Senior Financial Systems Analyst

Overview

A research institution is seeking a collaborative and solutions-oriented Senior Financial Systems Analyst to advance financial and sponsored research operations through expert use of Workday Financials, Workday Grants Management, and Workday Financials Reporting. This role involves partnering with Finance & Accounting, Grant and Contract Services (GCS), and Research Administration stakeholders to design intuitive systems, strengthen compliance, and improve data and process support for scientific discovery.

Responsibilities

Lead Workday Financials & Grants Management Solutions

• Serve as a functional lead for Workday Financials and Workday Grants Management, collaborating with GCS, Research Administration, and Finance & Accounting in a higher education and research environment
• Analyze, design, and optimize Financial and Grants Management systems and processes using Workday best practices
• Ensure Workday configurations support sponsor terms, institutional policies, and regulatory requirements
• Support the full sponsored research lifecycle in Workday, including award setup, budgeting, amendments, cost sharing, F&A, billing, revenue recognition, and closeout
• Support core financial management processes across General Ledger/Financial Reporting, Accounts Payable, Accounts Receivable, Procurement, Assets, Cash Management, and Financial Planning & Analysis, ensuring alignment with accounting policies and best practices
• Collaborate with leadership and business process owners to design, optimize, and govern Workday Financials configurations and controls
• Act as a key functional lead and trusted advisor during Workday implementations, enhancements, and optimization initiatives

Design and Improve Business Processes

• Collaborate with Finance & Accounting, GCS, Research Administration, Information Systems, HRIS, and other partners to design efficient, compliant, and user-friendly processes
• Lead requirements gathering, business process mapping, and future-state design for financial and grants workflows
• Translate complex operational needs into clear functional requirements and Workday configurations
• Evaluate current processes, identify improvement opportunities, and guide stakeholders toward best-practice solutions
• Coordinate and support system testing, user acceptance testing, and issue resolution with business and technical teams
• Support integrations between Workday and other institutional systems and tools

Reporting, Analytics & Insights

• Design and maintain Workday Financials and Grants reports, including standard, custom, and composite reports
• Develop dashboards and metrics supporting research administration, financial management, grants oversight, audit readiness, and leadership decision-making
• Partner with Finance, FP&A, GCS, and Research Administration leadership to define reporting standards, data governance, and analytics priorities
• Provide ad hoc reporting and analysis to support operational and strategic needs

Support, Stewardship & Continuous Improvement

• Provide ongoing functional support to Finance & Accounting, GCS, Research Administration, and the broader Workday user community
• Coordinate system enhancements, upgrades, documentation, and end-user training
• Develop user guides, training materials, and process documentation tailored to a research environment
• Support internal and external audits, compliance reviews, and sponsor inquiries
• Identify opportunities to improve system usability, productivity, and user experience
• Contribute to a culture of service, collaboration, and continuous improvement

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or a related field
• Minimum 7 years of experience supporting financial systems with increasing responsibility
• At least 5 years of hands-on experience with Workday Financial Management, including implementation, configuration, administration, and support
• Demonstrated experience with Workday Grants Management and sponsored research business processes
• Strong experience developing Workday Financials and Grants reports, including custom and composite reporting
• Experience working in or closely with higher education, research institutions, or other grant-funded organizations
• Proven ability to gather requirements, perform gap analysis, and design effective system solutions
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with attention to data quality and integrity
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with ability to partner effectively across diverse stakeholder groups

Preferred Qualifications

• MBA or advanced degree
• Workday Financial Management and/or Workday Grants certifications
• Experience supporting complex, decentralized organizations

Compensation & Benefits

• Salary range: $128,560 - $168,003 (reflects expected minimum and maximum base pay for new hires)
• Actual compensation determined by skills, experience, qualifications, internal equity, and market conditions
• Comprehensive benefits package available to eligible employees

Location

• Position based in Massachusetts

Additional Information

• Applications are accepted on a rolling basis and reviewed as received
• Equal employment opportunity employer prohibiting discrimination and harassment based on protected characteristics
• Compliance with Massachusetts law prohibiting lie detector tests as a condition of employment