Business Analyst

By working at Harvard University, you join a vibrant community that advances Harvard's world‑changing mission in meaningful ways, inspires innovation and collaboration, and builds skills and expertise. We are dedicated to creating a diverse and welcoming environment where everyone can thrive.

Financial Administration (FAD) is dedicated to advancing Harvard University’s teaching and research mission by stewarding its resources; providing support, guidance, and consultation; ensuring compliance with university and federal guidelines; mitigating risk; pursuing operational excellence; and promoting the financial health of the University.

Within and across the University, we aim to be exemplary colleagues, trusted partners, valued advisors, and agents of positive change. Within our own community, we aspire to:

• Engage with respect, honesty, and integrity
• Cultivate equity, diversity, inclusion, and belonging
• Welcome innovation, collaboration, and flexibility
• Enjoy our work, grow professionally, and aim for the extraordinary

Learn more about Financial Administration (harvard.edu) and our eight reporting units.

Harvard's Financial Administration Department (FAD) is responsible forthe stewardship of the University’s finances, including related business processes and technology in support of the teaching and research mission of the University. For more about the Financial Administration Department and its eight reporting units, see (Use the "Apply for this Job" box below). The Office for Sponsored Programs (OSP) manages a diverse portfolio of federal, foundation, international, and industry sponsors;weprovide lifecycle sponsored programs support and partner with schools, departments, and centers across the University to facilitate proposal submission, award acceptance and administration, and all sponsored financialreportingand invoicingthroughoutthe life ofthe award.

The Office for Sponsored Programs (OSP) Pre-Award Team is responsible for providing leadership, advice, and superior client service in the provision of all Pre-Award services, including but not limited to proposal review and submission, awards management, negotiation of terms and conditions, and account set up for a portfolio of over $350 million.

The Pre-Award Business Analyst (Business Analyst) reports to the Business Operations and Reporting Manager (Manager). Working under the general direction of the Manager, the Business Analyst will support and frequently lead both internal and external OSP Pre-Award initiatives. These efforts may involve operational analysis, assessment of workload distribution across the team, ongoing process oversight and coordination, data modeling, and project management for projects of varying size, as well as change management and communication planning.

In this role, the Business Analyst will develop substantial expertise in sponsored research administration and will interact with a wide range of offices and leaders in academic administration throughout Harvard University.

Working closely with the Manager, the Business Analyst strengthens a culture of ongoing process improvement across OSP Pre-Award by creating, communicating, and carrying out centralized policies, procedures, and systems within the Pre-Award team and across its functions. The Business Analyst must be detail-oriented, capable of working independently, and able to use discretion and sound judgment to meet deadlines with minimal oversight, while consistently maintaining strict confidentiality when handling highly sensitive information.

• Collaborate with business partners to learn and document current processes, map workflows, and recommend potential solutions.
• Direct strategic analyses that inform and support business decisions.
• Oversee the assessment of new initiatives by reviewing key performance indicators and contributing to operational decision-making.
• Help identify change management requirements, create change management plans, support the creation of training materials, develop engaging end user communications, and contribute to post-implementation reviews.
• Provide support for and take the…