Business Systems Engineer

Description

SUMMARY:

The Business Systems Engineer supports the Foundation's data ecosystem by designing and building the Salesforce data structures, automations, and platform configurations that bring newly created data into existence within the organization's CRM environment. Reporting to the Director of Enterprise Architecture, this role is responsible for creating custom objects, fields, Custom Metadata Types (MDT), and Flow architectures that house data driven by business intelligence requirements – as distinct from adjusting or building processes around data entered by end users. The Business Systems Engineer also supports NetSuite workflow automation as the Foundation transitions to its new enterprise accounting platform and provides Salesforce backup coverage to the software engineering team as needed. This role follows development standards established by the Director of Enterprise Architecture and collaborates closely across both the data and software engineering functions of Technology Services. Strong Salesforce development skills, attention to data architecture, and a commitment to responsible, well-documented technical work are essential. The person in this position practices the Foundation Standards of Ethical Conduct: Trust, Respect, Integrity, and Commitment.

BEHAVIORAL EXPECTATIONS:

• Follows the principles of the Foundation’s core values:

1. Trust
2. Respect
3. Integrity
4. Commitment

• Motivated to value-add to the success of the Foundation
• Effective communicator
• Collaborative 
• Dependable 
• Detail-oriented
• Adaptable, receptive to change
• Teach through example and service
• Practice professional curiosity and desire to learn
• Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to work with a diverse constituency
• Maintain confidentiality
• Work safely  
• Use Foundation-approved AI tools responsibly and in accordance with Foundation AI guidelines – protect sensitive and confidential information, verify AI-generated outputs before use, and maintain full accountability for all work produced with AI assistance. Trust, but verify. 

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Salesforce Development & Data Architecture

• Design and build new Salesforce data structures – including custom objects, fields, record types, and Custom Metadata Types (MDT) – that house newly created data driven by business intelligence requirements; ensure all structures are built within the managed package boundary, are upgrade-safe, and adhere to Foundation naming conventions and organizational structure standards established by the Director of Enterprise Architecture
• Develop and implement Record-Triggered Flows, Scheduled Flows, and AutoLaunched Flows that create, populate, and manage new data within Salesforce; apply governor limit awareness and production-scale architectural patterns to ensure reliable, scalable, and maintainable automation

Platform Automation

• Build and maintain NetSuite workflow automations in collaboration with Business Analysts, translating documented business logic into technical implementations that maintain a clear delineation between accounting and technology user responsibilities; ensure business logic is documented and owned by the appropriate party consistent with the Foundation's delineation of duties model
• Provide Salesforce backup coverage for the Software Engineer as needed – including configuration, flow work, and other Salesforce-specific tasks; maintain working proficiency across the Foundation's Salesforce environment to ensure continuity of coverage during periods of reduced team capacity

Standards, Quality, & Documentation

• Follow all development standards established by the Director of Enterprise Architecture – including GitHub version control via VS Code for all Salesforce changes (objects, fields, flows, and metadata), naming conventions, organizational structure guardrails, and release management practices; adopt and implement updates to standards as communicated by the Director of Enterprise Architecture
• Apply Salesforce security model best practices to all development work – including field-level security, sharing rules, permission set design, and object-level security – ensuring new data structures appropriately protect sensitive Foundation and constituent data

Collaboration & Stakeholder Support

• Document all new Salesforce data structures, objects, fields, and flows for data warehouse integration and team reference; collaborate with Senior Data Engineers and the Data Engineer on data pipeline needs, with scope of data warehouse involvement flexible based on project requirements and team capacity
• Collaborate closely with the Director of Data Architecture to receive business requirements and implement data solutions; coordinate work through Jira; participate in Discovery sessions and stakeholder meetings as needed; engage actively in continuing education, staff meetings, and professional development

Data Quality & Validation

• Write and maintain queries to support data quality validation, cross-platform data verification, and troubleshooting across Salesforce and connected systems; leverage data warehouse queries where appropriate to validate accuracy and integrity of newly created data structures

OTHER DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Other duties as assigned

Requirements

COMPETENCIES AND EXPERIENCE:

• Typically requires a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Informational Systems, or a related field, or 3 years of professional experience in Salesforce development or CRM platform development; equivalent combinations of education and experience will be considered 
• Experience with Salesforce development including custom object and field creation, Record-Triggered Flows, Scheduled Flows, and AutoLaunched Flows
• Experience working within Salesforce managed package environments; understanding of managed package boundaries and upgrade-safe customization practices
• Experience with GitHub or similar version control tools; proficiency with VS Code for Salesforce development (Salesforce DX/CLI)
• Knowledge of Salesforce security model – field-level security, sharing rules, permission sets, and object-level security
• Strong documentation skills; ability to create clear technical documentation for cross-team reference and data warehouse handoff
• Strong communication skills; ability to translate business requirements into technical solutions
• Ability to manage multiple projects and shifting priorities effectively
• Maintains confidentiality as required and appropriate
• Customer service mindset
• Familiarity with AI productivity tools and ability to apply them responsibly as part of daily workflows

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Experience with NetSuite or SuiteFlow workflow automation tools
• Experience with Evergreen (Salesforce with Advancement RM) or similar fundraising CRM managed packages
• Experience with SQL or SOQL for data querying and validation
• Understanding of data warehouse concepts and Salesforce-to-data warehouse data flows
• Experience in a nonprofit, higher education, or foundation environment
• Familiarity with University of Oregon systems and operations

PHYSICAL DEMANDS AND WORK ENVIRONMENT:

• This job is conducted in an office work environment, sitting most of the time
• Approximately 90% of this position’s duties require use of a computer
• Must be able to exert up to 20 lbs. of force occasionally
• Some travel may be required