Senior Optimization Executive
Resume:
Sara L Ayers
adwow7@r.postjobfree.com
Senior Optimization Executive, CampusWorks, Inc.
A trusted advisor with experience facilitating the diverse needs of functional areas and leadership across higher education organizations.
Background, Skills, and Experience
Senior Level Consultant - Higher Education ERP System Optimization Project Management Change Management Account Management Data Governance Data Integrity Process Improvement Requirements Analysis Account Management SME-Banner Human Capital Management - Payroll - Position Budgeting – Grant Effort Certification Data Analysis Application Administration - Implementation - Training - Support Student Success Primary Responsibilities
• Lead organizational change and the full adoption of technology to enable corporate operations and efficiency.
• Exhibit solid leadership skills, including facilitating diverse groups, creating consensus building, and preparing the organization and individuals for change and continuous improvement.
• Lead business process reviews, including reviewing and recommending policy changes, staffing, and organizational alignment changes, and proposing realigning roles and responsibilities when appropriate.
• Superior communication skills and the ability to provide a consultative approach to clients
• Demonstrate ability to map current and desired processes with detail, showing the various process steps and who performs each step. It often includes mapping out very complex and, at times, dysfunctional processes that have arisen over time in an organization.
• Guide end-user assessment interviews for current state and future state process functionality.
• Provide staff with detailed functional assessments, process design diagrams, process documentation, and recommendations focused on enhancing the student and employee experience.
• Provide project management coordination of end-user training strategies and coordinating efforts with product revitalization, re-implementation, or new implementation.
• Provide leadership for functional and technical work groups enabling them to stay on time and on task.
• Provide business process and change management guidance and documentation.
• Guide customers to identify process flows related to the institution’s Human Capital Management policies and procedures, along with data governance and data integrity recommendations.
• Assist customers in determining best practices for their institution, establish critical priorities, and develop an agreed-upon project timeline.
• Assist technical staff and super users with ad-hoc reporting needs to supplement in-house analytics, federal grant time and effort reports, and state higher education reporting requirements.
• Provide staff augmentation, data testing, custom program testing, and support technical staff as needed.
Sara L Ayers
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adwow7@r.postjobfree.com
Areas of Expertise
• Banner Human Resources / Position Control
• Applicant Tracking module
• Benefits Administration module
• Biographic/Demographic module
• Calendar Year End/Regulatory Processing
• Effort Certification and Labor Redistribution module
• Electronic Approvals module
• Employee Relations module
• Employment Administration module
• Employment/Compensation Administration module
• Faculty Load and Compensation module
• Finance to Human Resources Interface
• Fiscal Year-End Processing
• Health and Safety Administration module
• MIS Reporting (CA)
• MIS Reporting (TX)
• Payroll Administration module
• Position Control module
• Salary Planner module
• Data mapping
• Applicant Tracking system integrations (PeopleAdmin, NeoEd, NeoGov)
• Benefit System integrations (Benefit Focus, BeneSwift)
• Talent Management system integrations (ADP, PeopleAdmin)
• Data Governance
• Data Integrity
Additional Areas of Knowledge
• Banner Self-Service 8 & 9
• Banner General
• Banner Finance
• Banner WebTailor
• Banner Communication Management
• Banner Document Management
• SQL Developer / SQL Plus
• eVisions – Argos / Form Fusion
• Microsoft Office Suite 2010 to Office 365
• SalesForce CRM
• ServiceNow
Sara L Ayers
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adwow7@r.postjobfree.com
Years of Experience
• 18+ years of ERP experience (Banner)
• 20+ years of conference presentation and public speaking experience
• 18+ years of higher education experience (adjunct & consultant)
• 25+ years of public sector experience (various roles)
• 10+ years of private sector experience (various roles) Geographic Location
• Remote / US
Relevant Past Positions and Areas of Accountability
• Principal Consultant, Managed Services, Ellucian, LLC o Experienced Principal Consultant with Ellucian focused on solutions for higher education. Strong ERP professional with an in-depth knowledge of Banner Human Resources and related human capital management products. Successful experience providing functional/technical knowledge, Implementation Methodology, Project Management, Project Leadership, Business Process Design, Integration Services, Customer Relationship Management, and the ability to develop a strong working relationship with my peers and customers. All services focus on promoting Student Success and the Ellucian experience. Primary Responsibilities:
o Provide project management organization, implement a planned and proactive approach to problem-solving, identify end-user training strategies, and coordinate efforts with product revitalization, re-implementation, or new implementation for higher education institutions. o Provide leadership for functional and technical work groups enabling them to stay on time and on task with deliverables.
o Provide business process and change management guidance and documentation methodologies.
o Guide customers to identify process flows related to the institution’s Human Capital Management procedures and avoid bottlenecks within the general workflow system. o Assist customers in determining best practices for their institution, document standard operating procedures, and develop an agreed-upon project timeline to bring effective change to the forefront.
o Assist technical staff and super users with ad-hoc reporting needs to supplement state higher education requirements and enhance business analytical capabilities as required. o Provide staff augmentation, data testing, custom program testing, and support technical staff as needed.
o Provide detailed process documentation and recommendations to end-user staff.
• Senior Consultant, Managed Services, Ellucian, LLC o Experienced Senior Consultant with Ellucian focused on solutions for higher education. Strong ERP professional with an in-depth knowledge of Banner Human Resources and related human capital management products. Successful experience providing functional/technical knowledge, Implementation Methodology, Project Management, Project Leadership, Business Process Design, Integration Services, Customer Relationship Management, and the ability to develop a strong working relationship with my peers and customers. All services focus on promoting Student Success and the Ellucian experience. Sara L Ayers
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adwow7@r.postjobfree.com
Primary Responsibilities:
o Provide project management organization, implement a planned and proactive approach to problem-solving, identify end-user training strategies, and coordinate efforts with product revitalization, re-implementation, or new implementation for higher education institutions. o Provide leadership for functional and technical work groups enabling them to stay on time and on task with deliverables.
o Provide business process and change management guidance and documentation methodologies.
o Guide customers to identify process flows related to the institution’s Human Capital Management procedures and avoid bottlenecks within the general workflow system. o Assist customers in determining best practices for their institution, document standard operating procedures, and develop an agreed-upon project timeline to bring effective change to the forefront.
o Assist technical staff and super users with ad-hoc reporting needs to supplement state higher education requirements and enhance business analytical capabilities as required. o Provide staff augmentation, data testing, custom program testing, and support technical staff as needed.
o Provide detailed process documentation and recommendations to end-user staff.
• Banner Systems Analyst-Consultant, Xerox Government Systems, LLC (formerly ACS Govt Systems) o Responsible for functional and technical support of Banner Financial Products, specifically Human Resources and Position Control, Self-Service, General, Web Tailor, and Document Management systems per client contractual agreements. Experience includes troubleshooting functional and technical issues using SQL Developer Tools. Provide Oracle database support (9i/10g/11g) and act as a valuable contributor during upgrades and implementations. Collaborate with client HRIS management and staff to identify, analyze, and implement process improvements and functionality not currently being used. Standardize and correct process workflow to align with baseline Banner design. Advise and collaborate with clients to develop electronic processes to replace manual activity where appropriate. Monitor Banner development group for upgrades, enhancements, defect corrections/patch fixes, and year-end W2/1099/T4/TD1 releases that affect US & Canadian client environments. Monitor and report future changes with IRS and tax agency regulatory reporting requirements. Experience with HR/Benefits Administration, including; Online Benefits Open Enrollment processes, Web-based and third-party time interfaces, FMLA and EEO reporting, Health and Safety monitoring, Salary Budget Development, Affordable Care Act and regulatory Tax Reporting (Federal, State, and Local) and Union Contract / Grievance tracking. Provide additional support for Banner Finance, Fixed Assets, Stores Inventory, Accounts Receivable, and Finance Self-Service. Responsibilities facilitated daily client interaction via ConnectCare and Ellucian Salesforce CRM systems. Additional duties include Web-based and client-site end-user training, sales demos, proposal requests, account management, project management, and conference session presentations. Interact with diverse domestic and international customers at various organizational levels.
• Project Services Consultant, ACS Government Systems (formerly SCT Government Systems)
• Resource Coordinator, SCT Government Systems
• Adjunct Instructor, Computer Sciences, Bluegrass Community/Technical College,
• Adjunct Instructor, Information Systems, Bluegrass Community/Technical College Sara L Ayers
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adwow7@r.postjobfree.com
• Adjunct Instructor, College of Technology, Sullivan University
• Adjunct Instructor, College of Business, Sullivan University Significant Projects
• Banner 9 Implementation team guiding client functional and technical users, including self-service dashboards and custom links.
• FLAC Implementation team guiding client from an in-house Faculty Load & Compensation (FLAC) process to Banner baseline processing for part-time adjunct semester assignments
• Customization Review team advising, collaborating, and supporting clients in moving forward to baseline Banner HR forms and processes.
• Implementation guidance and support of FMLA, ACA, and MIS reporting with California-based customers.
• Project management, data mapping, and functional consulting provided to NY-based clients to implement an interface between Banner HR and BenefitFocus for open enrollment, new hire, and life-change event activities.
• Project management and functional consulting provided to customers for NY State Tax reporting.
• EPAF implementation and revitalization.
• Employee Self Service implementation and revitalization.
• CalPERS/CalSTRS California retirement reporting implementation and support.
• Texas Consortium (TCC) MIS and retirement reporting implementation and support (HR and Finance)
• Banner HR/Payroll Process Improvement Analysis and road mapping.
• Banner HR/Payroll & Position Control Business Process Reviews and recommendations
• Project Management leadership focused on process improvement and increased application knowledge.
Degrees/Education/Certifications
• MBA, Sullivan University, Lexington KY
• MS, Management, Information Technology, Sullivan University
• MS, Management, Organizational Development, Sullivan University
• BS, Computer Science, Sullivan University
• BS, Information Technology, Sullivan University
• PMP, Project Management Institute (PMI)
Awards/Recognitions/Extracurricular
• Ellucian – Standing Ovation Award
• ACS – Several Customer Service awards
• SCT – Ruby award and several GEM awards
• PMI - Northeast Indiana Chapter – VP of Professional Development (2013-2015)
• Advisory Board Member – Sullivan University, College of Technology (2010-2013)
• Advisory Board Member – Sullivan University, College of Business (2010-2013)
• Operations Committee – Susan G. Komen, Race for the Cure (2004) Languages
• English
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