How to Apply
You must apply through the UM Jobs website (umjobs.org/). In addition to your resume, please submit a cover letter. Your resume and cover letter will be used for the initial screening process.
- Please limit your cover letter to one page.
- In the body of your letter, please tell us what excites you about applying your skills to this role and organization.
- Please submit your cover letter and resume together as a single electronic document (a PDF is best, if possible), as the system will accommodate only one attachment.
Interview Timeline and Structure
We will be conducting Round 1 (Zoom) Interviews, Round 2 (Zoom) Interviews, and Round 3 (Skills Assessment [Zoom]) through April and May, with an anticipated start date in June.
Salary and work location
This is an intermediate-level position with a salary range of $72,000 - $77,000. Salary is determined by direct, relevant experience and demonstrated past performance, while ensuring equity on the team.
Our office is located at 309 Maynard Street in Ann Arbor, Michigan. This position has the option to work on-site or hybrid (both remote and on-site) with the expectation that they will attend, at a minimum, in-person quarterly all-staff retreats and team planning sessions.
Job Summary
Who we are
LSA Advancement champions the liberal arts at the University of Michigan by creating access and opportunities for learning, engagement, and giving that will improve the world. We are an office of more than 55 professionals building a positive work environment that supports the excellence and transformative power of the college's liberal arts mission through values-based fundraising, stewardship, and alumni engagement. To learn more about our culture and what we do, visit our Join Our Team Website.
At the heart of Advancement's Business Solutions team, curiosity and exploration fuel our pursuit of fundraising excellence. We believe in the power of data and collaboration to create transformative change for our students, faculty, and community. By promoting an environment where questions lead to insights and new ideas excel, we equip Advancement and the College of LSA with the tools, confidence, and knowledge to achieve sustainable fundraising growth. Guided by a shared commitment to learning and exploration, we bridge the gap between data and strategy, empowering our fundraising partners to unlock new potential, create lasting impact, and celebrate successes.
Who you are
Someone who will find value in connecting your work to a greater purpose in a higher education fundraising environment. Who enjoys building a deep, end-to-end understanding of our fundraising and development work through learning and curiosity. Who geeks out over telling compelling stories with data, has SQL skills, and loves uncovering hidden insights to create impactful reports and visualizations. And enjoys helping out a teammate while having fun in the process. If this describes you, then look no further!
LSA Advancement wants someone like you, who practices purposeful and collaborative communication and who values integrity, trust, and authenticity, to be our next Business Solutions Analyst. Together, we will embody a team environment where exploration, common good, inclusion, well-being, integrity, collaboration, and creativity are at the forefront of our work.
You will report to the Director with functional supervision from the Assistant Director of Advancement Business Solutions.
Specific responsibilities include:
As the Business Solutions Analyst Intermediate, you will...
- Develop and deliver data insights that support fundraising, engagement, and stewardship. These insights include reports, dashboards, visualizations, and data exports. They are built with SQL, SAP Business Objects, Tableau, and DART/Blackbaud CRM.
- Partner closely with Advancement colleagues and campus partners to understand goals across development, alumni engagement, and communications, translating those needs into clear, actionable data solutions.
- Analyze and model data to strengthen donor pipelines, identify engagement patterns, support solicitation strategies, and help measure the effectiveness of Advancement operations.
- Contribute to strategic business solutions by participating in needs assessments, applying quantitative and analytical methods, and supporting the presentation, demonstration, and training of Advancement tools and insights.
- Support the integrity and long-term health of alumni and donor data through thoughtful data modeling, mapping, cleansing, auditing, and continuous improvement of data structures and processes.
- Communicate insights in accessible ways that help our fundraisers, communicators, and leaders use data in decisions, planning, and outreach, regardless of technical background.
- Work collaboratively and independently in a service-oriented environment, bringing curiosity, accuracy, and a commitment to inclusion, integrity, and shared success in support of the college's mission.
A full job description can be found here.
Required Qualifications*
Here are the things you already have:
- Bachelor's degree or an equivalent combination of education and work experience.
- 2.5 or more years of experience working as a business intelligence analyst, data analyst, or in a similar analytical role. Candidates with direct experience performing data analysis within a higher education advancement or fundraising environment are encouraged to apply.
- Demonstrated proficiency in developing intermediate-to-advanced SQL queries to analyze complex datasets.
- Experience analyzing datasets to identify trends, patterns, and insights that support decision-making.
- Experience translating customer requirements into data-driven solutions.
- Working knowledge of business productivity tools, including Excel and Google Sheets, with the ability to perform complex functions and create macros.
- Experience working with databases, reporting tools, and data visualization software (Tableau preferred).
- Experience working with confidential data while maintaining discretion and data integrity.
Not sure if you meet all qualifications? Let us decide! Research shows that people tend not to apply to jobs when they think they may not meet every qualification, when, in fact, they often do! We are committed to creating an environment where everyone can succeed, and strongly encourage you to apply.
Why Work at Michigan?
In addition to a career filled with purpose and opportunity, the University of Michigan offers a comprehensive benefits package to help you stay well, protect yourself and your family, and plan for a secure future. Benefits include:
- Generous time off, including vacation time, sick time, holidays, and season days
- A retirement plan that provides two-for-one matching contributions with immediate vesting
- Many choices for comprehensive health insurance
- Life insurance
- Long-term disability coverage
- Flexible spending accounts for healthcare and dependent care expenses
In addition, LSA offers:
- Enhanced tuition support programs for LSA courses
- Strong commitment to work/life balance
- Flexible work arrangements with respect to campus stakeholder needs
Being part of something greater, of serving a larger mission of discovery and care - that's the heart of what drives people to work at Michigan. In some way, great or small, every person here helps to advance this world-class institution. It adds purpose to your profession. Work at Michigan and become a victor for the greater good.
You can learn more about the benefits you will be eligible to receive at this website.
Modes of Work
Positions that are eligible for hybrid or mobile/remote work mode are at the discretion of the hiring department. Work agreements are reviewed annually at a minimum and are subject to change at any time, and for any reason, throughout the course of employment. Learn more about the work modes.
Additional Information
Mission Statement
The mission of the University of Michigan is to serve the people of Michigan and the world through preeminence in creating, communicating, preserving and applying knowledge, art, and academic values, and in developing leaders and citizens who will challenge the present and enrich the future.
As one of the world's great liberal arts colleges, LSA pushes the boundaries of what is understood about the human experience and the natural world, and we foster the next generation of rigorous and empathetic thinkers, creators, and contributors to the state of Michigan, the nation, and the world.
To learn more about LSA's Mission, Vision and Values, please visit lsa.umich.edu/strategicvision.
Work Authorization:
Authorization to work in the U.S. is a precondition of employment, and applicants for this position will not be sponsored for work visas.
Background Screening
The University of Michigan conducts background checks on all job candidates upon acceptance of a contingent offer and may use a third party administrator to conduct background checks. Background checks are performed in compliance with the Fair Credit Reporting Act.
Application Deadline
Job openings are posted for a minimum of seven calendar days. The review and selection process may begin as early as the eighth day after posting. This opening may be removed from posting boards and filled any time after the minimum posting period has ended.
U-M EEO Statement
The University of Michigan is an equal employment opportunity employer.