Job Summary

The Senior Continuous Improvement Analyst serves as a high-level individual contributor and internal consultant responsible for leading complex, institution-wide process improvement, operational analysis, and business innovation initiatives across academic, student, and administrative divisions. Working with a high degree of independence, the incumbent applies advanced continuous improvement, project management, research, analytical, and facilitation methodologies to assess complex organizational challenges, develop strategic and operational solutions, and guide implementation efforts that improve service delivery, operational effectiveness, and institutional performance.

The incumbent independently leads highly complex, cross-functional projects; advises campus leaders on process, operational, and performance improvement opportunities; facilitates the development of future-state processes and implementation strategies; and develops analytical frameworks and performance measures to support data-informed decision making. The position provides functional leadership and influences outcomes across decentralized organizational units through expertise, consultation, facilitation, and consensus-building rather than direct administrative authority.

Key Responsibilities

• Workshop Leadership: Plan and lead interactive discovery sessions and value stream mapping workshops with campus stakeholders and subject matter experts to map current-state workflows
• Process Design: Translate complex, cross-departmental operations into standardized, clear swim lane process diagrams using Lucidchart or similar tools
• Optimization Analysis: Conduct advanced analysis of complex, cross-functional operations to identify root causes, organizational dependencies, policy and procedural barriers, service gaps, redundancies, and opportunities for improved effectiveness and efficiency
• Future-State Design: Apply advanced analytical and continuous improvement methodologies to develop and recommend strategic and operational solutions, future-state processes, and implementation approaches addressing complex organizational challenges
• Consultation and Facilitation: Serve as an internal consultant to campus leaders and cross-functional teams, facilitating complex discussions, reconciling competing priorities, and building consensus around improvement opportunities and recommended solutions
• Performance Measurement: Develop performance measures, KPIs, and evaluation frameworks to establish operational baselines, assess improvement opportunities, and evaluate the effectiveness of implemented changes
• Operational Analysis: Collect, integrate, analyze, and interpret complex quantitative and qualitative operational information to identify trends, root causes, organizational impacts, and opportunities for improvement
• Decision Support: Translate complex analysis into clear findings, recommendations, visualizations, and executive-level decision-support materials for campus leadership
• Performance Reporting: Develop and maintain appropriate reporting tools and dashboards to monitor operational performance and communicate progress toward established goals
• Complex Project Leadership: Independently plan, lead, and implement highly complex, cross-functional process improvement and operational initiatives of broad institutional impact, establishing project scope, approach, milestones, deliverables, risks, and measures of success
• Project Governance and Analysis: Develop project charters, implementation plans, risk assessments, decision documents, progress reports, and recommendations for project sponsors and institutional leaders
• Cross-Functional Leadership: Provide functional leadership to multidisciplinary project teams and coordinate work across decentralized organizational units, establishing accountability for project deliverables without direct supervisory authority
• Strategic Alignment: Evaluate project decisions and recommendations from a broad organizational perspective, identifying downstream impacts and ensuring proposed solutions support institutional priorities and longer-term objectives

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

•  Advanced knowledge of continuous improvement, organizational analysis, process redesign, project management, change management, operational performance methodologies, with demonstrated ability to apply these disciplines to highly complex organizational challenges
• Expert analytical and problem-solving skills, including the ability to integrate complex quantitative and qualitative information, identify underlying principles and organizational implications, and develop strategic and operational recommendations
• Demonstrated ability to independently plan, organize, lead, and implement multiple complex, cross-functional initiatives with broad institutional impact
• Advanced consultative and facilitation skills, including the ability to engage diverse stakeholders, navigate competing priorities, influence without direct authority, and build consensus around complex or sensitive issues
• Ability to assess organizational problems from a broad, systems-oriented perspective; anticipate downstream impacts; and develop proactive solutions that align strategic goals with operational implementation
• Advanced written, verbal, presentation, and data-visualization skills, including the ability to translate complex analysis into clear findings, recommendations, and decision-support materials for executive and other leadership audiences
• Demonstrated skill in research, operational analysis, performance measurement, program/process evaluation, and the interpretation of data to develop sound conclusions and recommendations
• Knowledge of change-management principles and demonstrated ability to develop strategies supporting stakeholder readiness, adoption, implementation, and sustainability of organizational change
• Ability to establish effective working relationships and serve as a trusted internal consultant with executives, administrators, faculty, staff, and other internal and external stakeholders
• Proficiency with contemporary project-management, process-mapping, analytical, visualization, and collaboration tools appropriate to the work
• General awareness of emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI), and a willingness to develop skills in their appropriate, responsible, and ethical use in a higher education environment, consistent with institutional policies and practices
• Ability to communicate with constituents in a professional and respectful manner

Required Qualifications

• A bachelor's degree and/or equivalent training
• Six years of administrative work experience involving study, analysis, and/or evaluation leading to the development or improvement of administrative policies, procedures, practices, or programs

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's degree in business administration, public administration, higher education administration, organizational development, industrial/systems engineering, or related field
• Professional certification in one or more relevant disciplines—such as PMP, Lean Six Sigma, Prosci/CCMP, or comparable certification
• Experience leading complex, cross-functional process improvement, organizational effectiveness, operational analysis, or institutional improvement initiatives
• Experience consulting with senior leaders and facilitating diverse stakeholder groups to analyze complex problems, develop recommendations, and build consensus
• Experience applying Lean, Lean Six Sigma, process improvement, change management, project management, or related methodologies in complex organizational environments
• Experience developing operational performance measures, analyzing organizational data, and translating findings into recommendations and decision-support materials
• Experience in higher education, public sector, or similarly complex decentralized organizations

Compensation

Classification: Administrative Analyst/Specialist – Exempt III
Anticipated Hiring Range: $8,589/month - $9,297/month (Step 16 – Step 20)
CSU Salary Range: $6,382/month - $9,297/month (Step 1 – Step 20)

San José State University offers employees a comprehensive benefits package typically worth 30-35% of your base salary. For more information on programs available, please see the Employee Benefits Summary.

Application Procedure

Click Apply Now to complete the SJSU Online Employment Application and attach the following documents:

• Resume
• Letter of Interest

All applicants must apply within the specified application period: October 26, 2026 through November 11, 2026. This position is open until filled; however, applications received after screening has begun will be considered at the discretion of the university.

Contact Information

People and Culture
jobs@sjsu.edu

CSU Vaccination Policy

The CSU strongly recommends that all individuals who access any in-person program or activity (on- or off-campus) operated or controlled by the University follow COVID-19 vaccine recommendations adopted by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) applicable to their age, medical condition, and other relevant indications and comply with other safety measures established by each campus. The system wide policy can be found at https://calstate.policystat.com/policy/9779821/latest/ and questions may be sent to jobs@sjsu.edu.

Additional Information

Satisfactory completion of a background check (including a criminal records check) is required for employment. SJSU will issue a contingent offer of employment to the selected candidate, which may be rescinded if the background check reveals disqualifying information, and/or it is discovered that the candidate knowingly withheld or falsified information. Failure to satisfactorily complete the background check may affect the continued employment of a current CSU employee who was offered the position on a contingent basis.

The standard background check includes: criminal check, employment and education verification. Depending on the position, a motor vehicle and/or credit check may be required. All background checks are conducted through the university's third party vendor, Accurate Background. Some positions may also require fingerprinting. SJSU will pay all costs associated with this procedure. Evidence of required degree(s) or certification(s) will be required at time of hire.

SJSU IS NOT A SPONSORING AGENCY FOR STAFF OR MANAGEMENT POSITIONS. (e.g. H1-B VISAS)

All San José State University employees are considered mandated reporters under the California Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act and are required to comply with the requirements set forth in CSU Executive Order 1083 as a condition of employment. Incumbent is also required to promptly report any knowledge of a possible Title IX related incident to the Title IX Office or report any discrimination, harassment, and/or retaliation to the Office of Equal Opportunity.

Education Code 89521 Requirements: Applicants will be required to disclose whether they have received a final administrative decision or final judicial decision determining that they have committed sexual harassment within the last 7 years only after a determination is made that they meet the minimum qualifications for the position, and before an offer of employment is extended. Applicants who reach the final stages of the application process must also sign a release form that authorizes the release of information by the applicant’s current and/or former employers to the CSU concerning any substantiated allegations of misconduct.

Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Crime Statistics Act and Campus Housing Fire Safety Notification: 

Pursuant to the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act, the Annual Security Report (ASR) is also now available for viewing at https://www.sjsu.edu/clery/docs/SJSU-Annual-Security-Report.pdf. The ASR contains the current security and safety-related policy statements, emergency preparedness and evacuation information, crime prevention and Sexual Assault prevention information, and information about drug and alcohol prevention programming. The ASR also contains statistics of Clery crimes for San José State University locations for the three most recent calendar years. A paper copy of the ASR is available upon request by contacting the Office of the Clery Director by phone at 408-924-1501 or by email at clerycompliance@sjsu.edu.

Pursuant to the Higher Education Opportunity Act, the Annual Fire Safety Report (AFSR) is also available for viewing at https://www.sjsu.edu/clery/docs/SJSU-Annual-Fire-Safety-Report.pdf. The purpose of this report is to disclose statistics for fires that occurred within SJSU on-campus housing facilities for the three most recent calendar years, and to distribute fire safety policies and procedures intended to promote safety on Campus. A paper copy of the AFSR is available upon request by contacting the Housing Office by phone at 408-795-5600 or by email at uhs-frontdesk@sjsu.edu.

Campus Security Authority - In accordance with the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act (Clery Act) and CSU systemwide policy, this position is subject to ongoing review for designation as a Campus Security Authority. Individuals that are designated as Campus Security Authorities are required to immediately report Clery incidents to the institution and complete Clery Act training as determined by the university Clery Director.

Equal Employment Statement

San José State University is an equal opportunity employer. The university prohibits discrimination based on age, ancestry, caste, color, disability, ethnicity, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, medical condition, military status, nationality, race, religion, religious creed, sex, sexual orientation, sex stereotype, and veteran status. This policy applies to all San José State University students, faculty, and staff, as well as university programs and activities. Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, and certain other federal and state laws, prohibit discrimination on the basis of sex in all education programs and activities operated by the university (both on and off campus). Reasonable accommodation is made for applicants with disabilities who self-disclose. San José State University employees are considered mandated reporters under the California Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act and are required to comply with the requirements set forth in CSU Executive Order 1083 as a condition of employment.