Penn State University

Business Analyst

Penn State University$72K — $122K *
US-AnywhereRemote in United States
Business Services
Less than 5 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • 5-7 years of relevant business analyst experience, ideally with Workday or comparable HRIS.
  • Strong understanding of business analysis methodologies such as Agile and Waterfall.
  • Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, particularly Excel and Visio.
  • Experience using business process modeling tools and requirements management software.
  • Familiarity with Jira or similar project management tools.

Responsibilities

  • Serve as a liaison between stakeholders and technical teams to analyze and improve processes.
  • Elicit, document, and validate business and functional requirements for Workday.
  • Develop process flows, user stories, and functional specifications as required.
  • Conduct workshops and interviews for comprehensive requirements gathering.
  • Translate complex requirements into actionable Workday configuration specifications.
  • Assist with Workday updates, testing new features and assessing impacts.
  • Identify opportunities for optimizing HR processes through Workday capabilities.

Benefits

  • Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage.
  • Robust retirement plans.
  • Substantial paid time off, including holidays and vacation.
  • 75% tuition discount for employees and eligible family members.
Full Job Description
APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS:
  • CURRENT PENN STATE EMPLOYEE (faculty, staff, technical service, or student), please to complete the. Please do not apply here, apply internally through Workday.
  • CURRENT PENN STATE STUDENT (not employed previously at the university) and seeking employment with Penn State, pleaselogin to Workday to complete the student application process. Please do not apply here, apply internally through Workday.
  • If you are NOT a current employee or student, please click “Apply” and complete .

Approval of remote and hybrid work is not guaranteed regardless of work location. For additional information on remote work at Penn State, see .


 

POSITION SPECIFICS

Penn State IT is seeking two Business Analysts to support key Workday functional areas: 

  • Workday Payroll, Benefits, Timekeeping, and Absence Team 

  • Workday Recruiting and Talent Team 

The Business Analyst serves as a strategic liaison between business stakeholders and technical teams, analyzing business needs, identifying opportunities for process improvement, and translating business requirements into effective Workday solutions. This position plays a critical role in enhancing HR technology capabilities, supporting operational excellence, and ensuring that Workday solutions align with university business objectives and compliance requirements. 

Experience supporting Workday as a business analyst is preferred. Candidates with significant business analyst experience supporting comparable enterprise HRIS platforms (e.g., Oracle HCM Cloud, SAP SuccessFactors, PeopleSoft HCM, or UKG Pro) and the ability to quickly learn new systems are encouraged to apply. 

LOCATION

Penn State IT is supportive of flexible work arrangements when aligned with the ability to meet the needs of the unit and the essential duties of the position. The location of this position is flexible and can operate fully remote within the United States (restrictions apply).  Standard working hours are in the eastern time zone. 

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES 

Business Analysis & Requirements Management 

  • Partner with Human Resources, Payroll, Benefits, Talent Acquisition, and other university stakeholders to understand business objectives, challenges, and operational needs. 

  • Elicit, document, analyze, and validate business, functional, and non-functional requirements. 

  • Develop business process flows, use cases, user stories, functional specifications, and other project documentation. 

  • Facilitate workshops, interviews, and requirements-gathering sessions. 

  • Ensure requirements are clearly communicated and understood by technical teams. 

  • Translate complex business needs into actionable Workday configuration and enhancement requirements. 

  • Collaborate with data and analytics teams to define reporting requirements. 

Workday Functional Support 

  • Support Workday business processes, integrations, reporting, security, and system enhancements within assigned functional areas. 

  • Collaborate with functional and technical teams to evaluate system capabilities and recommend improvements. 

  • Assist with Workday releases by assessing impacts, testing new functionality, and supporting implementation activities. 

  • Identify opportunities to optimize business processes using delivered Workday functionality and best practices. 

Process Improvement & Solution Design 

  • Analyze current-state and future-state business processes. 

  • Conduct gap analyses and recommend innovative solutions that improve efficiency, user experience, and data quality. 

  • Support continuous improvement initiatives across HR operations and technology platforms. 

  • Develop recommendations that align with university policies, compliance requirements, and strategic goals. 

Project & Change Support 

  • Participate in and lead business analysis activities for Workday projects and enhancements.

  • Collaborate with project managers, system administrators, and technical teams throughout the project lifecycle. 

  • support user acceptance testing (UAT), test planning, defect resolution, and deployment activities. 

Stakeholder Engagement 

  • Build effective working relationships with HR leaders, business partners, IT teams, and external vendors. 

  • Act as a trusted advisor by delivering data-driven insights and solution-oriented recommendations. 

 

QUALIFICATIONS 

  • Strong proficiency in business analysis methodologies and frameworks. 

  • Experience with Agile, Scrum, Waterfall, or hybrid project methodologies. 

  • Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, including Excel, PowerPoint, and Visio. 

  • Experience with business process modeling tools and requirements management software. 

  • Familiarity with Jira or comparable tools is preferred.  

 

MINIMUM EDUCATION, WORK EXPERIENCE & REQUIRED CERTIFICATIONS

If filled as Business Analyst - Senior Professional, this position requires: Bachelor's Degree 6+ years of relevant experience; or an equivalent combination of education and experience accepted Required Certifications: None If filled as Business Analyst - Advanced Professional, this position requires: Bachelor's Degree 3+ years of relevant experience; or an equivalent combination of education and experience accepted Required Certifications: None

 

 

BACKGROUND CHECKS/CLEARANCES

Employment with the University will require successful completion of background check(s) in accordance with University policies.

 

Penn State does not sponsor or take over sponsorship of a staff employment Visa. Applicants must be authorized to work in the U.S.

 

SALARY & BENEFITS

The salary range for this position, including all possible grades, is $72,300.00 - $122,016.00.

 

Salary Structure - Information on Penn State's salary structure

 

Penn State provides a competitive benefits package for full-time employees designed to support both personal and professional well-being. In addition to comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage, employees enjoy robust retirement plans and substantial paid time off which includes holidays, vacation and sick time. One of the standout benefits is the generous 75% tuition discount, available to employees as well as eligible spouses and children. For more detailed information, please visit our Benefits Page.

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