Application Open:
Full-Time
Job Purpose:
The Student Information System Functional Specialist leads the business side of MBZUAI’s Student Information System (SIS) for the Registrar’s Office (RO). The role is responsible for the end-to-end functional design, implementation, and adoption of Banner, ensuring compliance with RO policies, processes, and optimal efficiency of services. The Specialist will act as the primary liaison between the RO, stakeholders, and IT/vendors, ensuring integration, data, and workflows support real operational needs. This position will drive training, change management, and continuous improvement through and beyond go-live.
Key Responsibilities:
Implementation & Delivery
- Plan and drive Banner workstreams for RO from configuration to go-live; manage milestones, risks, issues, and cutover activities.
- Translate RO policies and processes into clear functional requirements, user stories, and acceptance criteria; maintain a prioritized product backlog for RO.
Process & Policy Enablement
- Map and optimize RO processes (registration, add/drop/withdrawals, grading, academic standing, graduation, records, scholarships/eligibility) and embed them in Banner using standard features.
- Define and publish standard operating procedures, controls (maker–checker), service routes, and ensure staff can execute consistently.
Testing & Readiness
- Lead User Acceptance Testing (UAT) from a business perspective, test scripts, scenarios, data sets, sign-off criteria, coordinate post-release validation and any defect triage.
Training & Change Management
- Design and deliver training for RO staff, faculty, advisors, and student-facing teams; produce quick guides and videos; run “train-the-trainer.”
- Lead stakeholder communications (what’s changing, when, and why); prepare mitigation plans for high-impact changes.
Data, Reporting & Compliance
- Define business rules for data quality, term setup, and census checkpoints; coordinate degree-audit readiness and grade/standing cycles.
- Partner with Institutional Research to deliver operational dashboards and regulatory outputs (e.g., CHEDS/MoE extracts) on schedule
Integrations & Cross-Function Coordination
- Work with IT to validate end-to-end business flows across SIS ↔ LMS ↔ ERP/Finance ↔ Identity/CRM; confirm SLAs and handoffs.
Operations & Continuous Improvement
- Establish a simple intake for enhancements; prioritize items that reduce manual work and improve service quality.
- Monitor adoption and KPIs; run quarterly improvement cycles focused on usability and policy compliance.
Governance & Vendor Interface
- Represent RO in program governance; prepare decision briefs and status updates.
- Coordinate with vendors on scope, timelines, and release notes from a business perspective.
Other Duties
- Carry out all other duties as reasonably directed by the line manager that are commensurate with these functional objectives duties as assigned by the line manager.
Academic Qualification:
- Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration or equivalent.
- A postgraduate degree in a related field will be preferred.
Professional Experience:
- 6-10 years in student systems/registrar operations or higher-ed business systems, with hands-on process ownership.
- Demonstrated experience leading SIS implementations or major upgrades from the business side (preferably Ellucian Banner or similar).
- Strong business analysis, documentation, and UAT leadership; proven ability to convert policy into system behavior.
- Excellent communication, facilitation, and training skills with non-technical audiences.
- Solid project delivery skills (planning, risk/issue management, cutover readiness, change management).
- Familiarity with SIS (preferably Banner) modules (Registration, Student Records, Curriculum, Degree Audit), LMS/SIS integrations, and finance touchpoints.
- Awareness of integration concepts (e.g., APIs/Ethos) and reporting practices.
