Chief Application & Analytics Officer (Finance) - Finance Strategy & Operations

Chief Application & Analytics Officer (Finance)

The Chief Application & Analytics Officer (CAAO) serves as the senior leader responsible for overseeing the full lifecycle of Finance & Administration's enterprise applications and for advancing the use of data analytics to generate actionable insights. The CAAO leads the team that implements, optimizes, and sustains critical technology solutions that support operational excellence across the institution. The role is primarily focused on leading and managing a team responsible for application configuration, system integration, troubleshooting and issue resolution, security and role administration, and the ongoing maintenance of third-party and enterprise systems including Oracle Fusion Cloud Financials. The CAAO ensures that applications function cohesively and that the data they produce is reliable, accessible, and aligned with business needs. In addition, the CAAO partners closely with the Associate Vice President for Finance Strategy & Operations to develop and execute both short and long term strategic roadmaps. This includes contributing to planning and governance, providing project and change management leadership, and driving process improvements that advance the university's strategic goals and enhance Finance & Administration's overall effectiveness. Work is performed under minimal supervision and performance is based on the effective operation of the administrative function. Performance evaluation is conducted through the performance evaluation system and in accordance with the university policies and procedures.

Reports to: Associate Vice President Finance Strategy & Operations (AVP FSO)

Supervises: Business Analysts, Sr. Business Analysts, Reporting Analysts, Oracle Cloud Application Support Leads, Application Developers, Integration Engineers, ETL Developers, Oracle Cloud Security Administrators, OCI Administrators, Solution Architects, Datawarehouse Engineers

Planning & Budget

• Assists in forecasting short and long term financial needs for system enhancements, licensing, maintenance, staffing, and strategic projects, aligning budget planning with organizational priorities
• Identifies opportunities for cost optimization, including streamlining system portfolios, reducing redundancies, and leverage enter-wide technologies
• Engages in governance groups to support strategy, planning, policy development, and service delivery.
• Helps to determine process optimization priorities and ensures resources are allocated accordingly
• Recommends enhancements and investments to support strategic goals, improve processes, user experience and/or reduce costs

Service Delivery & Optimization

• Directs and manages day-to-day operations of Finance & Administration enterprise applications, including implementation of technical solutions, configuration, optimization, integrations, data analytics and maintenance and continuous improvement
• Directs and manages full lifecycle of support tickets, from intake and prioritization to resolution and closure, ensuring compliance with Service Level Agreements (SLA) and ITIL best practices
• Leads the development and executive of reporting and data analytics capabilities that deliver actionable insights to support decision-making
• Administers system security, roles, and access controls to ensure compliance, data integrity, and proper segregation of duties.
• Leads and oversees major system upgrades, enhancements, implementations, and cross-functional initiatives, ensuring alignment, accountability, and timely delivery
• Ensures high availability, reliability, and security of the application ecosystem.
• Implements industry standards, legislative requirements, and best practices consistently.
• Continuously assesses and improves processes, services, and systems.
• Tracks and reports on key metrics and SLAs for application services.
• Establishes protocols for support and ensures timely response.

Management & Leadership

• Leads, mentors, coaches employees to develop a high-performing applications and analytics team, ensuring strong technical capability and customer-focused service
• Promotes ongoing learning, professional development, and cross-training to build organizational resilience and expertise
• Conducts performance appraisals and participates in hiring processes.
• Builds strong partnerships with key stakeholders and actively participates in university activities and committees.
• Cultivates and formalizes vendor relationships, negotiating contracts and ensuring performance.
• Develops a network of peers at comparable institutions and represents the university at meetings and conferences.

Additional Duties

• Performs other duties as requested.

Education

Bachelor's degree required. Master's degree preferred. Additional job related experience may substitute for the required education on a year-for-year basis.

Experience

Minimum of 15 years of relevant experience in financial and administrative systems management. Supervisor experience required.

Requirement

Regular and reliable attendance at the University during regular scheduled days and work hours is an essential function of this position.

All employees share the responsibility of maintaining information security and privacy requirements within the university by adhering to Federal and State regulations, and TWU Policies & Procedures.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities - The following are essential:

• Experience in a management or leadership role with a demonstrated ability to develop and lead high-performing teams, manage operations, and oversee budgets.
• Ability to think strategically about technology applications and leverage systems to solve business problems.
• Commitment to continuous assessment and improvement, including the use of performance metrics and data-driven decision-making.
• Experience leading organizational or technology change initiatives, including change management and stakeholder engagement.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with strong interpersonal skills to effectively engage with diverse stakeholders.
• Ability to build effective working relationships and collaborate across a diverse and inclusive environment.
• Proficiency with personal computers and standard office equipment, including productivity software, collaboration tools, and email systems.

Additional/Desirable Skills & Abilities

• Professional knowledge or experience with ERP systems
• Professional knowledge or certification in project management
• Relevant technology solution experience or certifications
• Ability to develop, implement, and manage effective governance frameworks aligned with IT or shared-service operating models.
• Demonstrated skill in budgeting, financial planning, and business operations. Strong understanding of the software development lifecycle (SDLC) and application development processes.
• Knowledge of business process analysis, process mapping, and workflow optimization.
• Knowledge of enterprise application support, reporting and data analytics, solution development, and system integrations.
• Familiarity with emerging technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), machine learning, and robotic process automation (RPA) as applied to enterprise applications.
• Ability to prioritize, manage, and execute tasks effectively in a fast-paced or high-pressure environment.
• Demonstrated capability in conflict resolution, influence, negotiation, and building consensus.
• Knowledge of IT governance practices and system administration within the higher education environment (preferred).
• Knowledge of Texas Administrative Code (TAC 202) and related security/compliance requirements (preferred).

Physical Demands

The physical demands described in the Essential Duties and below are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential duties of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential duties.

The employee may be required to travel.

Work Environment

All employees are responsible for maintaining an environment that is free from discrimination, intimidation, harassment, including sexual harassment. Work is normally performed in a typical interior work environment.

Safety

TWU promotes a safe working environment. Employees are responsible for completing assigned tasks safely and efficiently, and supervisors are responsible for creating and maintaining a safe work environment. Employees must report any unsafe work conditions or practices, as well as any near-miss incidents, to their supervisor and Risk Management. Supervisors and employees should ensure that injury/accident reports are submitted to the Office of Human Resources and Risk Management within 24 hours of the incident.