Information Technology Spec 3 - Solutions Analyst

At the State of Minnesota, employees play a critical role in developing policies, providing essential services, and working to improve the well-being and quality of life for all Minnesotans. The State of Minnesota is committed to equity and inclusion, and invests in employees by providing benefits, support resources, and training and development opportunities.

The Solutions Analyst serves as a college wide expert in specialized technology solutions, managing systems and initiatives that significantly impact operations, finances, and service delivery across the college. The position independently leads projects or major components of complex initiatives, applying advanced professional judgment in business analysis, project management, business process reengineering, and the implementation and configuration of COTS, SaaS, and custom-developed solutions.

The Solutions Analyst acts as the primary liaison between Information Technology, college administrative and academic units, Minnesota State partners, and external vendors. The role analyzes business operations, risks, and objectives and translates these into technology recommendations for procurement, development, implementation, enhancement, or decommissioning to improve efficiency, compliance, data integrity, and service delivery.

This position regularly supports initiatives with complex or evolving requirements and competing stakeholder priorities. Decisions require balancing cost, risk, integration complexity, data security, accessibility, and sustainability. The Solutions Analyst exercises independent judgment in determining solution approaches and implementation priorities, escalating issues when they present significant institutional risk or impact.

As a key member of the Solutions Team, this role supports Director level leadership by assisting with solution intake, prioritization, cross-team coordination, and communication with internal and external stakeholders to deliver consistent, scalable, and well governed technology solutions.

This position will actively advance the college's strategic goals, including to achieve equity in educational outcomes and to support a culturally responsive and service-oriented culture, through individual and departmental efforts.

At least three (3) years of professional Information Technology experience which should include: business analysis, solution evaluation, system implementation, or related areas; and managing complex technology initiatives, supporting enterprise applications and/or leading software procurement or business analytics activities; a Bachelor's degree substitutes for 12 months of experience; and an Associate's degree substitutes for 6 months of experience.

• Experience gathering, analyzing, documenting, and communicating complex business and system requirements.
• Experience researching, evaluating, and recommending software solutions to meet business needs.
• Experience managing projects involving multiple stakeholders, systems, and vendors using recognized project management methodologies (Agile and/or Waterfall).
• Demonstrated problem-solving skills, including defining problems, evaluating alternatives, and implementing effective solutions.
• Ability to communicate complex technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders.
• Ability to organize and prioritize multiple assignments and work independently.
• Ability to collaborate effectively and provide guidance or lead work to team members.

Preferred

• Three (3) year's experience in Higher Education
• Experience supporting and delivering custom-developed solutions, including but not limited to SQL based solutions, C#, TDX iPaSS, DevExpress dashboards, and Power Apps, Power Automate, Power BI or Microsoft Access.
• Experience implementing, configuring, and administering Commercial Off the Shelf (COTS) and/or Software as a Service (SaaS) solutions.
• Experience in software procurement, vendor management, and/or RFP processes, including evaluation of data security, system integration, and accessibility requirements.
• Experience using data analysis, Student Information Systems (SIS), Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems, and relational databases to support operational processes, reporting, and business decision making.
• Business analysis experience sufficient to qualify for the IIBA Entry Certificate in Business Analysis (ECBA) or completion of an industry recognized business analysis certification.
• Knowledge of data security principles, including access controls, system security, and compliance considerations, sufficient to evaluate and support technology solutions.
• Project management training and/or professional certifications.