Business Analyst

Department: University Life Classification: Financial Services Specialist 1 Job Category: Classified Staff Job Type: Full-Time Work Schedule: Full-time (1.0 FTE, 40 hrs/wk) Location: Fairfax, VA Workplace Type: Hybrid Eligible Sponsorship Eligibility: Not eligible for visa sponsorship Pay Band: 04 Salary: Salary range starting in the mid $60k's; commensurate with education and experience Restricted: Yes Criminal Background Check: Yes About the Department: Housing and Residence Life (HRL) is a self-supporting auxiliary organization within the University Life unit of George Mason University. HRL serves a highly diverse population of approximately 6,200 students, the majority of which are undergraduates living in 40 traditional, suite, and apartment-style residence halls in three campuses within the vibrant Northern Virginia area. HRL employs over 170 full-time and graduate staff members and over 350 undergraduate student staff members. HRL is committed to providing a safe, well-maintained student-centered environment that is innovative and all-inclusive of the global community. It is dedicated to creating a home that enriches the experiences of our students, staff, and faculty. About the Position: The Business Analyst (BA) position serves as a liaison between the Residential Services Assignments team and Housing Residence Life Finance team ensuring the accurate flow of residential student occupancy and billing data reflects on Mason finance systems. The Business Analyst utilizes the occupancy management platform to support data integrity, billing accuracy, and occupancy management processes. This position provides various monthly reconciliations for auditor reviews and develops revenue recognition solutions as needed. The Business Analyst also serves as the initial Housing Residence Life point of contact for audit coordination and compliance reporting at Mason and other state audit processes, and works collaboratively with departmental, divisional, and university finance personnel to ensure Housing Residence Life's revenues are accurate and aligned with university financial regulations. This position reports to the Director of Housing Residence Life Finance and Business Services and serves as a liaison to the Director of Residential Services in matters related to finance. Responsibilities: Management, System and Data Analysis Ensures accurate timing and processing of data transmissions related to room rental billing to ensure consistency in data reporting; Supports data accuracy efforts within the occupancy management platform by generating reports and reviewing data integrity; Collaborates and communicates with HRL IT and Residential Services staff to provide support for the housing management system from a financial perspective; troubleshoots technical issues and identifies needs within the system following established guidelines, creates manuals as needed, and implements long term plans for system improvements as appropriate; Advises the Chief Housing Officer (CHO), Director of Residential Services, and Director of HRL Finance and Business Services on the impact of business processes and makes recommendations for adjustments as needed according to payment and contractual processes in the HRL room rental application; includes consideration of historical contractual and occupancy changes and review of proposed changes to identify and address potential processing issues or financial concerns; Reviews, analyzes, and identifies areas for improvement for HRL's occupancy and financial reporting systems, documents current practices, and supports automation initiatives to enhance efficiency, accuracy, and data consistency; Conducts ad hoc analysis to investigate ongoing or singular operational issues and adjusts HRL processes in accordance with evolving institutional practices as needed; Creates informative, actionable and repeatable financial occupancy reporting to illustrate occupancy impact on the HRL budget and highlight relevant business trends and opportunities for improvement; Stays informed on changes to the housing management system through proactive professional development and attendance of related conference and training opportunities; and In collaboration with the Assistant Director of Assignments & Applications Specialist, the Summer Operations Business Manager, and IT unit, develops and maintains financial system workflows, reporting tools, and dashboards to support the contracting, invoicing, payment, and posting/reconciling of Summer revenues from external clients to the university’s central financial management system; provides support and guidance for system transitions to Summer Operations colleagues. Finance Performs monthly revenue reconciliations between databases to identify discrepancies in room rental revenues for the academic year and summer operations, and ensures proper documentation for audit purposes; Generates and distributes manual invoices for external groups utilizing Mason’s spaces for summer camps and conferences and follows up accordingly to ensure payments are received and posted accurately; Coordinates with HRL Summer Operations colleagues to support accurate and timely client billing and payment postings in the university’s central financial management system, ensuring financial accuracy and enabling efficient revenue collection; Collaborates with Mason Financial Planning and Analysis staff to help update coding in the Mason General Ledger Interface File, ensuring correct revenue postings from the housing management platform system to the university’s central financial management system; Supports the Director of HRL Finance and Business Services in monthly revenue forecasting and contributes to the preparation of HRL modeling for academic year (AY) room rate adjustments and fiscal year (FY) revenue budgets to inform strategic financial planning, ensure alignment with institutional goals; generates, updates, and presents the HRL Revenue Forecast Report for review by the CHO and Director of HRL Finances and Business Services; Gathers and updates HRL Operational Capacity data from Residential Services colleagues for use in revenue modeling; creates and documents financial processes related to revenue reconciliation, auditing, and reporting to comply with internal and state policy; Responsible for reconciliation of summer and academic year revenues, ensuring compliance with policy and procedure in accordance with standards set by leadership and auditors; and Develops and maintains proficiency in Mason’s financial systems and departmental accounting software through ongoing training to ensure accurate financial processing, effective reporting, and alignment with institutional standards. Audit Management Coordinates HRL’s contributions to Mason’s annual compliance reporting process by supporting internal partners in distributing requests and gathering stakeholder responses. Compiles and organizes audit responses for review by the CHO and/or other leadership, to ensure regulatory compliance, operational transparency, and readiness for institutional audits; Initiates the audit process for updating the HRL website and housing management platform system with annual proposed and approved room rates by assisting with document preparation, stakeholder review and signoff, and audit filing under supervision, to ensure accuracy, transparency, and compliance with institutional and regulatory requirements; Responsible for managing internal and external auditing requests to support compliance, ensure accurate financial reporting, and maintain accountability in HRL operations; Provides timely and accurate response to auditors by assembling requested data and process documentation, following guidance from the CHO and/or other leadership; Assists reviewing operational processes and procedures to support quality assurance efforts; and Provides leadership to colleagues within HRL to implement auditing best practices and maintain compliance with established standards. Unit and Division Support/Service Supports and adheres to all University policies, HRL regulations, and departmental goals to promote compliance and accountable work environment; Builds and maintains positive working relationships with other University departments including Student Accounts, Fiscal Services, Cash Office/Treasury Services, and offices within University Life by assisting in a collaborative environment to enhance communication and foster teamwork; Assists with other duties assigned by the supervisor, CHO, or divisional leadership, demonstrates flexibility in supporting team objectives, and actively participates in department meetings, planning initiatives, and special projects; Activelyparticipatesin UL divisional meetings, initiatives, andin-personevents to stay connected with divisional and institutional priorities, and to foster a cross-unit collaboration; Prepares manuals and training materials for new forms, reports, procedures, or software to ensure consistent understanding and effective use by staff; Tracks the functionality of newly implemented systems or procedures to ensure they are operating effectively; and Communicates proactive regarding unexpected issues within HRL, escalating to leadership as needed and proposing solutions to support timely resolutions. Required Qualifications: Bachelor’s degree in related field or equivalent combination of education and experience; Demonstrated experience with Microsoft Office products and proficiency in Excel; Demonstrated experience applying financial concepts in a professional setting, including budgeting principles, revenue tracking, and account reconciliation processes; Experience developing, documenting, and presenting financial or operational data; Experience creating reports for leadership use to support revenue forecasting and drive data-informed decision making; Experience in leading teams or managing projects in a professional setting, including coordination, oversight, and responsibility for achieving defined outcomes; Ability to create and present material that simplifies complex concepts for clear audience understanding, including creating detailed written materials and synthesizing workflows; Effective interpersonal and communication skills to coordinate tasks across functional areas and interact with a variety of stakeholders; Demonstrated ability to adapt to changing priorities and environments, with a commitment to continuous learning and the ability to quickly acquire and apply new processes, systems, and tools; Ability to work independently and take initiative; and Ability to navigate multiple technologies and financial systems to build reports, transfer data between platforms, and ensure accuracy through understanding of system interconnectivity and data filters. Preferred Qualifications: Master’s degree in related field; Prior experience with financial systems including Banner, MicroStrategy, TouchNet and/or QuickBooks; Prior experience using StarRez housing management software or other occupancy management software; Experience using Agency Risk Management and Internal Control Standards (ARMICS) compliance reporting system; Professional experience in higher education, especially within Housing & Residence Life; and Knowledge of general accounting principles, financial reporting standards, and the structure and function of accounting systems. Posting Open Date: August 24, 2026 For Full Consideration, Apply by: September 7, 2026 Open Until Filled: Yes #J-18808-Ljbffr