Finance Systems Analyst (job ID: 2023-3204)

Join one of the most influential, most quoted and most trusted think tanks!  

The Brookings Institution is a nonprofit public policy organization based in Washington, DC. Our mission is to conduct in-depth research that leads to new ideas for solving problems facing society at the local, national and global level.  

We bring together leading experts in government and academia from all over the world, rooted in open-minded inquiry and representing diverse points of view, who provide the highest quality research, policy recommendations, and analysis. Research topics cover a full range of public policy issues in economics, foreign policy, development, governance and metropolitan policy. 

With fair and transparent business practices, clear communication, mutual respect, and a collaborative atmosphere that offers both professional and personal development opportunities, Brookings offers an inclusive and welcoming workplace that values the efforts of all contributors. 

The Office of Financial Service (OFS) is dedicated to supporting the mission of Brookings by ensuring and enhancing its financial health and promoting financial efficiency and innovation. We accomplish this by safeguarding the institution’s assets, stewarding donor contributions and providing quality and client-driven service characterized by professionalism, integrity, reliability, transparency, accountability, expertise, and above all else – respectfulness and fairness. OFS is comprised of Accounting, Financial Planning and Management, Financial Operations and Investments.   

Position Location: Most Brookings positions are hybrid, combining regular in-person presence at our Washington, DC, office with the option of at least two days of remote work each week. We will prioritize candidates in or willing to relocate to the DC area for hybrid work, but will also consider remote applicants. Remote work applicants may not work from the following states: Alaska, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Michigan, Oregon, Rhode Island, and Washington.    

Vaccine Policy: Brookings requires all staff to submit proof of complete vaccination against COVID-19 to be in Brookings buildings.   

Individuals that (i) have a qualifying medical condition that contraindicates a COVID-19 vaccination, or (ii) who object to being vaccinated based on a sincerely held religious belief, may request a reasonable accommodation.  Brookings policies on masks and other pandemic mitigation measures will continue to be informed by DC and CDC guidelines.    

Ready to contribute to Brookings success? 

The Brookings Institution is seeking a highly skilled and motivated Finance Systems Analyst to support, administer and expand financial systems. This is a critical role within the Finance Systems team in the Office of Financial Services (OFS) and reports to the Technical Lead and Functional Analyst, Finance Systems. The successful candidate will play a key role in supporting and improving the efficiency of the finance business processes at the Brookings Institution. The systems suite includes Workday Finance, Workday HR, Adaptive Planning, Concur, PeopleSoft (Legacy) and SharePoint. This is a hybrid role that requires at least 1 day per week onsite (subject to change based on the institution's return to work policy). The ideal candidate will be in their early-mid career and have a passion for learning and growing in the enterprise finance systems domain. The successful candidate will have a degree and at least 5 years of experience in Workday or similar ERP technologies, as well as the aptitude to deal with other financial systems and some experience in SQL. This is an exciting opportunity to be part of a growing team that is shaping the finance technology landscape at the Brookings Institution.  

Finance Systems Operations Support (60%)

• Act as the Subject Matter Expert (SME) for Workday functionality and other financial systems, including training and supporting end-users. 
• Provide Tier 1 support by working with functional SMEs, Power Users, and third-party customer support to diagnose, troubleshoot, and resolve financial ERP related issues and questions, including functional “How To” questions and routine configuration changes (e.g. developing a report or dashboard); provide best practice expertise where possible; escalate to Tier 2 only as needed; and manage and track support tickets, ensuring proper documentation of issues and resolution steps. 
• Systems to support includes Workday Finance (Procurement, Payables, Grants, Accounting, Accounts Receivables, Billing, Endowments, Projects, Assets, Payroll and Time-Tracking), Adaptive Planning (Budgeting), Concur (Travel and Expenses) and other related system integrations. 
• Develop and maintain Workday reports and dashboards to ensure accurate and timely access to critical business information 
• Configure and maintain Workday system including business processes, security, custom reports, integrations, and other system components to ensure accuracy and data integrity. 
• Partner with Finance staff to understand critical business processes, needs, and pain points, to better identify opportunities for improvement. 
• Develop and maintain technical system documentation. 
• Manage process for new releases/upgrades for all financial ERP systems (particularly Workday), including reviewing release notes, analyzing impacts of new functionality, communicating impacts to SMEs, and working with SMEs on appropriate response plans. 
• Continuously monitor system performance and identify opportunities to optimize processes and enhance functionality. 

Implementation Projects/Enhancements and Analysis (30%)

• Collaborate with systems lead, HR, Technology Team, third-part vendors and other stakeholders on full project life cycle for implementing new enhancements to the existing systems. 
• Serve as a finance representative on formal ERP change control board, to prioritize and implement system changes with minimal disruptions. 
• Perform key project management functions including, but not limited to, eliciting/documenting business requirements; recommending or providing input on proposed system solutions; confirming system designs meet stated business requirements; leading and coordinating testing and troubleshooting (e.g. unit testing, system testing, end-to-end testing, user acceptance testing); developing and adjusting project plans, tasks, and overall workload to meet deadlines; reporting on project status; raising/addressing issues and risks that may impact timelines, budgets, and quality; and obtaining formal signoff from business owners before deploying solutions to Production.  
• Stay abreast of opportunities to innovate and improve processes, including attending trainings, webinars, and conferences to acquire knowledge and to grow network of ERP contacts. 
• Guide and support relevant Finance SMEs in developing end-user curriculums and content for finance systems and key business processes 

Data and System Archival (10%)

• Support data and system archival of legacy ERP – PeopleSoft financials. 

Ready to make an impact? In this role, you will support Brookings values of collegiality, respect, inclusion, diversity and community, and bring the following qualifications: 

Education/Experience Requirements: 

Bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance, business, computer science, or related field. Minimum of 5+ years of experience in system administration, maintenance and/or implementation of medium to large scale enterprise-level HCM, Payroll, or Financial ERP cloud platforms  Preferred: Experience supporting Workday (e.g. Financials, Payroll, Adaptive Insights), Concur, PeopleSoft, SAP or SharePoint. Technical exposure to Query languages such as SQL. Non-profit experience. Experience with Microsoft tools, particularly SharePoint, Teams, Visio, and Project. Workday Functional Certifications Experience supporting Workday (e.g. Financials, Payroll, Adaptive Insights), Concur, or SharePoint . Must be authorized to work for any employer in the U.S.

Knowledge / Skills Requirement:

Required: Sound judgment, creativity, resourcefulness, agility, and a growth mindset . Ability to understand business priorities and align technology opportunities. Excellent written and oral communication skills. Solid working knowledge of accounting and finance principles. Strong people skills to effectively build relationships and communicate with stakeholders at all levels, particularly to bridge gap between technical and functional staff. Well-developed root-cause analytical skills with ability to configure and troubleshoot issues and defects. Advanced Excel skills; proficiency in Microsoft Office suite (Outlook, Access, Word, PowerPoint). Ability to work in multicultural and multigenerational environments and provide excellent customer service. Highly Desired. Ability to assess risks and provide recommendations. Ability to influence and negotiate without formal direct authority. Focused on quality and customer service. Strong attention to detail 

Additional Information: 

What can we offer you? Brookings provides a generous benefit package that is comprehensive and includes both traditional benefits and unique offerings. 

Brookings requires that all applicants submit a cover letter and resume. Please attach your cover letter and resume as one document when you apply. Please note: if you have applied to more than one Brookings job opening you should add a position-specific cover letter as a separate attachment. 

Successful completion of a background investigation is required for employment at Brookings. 

Brookings welcomes and celebrates diversity in all its forms.  We welcome applications that reflect a variety of backgrounds based on ideology, race, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, veteran status, first generation college goers, and other factors protected by law. Brookings is proud to be an equal-opportunity employer that is committed to promoting a diverse and inclusive workplace.