Application Specialist

Job Description Card Job Title: Student Information System Application Specialist Reports To: IT Director – Applications Objective(s): The Student Information System Application Specialist will be responsible for supporting the implementation, configuration, optimization, and ongoing maintenance of the university student information system (SIS), with a primary focus on admissions, registration, student billing, and learning management system (LMS) functionalities and workflows. The role serves as the key liaison between academic and administrative stakeholders (Admissions, Registrar, Finance, and Faculties) and the SIS/LMS vendors to ensure successful system deployment, adoption, and continuous improvement. The specialist will participate in all phases of SIS, LMS, Exam Management, and Library Management systems’ implementation, including requirements gathering, workflow analysis, system configuration review, testing, training, go-live support, and post-implementation support. The role also involves troubleshooting application issues, managing change requests, and ensuring the systems support operational excellence, data integrity, and a positive student and faculty experience. Core Job Responsibilities: Pre-Operational Phase (2026–2027) Post-Opening Phase (2027+) Lead and support SIS, LMS, Exam, and Library systems’ implementation activities. Collaborate with academic and administrative departments (Admissions, Registrar, Finance, Faculties, Examinations, and Library) to gather and document requirements. Review and validate system configurations performed by the vendors against approved requirements. Participate in workflow analysis and process design. Coordinate with vendors, project teams, and university departments. Support system configuration validation, UAT, and end-to-end testing. Assist in data setup, migration, and validation activities (e.g., programs, courses, curricula, and fee structures). Develop training materials and support end-user training. Prepare and maintain system documentation, including configuration records, SOPs, and user guides. Support go-live planning and stabilization activities. Participate in interface and integration testing with other university systems (e.g., ERP, payment gateway, and identity management/SSO) and, where applicable, hospital systems. Provide second-line (Tier 2) application support for the SIS, LMS, Exam, and Library systems. Troubleshoot and resolve application, workflow, and integration issues. Manage incidents, service requests, and enhancement requests. Monitor system performance and ensure application availability. Support application upgrades, patches, testing, and new releases. Support each academic term cycle (academic calendar, course scheduling, registration, grading, and graduation). Generate and maintain standard and ad hoc academic reports and dashboards (e.g., enrollment, academic progress, and accreditation statistics). Participate in and enforce the application change management process. Ensure data integrity and compliance with academic regulations, university policies, accreditation requirements, and applicable data protection laws. Conduct refresher training sessions for faculty, administrative staff, and students. Qualification Requirements Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Informatics, or a related field. 3–5 years of experience implementing and supporting Student Information Systems (SIS) in a higher-education institution. Hands-on experience with SIS and LMS is required. Previous end-to-end implementation and go-live experience is mandatory. Strong understanding of higher education workflows and processes. Knowledge of SIS/LMS interoperability and integration standards (e.g., APIs, LTI, and SSO). Experience with system testing, UAT, change management, and end-user training. Strong analytical, problem-solving, and communication skills. Fluency in English and Arabic (written and spoken). ITIL Foundation or relevant SIS/LMS vendor certification is an advantage. Key Competencies Academic Applications Implementation: Proven experience in implementing and supporting higher-education academic information systems. Academic Systems Knowledge (SIS, Student Billing, LMS, Exam, and Library Management): Strong understanding of higher-education academic and administrative workflows. Stakeholder Management: Ability to work effectively with academic, administrative, and IT teams, as well as vendors. System Integration: Knowledge of SIS integrations with the ERP, payment gateway, LMS, and identity management (SSO) systems. Analytical & Troubleshooting Skills: Ability to identify root causes, resolve issues, and optimize workflows. Training & Communication: Strong capability to train users and communicate technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders. Show more Show less