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The Cross-Functional Lead provides strategic leadership and oversight for the comprehensive project implementation. This role is pivotal in driving the overall functional design of the Workday Student Information System, meticulously defining sophisticated business processes that span the entire student lifecycle, from enrollment through graduation. The Lead collaborates extensively with the Alchemy and Emerson Project Managers and leadership, Workstream Leads, and Architects to manage and refine the functional design. This includes spearheading the definition of test scenarios, overseeing defect management, and providing expert, hands-on guidance in all validation efforts, encompassing data, tenant, and business process validation throughout the project lifecycle. A critical aspect of this role is leading and collaborating with workstream leads to ensure all activities align with business requirements, project objectives, and institutional readiness.

ESSENTIAL JOB DUTIES

Strategic Cross-Functional Leadership

• Provide overarching strategic direction for Emerson workstreams, ensuring all implementation decisions related to Admissions, Financial Aid, and Student Account functions are strategically sound and align with the project's overarching objectives.

Project Task Orchestration and Execution

• Lead, coordinate, and ensure the timely and accurate execution of critical project tasks, including configuration validation, business process definition and design, and cross-functional worksheet/workbook completion. 

• Ensure these activities are thoroughly understood, discussed, and communicated across all cross-functional workstreams.

Comprehensive Cross-Functional Assessment

• Conduct in-depth assessments and analyses of processes and decisions within Admissions, Financial Aid, and Student Financials workstreams, identifying impacts on other business functions such as Student Records, Academic Foundation, and Advising, as well as downstream effects on HR and finance accounting. 

• Propose and recommend strategic solutions.

Data Governance and Alignment Advocacy

• Champion and enforce policies and standard procedures for shared data and business process ownership across functional departments. 

• Strategically assess and identify critical customer reporting needs for Admissions, Financial Aid, and Student Account, collaborating with the reporting workstream to develop, test, and ensure these reports meet stringent business requirements.

Centralized Project Leadership and Liaison

• Serve as a primary functional advisor and key liaison among Emerson functional leads, integration, and reporting workstreams. 

• Partner closely with the Emerson PMO and Test Lead to define execution plans and strategies for critical issues identified in the RAID log by the implementation partner (Alchemy).

Functional Workstream Oversight and Issue Resolution

• Actively participate in functional workstream meetings to effectively track, define, and resolve gaps and issues with cross-functional impact. 

• Strategically plan test scenarios with the Test Lead as the implementation progresses into detailed stages.

Test Strategy and Quality Assurance Leadership

• Lead comprehensive cross-functional testing activities, with a primary focus on Admissions, Financial Aid, and Student Account workstreams. This includes data and tenant validation, lifecycle, end-to-end, and regression testing. 

• Assume ultimate responsibility for implementation and test quality assurance and defect resolution, working closely with Emerson and Alchemy functional leads.

Training and Change Enablement Strategy

• Collaborate with the Change Management team and functional workstreams to strategically deliver user training and readiness workshops. 

• Mentor functional team members, facilitate advanced knowledge transfer, and oversee the development of essential user guides and job aids.

Strategic Project Delivery and Stakeholder Collaboration

• Partner with the PMO to strategically manage deliverables, monitor progress, identify project gaps and issues, and proactively escalate risks. 

• Collaborate closely with all stakeholders to ensure that project objectives are not only met but significantly exceeded.

QUALIFICATIONS – Qualifications are deemed required or preferred and represent what is needed to effectively perform job. 

• Bachelor’s degree in business administration or a closely related field is required; a Master’s degree is strongly preferred.

• A minimum of 10 years of progressive functional experience in higher education student information systems and operations is required

• At least 5 years of demonstrated Workday Student implementation experience, ideally in a leadership capacity such as a functional, cross-functional, or test lead role required.

• Proven track record of successfully leading Workday implementation projects in higher education, particularly with student information systems (e.g., Banner, Workday).

• Possess deep Workday Student subject matter expertise, especially in cross-functional process design, cross-functional business process and data testing, and making strategic policy and security recommendations.
   

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES – May be representative, but not all-inclusive, of those knowledge, skills, and abilities commonly associated with job.  

• Demonstrate expert knowledge of Workday integration and reporting, with the ability to ingest and embed these key elements throughout the process lifecycle and end-to-end testing.

• Exhibit strong leadership and functional proficiency in Workstream meetings and activities, utilizing tools such as Smartsheet, Workbook, and RAID log effectively.

• Exceptional analytical, problem-solving, and communication skills are paramount.

• Applied deep knowledge of Enrollment Management, Financial Aid, and Student Accounts, complemented by a broad understanding of Registrar, Academic Records, and related academic functions

• Validate functional configurations, workbook assignments, and ensure data consistency across all systems.

• Proven expertise in Enrollment Management, Financial Aid, and Student Accounts, with familiarity across Registrar, Records, and Academic functions systems (e.g., Slate, Banner, Workday)

• Demonstrated knowledge in developing and validating workbooks, data validation, end-to-end, and regression testing.

• Possess a strong understanding of the student lifecycle and complex data relationships across a typical Student Information System (SIS).

• Proven ability to lead, coordinate, and influence cross-functional teams in defining forward-thinking business processes and enhancing user experience.

• Excellent analytical, facilitation, and problem-solving skills.

• A clear and concise communicator with exceptional documentation and presentation abilities.

• Proficient in Workday Student, Smartsheet, and other advanced project management and collaboration platforms

PHYSICAL ABILITIES – Activities commonly associated with the performance of the functions of this job. The physical demands described below are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

• This position is generally sedentary in nature, movement throughout the area is required from time to time.

Grade of Position: 23-13E

Scheduled Weekly Hours: 36.25

In addition to a competitive salary, Emerson College is committed to the health and well-being of our employees and family members. We offer a generous benefits package to regular staff scheduled to work 20+ hours per week. 

Benefits include outstanding health plans with limited out-of-pocket expenses, dental plans, generous time-off programs, and a 403(b) retirement benefit with a 9% employer contribution once eligible. Additional benefits such as life and disability coverage as well as commuter offerings are available.

Please refer to our benefits website for a full list of benefits and eligibility requirements.