1. What is a Business Analyst at Alaska Airlines?

At Alaska Airlines, the role of a Business Analyst—often specialized as a Financial Systems Analyst or Financial Planning Analyst—is a critical bridge between strategic vision and operational reality. You are not just crunching numbers or gathering requirements; you are ensuring the financial backbone of the airline supports our goal of creating an airline people love. In an industry where margins are tight and operational complexity is high, your work directly influences how we manage costs, forecast growth, and optimize our enterprise systems.

This position places you at the intersection of Finance, Technology (specifically Oracle Fusion Cloud), and Operations. Whether you are configuring ERP modules to automate procurement processes or building complex financial models to guide executive decision-making, your output drives efficiency. You will work with cross-functional teams to translate "big picture" strategies into tangible system improvements and financial clarity.

You can expect to work in a high-exposure environment. The airline industry is fast-paced and dynamic; fuel prices change, routes expand, and regulations shift. As a Business Analyst here, you provide the data integrity, system stability, and analytical insights that allow leadership to navigate these changes with confidence. You are the steward of our financial data and the architect of the processes that keep the business running smoothly.

2. Getting Ready for Your Interviews

Preparing for an interview at Alaska Airlines requires a shift in mindset. We look for candidates who are not only technically proficient but who also embody our "Alaska Spirit"—a combination of kindness, performance, and doing the right thing. You should prepare to discuss your technical hard skills alongside your ability to collaborate in a complex, matrixed organization.

Key evaluation criteria for this role include:

Functional & Technical Expertise – You must demonstrate deep familiarity with the tools of the trade. Depending on the specific team, this means expert-level knowledge of Oracle Fusion Cloud (Financials/Procurement) or advanced financial modeling (NPV, cash flow, variance analysis) in Excel. We evaluate your ability to navigate these systems to solve real business problems.

Operational & Business Acumen – We assess your understanding of how business processes (like Procure-to-Pay or Record-to-Report) impact the bottom line. You need to show that you understand the "why" behind a project, not just the "how." Understanding the airline business model—where cost control and efficiency are paramount—is a significant differentiator.

Problem-Solving & Process Improvement – You will face questions about how you identify inefficiencies and drive change. We look for candidates who take ownership of ambiguous problems, investigate root causes, and implement solutions that stick. You should be ready to share examples of how you have automated manual tasks or improved data accuracy.

Cultural Alignment (The Alaska Values) – This is non-negotiable. We evaluate how you align with our core values: Own Safety, Do the Right Thing, Be Kind-Hearted, and Deliver Performance. Your interviewers will be listening for empathy, integrity, and a collaborative spirit in your answers.

3. Interview Process Overview

The interview process at Alaska Airlines is thorough but designed to be transparent and respectful of your time. It generally begins with a recruiter screen, where the focus is on your background, interest in the airline industry, and high-level qualifications. If you pass this stage, you will move to a hiring manager screen. This conversation dives deeper into your specific experience with financial systems (like Oracle) or financial planning methodologies.

Following the screens, you will enter the panel interview stage. This typically involves meeting with 3–4 potential peers and leaders. Expect a mix of behavioral questions based on our leadership principles and technical deep dives. For Business Analyst roles, this stage often includes practical assessments of your skills—such as walking through a system configuration scenario, discussing a complex financial model you built, or explaining how you handled a difficult stakeholder requirement.

Throughout the process, the atmosphere is professional yet warm. We value authenticity. While we test for rigor and technical excellence, we also want to see how you interact with others. The process is designed to ensure that you can handle the pressure of the airline industry while maintaining the collaborative attitude that defines our culture.

The timeline above illustrates the typical flow from application to offer. Note that for technical roles involving Oracle Fusion or FP&A, the "Technical Assessment" stage may involve a take-home case study or a live problem-solving session focused on data analysis or system design. Use the gaps between stages to refresh your knowledge on recent airline industry trends and our specific financial reports.

4. Deep Dive into Evaluation Areas

To succeed, you must demonstrate strength in specific functional areas. We rely on data-driven decision-making, so your ability to articulate your technical process is just as important as the result.

Financial Systems Proficiency (Oracle Fusion Cloud)

For Systems Analyst-focused roles, this is the core of the evaluation. You need to show that you are not just a user, but a subject matter expert who can configure and optimize the system.

Be ready to go over:

• Module Configuration – Deep knowledge of Financials, Procurement, or EPM suites (EPBCS, FCCs, ARCs).
• Integration Logic – How data flows between modules and external systems, and how you troubleshoot integration errors.
• SDLC Management – Your experience with the full lifecycle: requirements gathering, fit/gap analysis, design, testing (UAT), and deployment.

Example questions or scenarios:

• "Describe a time you identified a feature in Oracle Fusion that was underutilized and rolled it out to the business."
• "How do you handle a situation where a business requirement conflicts with standard system functionality?"

Financial Analysis & Modeling

For FP&A-focused roles, we evaluate your ability to model the future and explain the past. You must be comfortable with ambiguity and complex datasets.

Be ready to go over:

• Valuation & Metrics – Net Present Value (NPV), ROI analysis, and unit cost analysis.
• Forecasting – Building 3-year plans, variance analysis, and "what-if" scenario modeling.
• Data Manipulation – Advanced Excel functions (Pivot tables, VLOOKUP/XLOOKUP) and managing large datasets.

Example questions or scenarios:

• "Walk us through a complex financial model you built from scratch. How did you validate your assumptions?"
• "How would you explain a significant variance in monthly accruals to a non-finance stakeholder?"

Process Improvement & Stakeholder Management

Regardless of the specific title, all Business Analysts at Alaska must be change agents. You will be evaluated on your soft skills and your ability to drive adoption of new processes.

Be ready to go over:

• Requirements Gathering – Techniques for extracting clear requirements from diverse stakeholders.
• Change Management – How you train users, document processes, and gain buy-in for new workflows.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration – Working with IT, Finance, and Operations to deliver projects on time.

Example questions or scenarios:

• "Tell me about a time you had to deliver bad news to a stakeholder regarding a project timeline or budget."
• "Describe a process improvement you initiated that resulted in measurable time or cost savings."

5. Key Responsibilities

As a Business Analyst at Alaska Airlines, your day-to-day work is a blend of routine operational support and strategic project work. You act as the functional point of contact for your area, meaning you are the "go-to" person when the business needs a solution.

On the systems side, you are responsible for the health and evolution of our ERP landscape. This involves reviewing user needs, configuring Oracle Fusion Cloud features, and leading testing efforts for quarterly updates or new implementations. You aren't just fixing bugs; you are actively investigating new features that can automate manual work, such as streamlining the Procure-to-Pay cycle or improving financial reporting accuracy. You will document these changes meticulously, creating test plans and training materials to ensure smooth adoption.

On the planning and analysis side, you are a partner to senior leadership. You will develop and maintain robust financial models to support strategic initiatives, such as fleet planning or route profitability analysis. You will coordinate the monthly close process for various divisions, managing accruals and researching invoice variances. A significant part of your week will be spent analyzing financial data to provide recommendations on cost control and budget preparation, helping cost center managers understand their performance against targets.

6. Role Requirements & Qualifications

We look for a specific blend of technical hard skills and professional experience. Strong candidates typically possess the following:

Must-Have Skills

• Education: A Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Economics, or IT.
• Experience: Generally 2–4+ years of relevant experience. For Systems roles, this must include functional analysis support for Oracle Fusion Cloud. For FP&A roles, this includes experience in investment banking, corporate finance, or accounting.
• Technical Proficiency:
  • Systems: Deep understanding of ERP workflows (Record-to-Report, Order-to-Cash).
  • Analysis: Advanced Excel skills (complex formulas, modeling) and familiarity with financial fundamentals (GAAP, NPV, Cash Flow).
• Soft Skills: Proven ability to work under pressure, manage concurrent tasks, and communicate complex concepts to executive management.

Nice-to-Have Skills

• Industry Context: Prior airline experience is a massive plus, as it reduces the learning curve regarding industry-specific metrics (CASM, RASM).
• Certifications: CPA certification or Oracle-specific certifications.
• Advanced Tools: Experience with Oracle EPM Suite (EPBCS, FCCs, ARCs) or visualization tools.

7. Common Interview Questions

The following questions are representative of what you might encounter. They are drawn from candidate experiences and the specific competencies required for this role. Expect a mix of behavioral questions based on our values and technical questions based on the specific job function (Systems vs. FP&A).

Financial Systems & Oracle ERP

• How have you managed a quarterly patch update in Oracle Cloud? What was your testing strategy?
• Can you explain the data flow in the Procure-to-Pay cycle and where errors most commonly occur?
• Describe a time you had to configure a custom solution because out-of-the-box functionality didn't meet business needs.
• How do you approach troubleshooting a complex system error that technical support cannot immediately resolve?

Analysis & Modeling

• How do you calculate NPV, and how would you use it to recommend whether we should invest in a new project?
• Describe a situation where you had to analyze a large dataset in Excel to find a trend. What functions did you use?
• If you find a material variance during the monthly close, what steps do you take to investigate and resolve it?
• How do you ensure data integrity when pulling reports from multiple disparate sources?

Behavioral & Leadership

• Tell me about a time you made a mistake in a report or configuration. How did you handle it?
• Describe a time you had to influence a stakeholder who was resistant to a new process or system change.
• Give an example of how you prioritize your work when you have multiple urgent deadlines during a closing period.
• How do you embody the value of "Doing the Right Thing" when under pressure to cut costs?

8. Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What is the work-life balance like for this role? The airline industry operates 24/7, but our corporate roles typically follow standard business hours. However, during month-end close, budget cycles, or major system implementations, you should expect longer hours. We value flexibility and results over face time, but the nature of finance roles dictates certain peak periods.

Q: Is this role remote or hybrid? Most corporate roles at Alaska Airlines, including Business Analysts, are based at our Seattle (SeaTac) headquarters. We generally operate on a hybrid model, balancing in-person collaboration with remote flexibility. You should check the specific job requisition for the current policy, but expect to be in the office a few days a week to collaborate with your team.

Q: How technical does the interview get? For Financial Systems roles, it is quite technical regarding Oracle configuration and workflows. For FP&A roles, expect to be tested on your accounting knowledge and Excel modeling capabilities. We need to know you can do the work on day one.

Q: What differentiates a top candidate? A top candidate connects the dots. They don't just say, "I built a report." They say, "I built a report that identified 5% in cost savings, which allowed us to reallocate budget to a critical safety initiative." Connecting your output to the broader success of the airline is key.

Q: What are the flight benefits? This is often the favorite perk! Employees generally receive free stand-by travel privileges on Alaska Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines, and Horizon Air. It is a significant part of our culture and a great way to experience the product you are working to support.

9. Other General Tips

Know the Business Model: Before your interview, brush up on basic airline economics. Understand concepts like RASM (Revenue per Available Seat Mile) and CASM (Cost per Available Seat Mile). Showing that you understand how an airline makes money—and where it loses money—demonstrates high business acumen.

Prepare Your "STAR" Stories: We use behavioral interviewing. Structure your answers using the S.T.A.R. method (Situation, Task, Action, Result). Ensure your "Result" is quantifiable whenever possible (e.g., "reduced processing time by 20%").

Be Honest About Gaps: If you don't know a specific Oracle module or Excel function, admit it, but explain how you would learn it. We value curiosity and the ability to learn quickly over pretending to know everything.

Demonstrate Ownership: We love self-starters. Be prepared to discuss times you worked with minimum supervision. We want to hear about the projects you initiated, not just the ones you were assigned.

10. Summary & Next Steps

Becoming a Business Analyst at Alaska Airlines is an opportunity to join a company that combines the complexity of a major logistics operation with a deeply human-centric culture. Whether you are optimizing our Oracle ERP systems or providing the financial analysis that guides our future, your work will have a tangible impact on our ability to fly safely and profitably.

To succeed, focus your preparation on your technical strengths—be it system configuration or financial modeling—and your ability to articulate the business value of your work. Review your past projects, identify the "wins," and practice telling those stories with a focus on collaboration and problem-solving. We are looking for people who are passionate about "business being done right" and who are ready to help us create an airline people love.

The salary range provided above reflects the base pay. At Alaska, total compensation often includes generous 401k matching, annual and quarterly bonus plans based on company performance, and, of course, flight privileges. When considering the offer, look at the "Total Rewards" package, as the travel benefits and healthcare plans add significant value beyond the base salary.

You have the potential to drive real change here. Prepare thoroughly, come with questions, and show us how your expertise can help Alaska Airlines soar. Good luck!