IT@JH Research IT Solutions is seeking a highly collaborative, user-centered IT Sr. Business Solution Analyst, who will provide analysis and facilitation services for a range of IT solutions developed to meet the diverse needs of the Johns Hopkins University (JHU) and Johns Hopkins Medicine (JHM) research community. This role will contribute to critical delivery of a new set of service offerings for the Research IT Solutions unit being rolled out under the Office of the Deputy CIO, as part of Johns Hopkins’ expanding central IT support for the research mission. Research IT Solutions offers a coordinated experience to investigators through the design and facilitation of secure, cutting-edge IT solutions and services, developed and supported in collaboration with key IT teams and support partners across the institution. Research IT Solutions bridge the gap between technology and research, helping investigators navigate the complexities of IT throughout the research lifecycle.
The IT Sr. Business Solution Analyst provides intake and consultation services for a range of research IT solutions and platforms available for investigator teams and projects across the many disciplines of scientific inquiry at Johns Hopkins. Elicits and documents particular use case inquiries and needs, with relevant requirements around project makeup, data, systems, integrations, funding, compliance, and timeline. Helps investigators navigate required approval and provisioning steps depending on project phase and compliance context, such as sensitivity of data, type of research, and applicable regulations. Facilitates connections and workflow hand-offs with other research support teams such as research administration, IT security, library services and more. Maintains standard procedures and tracking systems to capture user requests and solution fulfilment, regularly gather user experience perspective, and inform the research IT solutions program.
The IT Sr. Business Solution Analyst maintains, refines and helps expand a library of solution patterns and templates to streamline solution selection, investigator onboarding facilitation, and relevant customization for individual research projects. Helps investigate new or improved solution ideas (whether IT or investigator-initiated) to assess feasibility, fit for purpose, options for customizations and valuable extensions to expand the reach of research IT solutions and achieve better alignment with investigator needs. Participates in research IT solution design, development and prioritization by providing the investigator perspective and documented knowledge of use cases, key requirements, value, caveats, gaps, and user feedback.
The IT Sr. Business Solution Analyst develops and maintains quality user guides and training resources for solution onboarding and support, as well as internal reference documentation, including use case library, solution mapping, approval workflows, user provisioning checklists, and test cases to ensure repeatability and operational excellence. Provides thorough testing feedback for new solution platform and pattern developed, to identify potential issues, caveats and user impact, including coordinating user testing and feedback when appropriate. Contributes communication content for website, slides, outreach materials, and internal knowledge repository.
The IT Sr. Business Solution Analyst facilitates access, training, and support of investigators when onboarding their projects and teams to research IT platforms, and throughout the lifecycle of their projects. Facilitates timely provisioning and development of solutions in coordination with other IT and research support teams, and in conformance with Johns Hopkins IT security standards and applicable regulatory areas (federal/local policies, granting agencies, IRB, etc). Monitors adoption, utilization, and ongoing activity associated with the research IT solutions and platforms and identifies areas needing further support or refinement to improve the user experience and the strength of the solutions.
Specific Duties & Responsibilities
- The responsibilities listed below are typical examples of the work performed by this position. Not all duties assigned to this position are included, nor is it expected that everyone in this position will be assigned every job responsibility.
Analysis and Requirements Gathering
- Defines highly complex business/clinical/education problems by meeting with clients to observe and understand current processes and the issues related to those processes. Provide written documentation of findings to share with the client and other IT colleagues.
- Gathers highly complex system requirements by meeting with clients and researching existing technology to understand the business requirements and possible solutions for new applications.
Design and Development
- Develops detailed tasks and project plans by analyzing project scope and milestones for highly complex projects to ensure product is delivered timely according to software lifecycle standards.
- Writes functional/technical specifications by taking the provided highly complex system requirements and putting them into functional and technical descriptions for use by programmers and business analysts to develop technical solutions. Direct lower-level staff by reviewing their work.
- Provides monitoring and guidance in business process and application design to more junior staff. Give direction and leadership in techniques and tools to lower-level staff.
- Provides experienced leadership for strategic planning in designing and developing comprehensive innovative integrated solutions.
Testing and Documentation
- Creates and document highly complex test scenarios using the appropriate testing tools to validate and verify application functionality.
- Tests all changes by using the appropriate highly complex test scenarios to ensure all delivered solutions work as expected and errors are handled in a meaningful way.
- Authors and maintains documentation by writing audience-appropriate materials to serve as technical and/or end-user references.
- Mentors junior staff in testing tools and technologies by reviewing their work.
Implementation and Maintenance
- Implements changes by adhering to the change management policies and procedures for any given project to communicate to all parties the nature, significance, and risk factors of the solution.
- Monitors changes and resolves highly complex problems by responding as they occur, by reviewing all processing and output of the newly implemented solution, and by proactively ensuring the solution works successfully to satisfy the customer requirements and to provide a smooth transition to the new solution.
- Provides support by triaging and resolving highly complex issues to ensure prompt, effective service.
Minimum Qualifications
- Bachelor’s Degree required in Business, Finance, Analytics, Information Systems or related field.
- Six years of related work experience demonstrating increasing responsibility.
- Additional education may substitute for required experience and additional related experience may substitute for required education beyond HS Diploma/Graduation Equivalent, to the extent permitted by the JHU equivalency formula.
Preferred Qualifications
- Knowledge in the assigned application as well as the platform on which it runs.
- Higher education experience is helpful but not required.
- Advanced degree or multi-year lab experience in a scientific discipline, with strong understanding of the research project lifecycle.
- Proven written, verbal and interpersonal skills, with exceptional listening and customer service skills and the ability to translate technology concepts to non-technical audiences.
- Experience providing training and IT facilitation services.
- Project management experience is desirable.
- Knowledge and experience with technologies and engineering principles used in research such as for study information/data capture, management and storage, specimen and other lab asset inventory, scientific instrument management, advanced analytics and computing, or other research IT / informatics infrastructure components.
- Knowledge of regulatory requirements for human subject research including the HIPAA Security Rule, the HIPAA Privacy Rule, and the HHS Federal Policy for the Protection of Human Subjects. Awareness to other types of regulations and standards pertaining to research, especially around data management and sharing policies, protection of sensitive information, such as under NIST, FISMA or FERPA requirements, and Good Lab Practices.
- Ability to exercise judgement with adequate supervision, with a good balance of providing timely information and escalation awareness. Ability to communicate honestly and transparently with all levels of an organization while maintaining professionalism and respect.
- Must embrace and advance Johns Hopkins’ commitment to the dignity and equality of all persons, inclusive of sex, gender, marital status, pregnancy, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, disability, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, and veteran status.
Classified Title: Sr. Business Solution Analyst
Role/Level/Range: ATP/04/PF
Starting Salary Range: $85,500 - $149,800 Annually (Commensurate w/exp.)
Employee group: Full Time
Schedule: Mon-Fri 8:30am-5:00pm
FLSA Status: Exempt
Location: Remote
Department name: IT@JH Research IT Solutions
Personnel area: University Administration
