Business Analyst - Process Improvement Specialist

Huijia Lin

*** * ******* **, ********, AZ ***** 480-***-**** *************@*****.*** linkedin.com/in/huijia-lin

Summary

Process Improvement / Business Analyst with 5+ years of experience supporting Finance and Operations through data-driven analysis, workflow optimization, and system enhancements. Proven ability to translate business requirements into scalable process improvements, identify gaps between procedures and controls, and drive end-to-end implementations from requirements through UAT and deployment. Strong background in SQL, KPI development, cross-functional collaboration, and operational risk mitigation, supporting lending, funding, and finance-related operational processes.

Education

Arizona State University - Master of Science in Business Analytics August 2019-May 2020

Fudan University - Bachelor of Mathematics of Economics September 2014-June 2018

Professional Qualifications

Business Process Modeling & Documentation

Create and maintain end-to-end business process maps, workflow diagrams, and data flow documentation across cross-functional systems.

Conduct stakeholder interviews to capture current-state processes and design optimized future-state workflows aligned with business requirements.

Process Optimization, Efficiency Improvements & Controls

Analyze operational workflows to identify bottlenecks and control gaps, recommending process redesign, standardized controls, and automation.

Perform root-cause analysis and develop repeatable, scalable process improvements.

Project Management & Implementation Support

Manage initiatives from requirements gathering through implementation, translating business needs into functional requirements and specifications.

Lead user acceptance testing (UAT) by defining test plans, test cases, execution timelines, and coordinating sign-off.

Support system enhancements and new tool rollouts, ensuring smooth implementation and user adoption.

Data Analysis, Reporting & Operational Insights

Conduct quantitative and qualitative analysis to evaluate process performance, operational trends, and control effectiveness.

Build KPI dashboards (Excel / Power BI) measuring efficiency, cycle time, accuracy, and process health.

Translate analytical findings into concrete, actionable recommendations for leadership and stakeholders.

Cross-Functional Collaboration & Communication

Partner with Product, Engineering, Operations, Risk, and Finance teams to assess system capabilities and support new initiatives.

Prepare executive-ready summaries and presentations communicating findings, risks, and recommended actions.

Work independently with minimal direction while maintaining clear communication cadence and escalating issues as needed.

Professional Experience

Senior Business Analyst / Process Analyst July 2022-Present

Fannie Mae Washington DC, VA

Business Process Modeling & Workflow Documentation

Mapped cross-functional workflows across Finance, Operations, and Risk to document current-state processes and identify operational gaps.

Created standardized process documentation, data flow diagrams, and system usage guides supporting 50+ internal stakeholders.

Updated process documentation following system enhancements to ensure alignment with business rules and governance requirements.

Process Improvement & Operational Efficiency

Identified gaps between business requirements and existing procedures/controls; proposed mitigating controls and standardized workflows.

Redesigned end-to-end processes to reduce recurring data defects by ~40% and improve downstream reporting accuracy.

Partnered with technical teams to implement automation and efficiency enhancements reducing manual reconciliation effort.

Supported financial process enhancements involving downstream ledger reconciliation and operational controls.

Project Management & System Enhancement Support

Led initiatives from requirements gathering through UAT, deployment, and post-implementation validation.

Authored functional requirements, acceptance criteria, and implementation documentation for system enhancements.

Defined UAT test plans and test cases, coordinated execution, documented results, and obtained stakeholder sign-off.

Managed defect triage and issue resolution, escalating risks and blockers to leadership when needed.

Data Analysis, Reporting & Stakeholder Communication

Performed in-depth SQL analysis and built KPI dashboards to assess operational performance, risks, and process health.

Delivered executive-ready readouts summarizing insights, risks, and recommended actions.

Worked independently with minimal direction, providing regular status updates and proactive issue escalation.

Financial Specialist August 2021-July 2022

United Integrated Service (USA) Phoenix, AZ

Managed cash execution and payment workflows using ERP and online banking platforms, ensuring accurate and timely fund movement.

Performed daily and monthly reconciliations across ERP sub-ledgers, bank activity, and vendor records; investigated exceptions and resolved discrepancies.

Validated invoices, payment batches, and allocation rules to support ledger balancing and accurate financial postings.

Supported procurement and operations teams by analyzing spend patterns and vendor cost allocations.

Supported cash workflows aligned with funding execution and ledger balancing processes.

Data analyst January 2020 - May 2020

Arizona State University Tempe, AZ

Conducted SQL Server ETL analysis on five years of HR performance data to identify bias trends.

Built a Bayesian model achieving ~91% accuracy to predict performance outcomes.

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