide answers and recommendations on system related inquiries from ACPE staff. Including report creation and data analytics.
• Provide and create reports and data analytics to ACPE staff and stakeholders.
• Analyze and research problem reports and work directly with internal programmers and other contractors on resolving reported issues.
• Develop concise project documentation as specified in Project Methodology procedures when servicing as Business Analyst lead on agency projects.
• Provide agency-wide SharePoint implementation and section support by performing site design, site development, site maintenance and user testing.
• Update and maintain ISS web-based problem tracking application and performs other duties as may be assigned.

What We’re Looking For – Desired Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

Knowledge:

• Working knowledge of computer information systems, Microsoft Office Suite including Word, Excel, Visio, Outlook, Teams
• Experience with SharePoint sites, lists, and libraries preferred
• Understanding of student loan servicing, grants and scholarship processing
• Data processing concepts
• Data analytics and report creation concepts
• Project management procedures
• Continuous improvement protocols such as LEAN methodology

Skills:

• Communicating effectively, both verbally and in writing, with highly technical content
• Working with detailed requirements and analyzing complex problems
• Establishing and maintaining effective working relationships with staff and utilizing problem resolution techniques

Abilities:

• Work with system users from a variety of positions and levels of authority
• Work effectively under stress to meet deadlines
• Coordinate multiple tasks
• Perform as part of a team
• Demonstrate good judgement, analytical skills, and make independent decisions
• Lead group discussions and presentations
• Provide training to a range of user proficiencies
• Analyze and evaluate oral and written documentation, reason logically, identify relationships, and formulate credible conclusions

• Effectively perform project lead duties in connection with projects of varying scope

Examples of duties

• Business Analyst: A minimum of 3 years work experience utilizing analytic skills AND at least 1 year of detailed work experience in technical or business process project methodology AND possess working level skills with MS Excel, MS Word, MS SharePoint, flowcharting software and reporting software. Competency to lead cross divisional projects.
  
• Advanced Business Analyst: A minimum of 6 years work experience utilizing analytical skills AND at least 3 years of detailed work experience in technical project methodology AND possess working level skills with MS Excel, MS Word, MS SharePoint, flowcharting software and reporting software. Competency to independently lead multiple complex cross divisional project teams.
  
  
  1. Preference will be given to experience in a loan/grant/scholarship serving environment.
     

• Substitution/Education for Business Analyst: A bachelor’s degree from an accredited college in business administration or management, computer science or information systems, or finance economics or statistics, may be substituted for the required years of analytical skills experience OR Proof of self-learning, independent skill building, and online courses, may be substitute for related experience if shown core competencies can meet the essential duties of the job for the position.

Qualifications

Other Information:

This is a fully exempt job class under AS 39.25.110(11).

Additional Required Information:

• Cover Letter: highlight your knowledge, skills and abilities as they relate to the key responsibilities and desired traits in the job description above. If you do not address these you may not advance to the next step of the selection process. Please attached the cover letter to your application before submitting it online.
• Transcripts: if being used as substitution for work experience.
• Proof of self-learning: if being used as a substitute for work experience.

Education: If postsecondary education is being used to meet minimum qualifications, you must complete the Education and Training section of the application and attach your transcripts to your application. If you have not obtained a degree, please indicate the number of credit hours earned in the “Degrees Obtained” field.

Special Instructions for Foreign Education: Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the above requirements, if applicable. If utilizing this education you must show that the education credentials have been submitted to a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign educational credentials and that such education has been deemed to be at least equivalent to that gained in conventional U.S. education programs; or an accredited U.S. state university reports the other institution as one whose transcript is given full value, or full value is given in subject areas applicable to the curricula at the state university.

It is your responsibility to provide such evidence when applying.

Interview:
Applicants invited for an interview will be required to provide the following at the time of the interview:

• List of three (3) professional references including current daytime phone numbers.
• Copies of your two (2) most recent performance evaluations. Letters of reference may be substituted for evaluations.

THIS RECRUITMENT IS FOR ALASKA RESIDENTS ONLY

This recruitment is open to Alaska Residents only. Applicants must meet Alaska Residency Requirements to be considered for employment at this time.

Special Notice: Please Read Carefully.

An applicant’s response to the minimum qualification question must be supported by the job application.

This position is established as a flexibly-staffed exempt position range 16/18.

This position is in the exempt service; therefore, it is not covered by the terms of a collective bargaining agreement. As a result, ACPE may choose to fill this position as soon as a qualified applicant is identified. While ACPE is in the Department of Education and Early Development for administrative support services only, the Commission and its staff are not subject to the direction of the Commissioner of Education and Early Development nor the State Board of Education.

Applicants with an educational loan through the Commission must be current in payments to be considered for employment. A routine background check will be conducted on those applicants interviewed and under serious consideration for the position.

EEO Statement:

The State of Alaska complies with Title 1 of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Individuals with disabilities, who require accommodation, auxiliary aides or services, or alternative communication formats, please call 1-800-587-0430 or 465-4095 in Juneau or 907-465-3412(TTY) or correspond with the Division of Personnel & Labor Relations at P.O. Box 110201, Juneau, AK 99811-0201. The State of Alaska is an equal-opportunity employer.

Supplemental information

WORKPLACE ALASKA APPLICATION QUESTIONS & ASSISTANCE
Questions regarding application submission or system operation errors should be directed to the Workplace Alaska hotline at 1-800-587-0430 (toll free) or (907) 465-4095 if you are located in the Juneau area. Requests for information may also be emailed to recruitment.services@alaska.gov.For applicant password assistance please visit: https://www.governmentjobs.com/OnlineApplication/User/ResetPassword

Or call: 855-524-5627

For specific information about this position, please contact the hiring manager at the following:

Jamie Matheson, Director of Information Support Services

Jamie.matheson@alaska.gov

Or

Stephan Felkl, Business Analyst Officer

stephan.felkl@alaska.gov